EDITOKIAL. 303 



tions, as in that group of States, California has only a single organi- 

 zation, but it has eight centers of activity at present, three of which 

 were designated as major centers and five as minor. The activity 

 and the plans at each center or unit were set forth. Much interest 

 was manifested by those who had not had opportunity to study the 

 system, in this description of the manner in which the varied needs 

 of the State are being met. A considerable number of the delegates 

 took occasion to visit some of these units located away from the 

 university. 



The preparation of men for teaching and research in agriculture, 

 and the means of securing it, was a live subject of consideration. 

 This is recognized as one of the great problems of the day in the 

 advancement of this agricultural work. It is common to each divi- 

 sion of the undertaking and to every section of the country. The 

 demand for workers has grown very rapidly, and the standards have 

 advanced with the grade of the work now required of the institutions. 

 The number of adequately prepared persons has not kept pace with 

 this development. It was pertinent, therefore, that the subject 

 should be one for extended discussion. 



As bearing on the subject from the standpoint of the college as a 

 preparatory agency. President A. Ross Hill reviewed the situation 

 with reference to the service contemplated in the Nelson amendment. 

 He showed from a canvass of the catalogues what the various colleges 

 are attempting to do, and incidentally the inadequacy of their efforts. 

 Not only is the provision inadequate but the colleges are not attract- 

 ing or preparing the necessary numbers. The belief was expressed 

 that probably all of the land-grant colleges combined are not training 

 enough teachers to meet the needs of a single State. Dr. Hill urged 

 the need of a propaganda to attract prospective teachers. 



This paper resulted in a very interesting discussion, along a line 

 which has heretofore not received much consideration by the associa- 

 tion. Complaint was made b}^ some of the difficulty of attracting 

 persons to the field of agricultural teaching in view of the avenues 

 open to them in other lines, especially agricultural extension. But, 

 on the other hand, it was shown that the presentation of the larger 

 field of the agricultural teacher had in some States inspired consid- 

 erable numbers of persons to enter that field. In Minnesota, for ex- 

 ample, there are one hundred and seventy schools teaching agi'iculture 

 and it has been possible to get all the teachers needed, these being 

 drawn from some twenty agricultural colleges. The opening up of 

 an avenue for these teachers outside the school room in conducting 

 community work has been a great incentive. These agricultural 



