CONVENTION OF COLLEGES AND EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 9 



general cooperative agreement lias been entered into with tlie Department. 

 He emphasized as an important need at this time the provision bj' the colleges 

 of strong administrative heads for their extension work. The holding of 

 national and regional conferences on extension business was also advocated, 

 and a conference of the extension directors in attendance with the States' 

 Relations Committee followed the close of the convention. 



Dean C. F. Curtiss of Iowa, President A. jNI. Soule of Georgia, A. D. Wilson 

 of Minnesota, and President Benjamin Ide Wheeler of California participated 

 in the ensuing discussion. 



The report of the bibliographer, also presented by Doctor True, dealt espe- 

 ciall}^ with the form of extension publications. He drew attention to the 

 prevailing great diversity among these publications, and suggested some changes 

 in the interests of uniformity, simplicity, increased availability, and ease of 

 preservation. A collection of samples illustrating these points was on exhibi- 

 tion, and announcement was made that the work of assembling as complete a 

 library of extension publications as possible is now under way in this Office. 



For the couunittee on instruction in agriculture, Doctor True reported on 

 farm practice requirements as a part of the 4-year college course, on the basis 

 of an inquiry sent out and visits to many institutions. It was found that at 

 the present time collegiate farm practice is quite generally insisted upon as a 

 feature of the instruction in every branch of agriculture, but it has by no 

 means reached its optimum development — in connection with some courses there 

 is too little practice, with others too much. In the main there is a feeling 

 that there is too little practice for effective teaching. This in many cases is 

 due to lack of suitable facilities at the college for giving the desired practice, 

 and in others to a failure to utilize fully the available facilities. Vacation prac- 

 tice, the employment of students on approved farms for a year or more or in 

 charge of farm practice projects for definite stated periods, and educational excur- 

 sions are among the means sometimes followed. It was pointed out that the 

 absence of provision for such practice decreases the effectiveness of instruction 

 in agriculture, and that students who are permitted to graduate without it 

 often bring upon the colleges merited unfavorable criticism. The report is to 

 be printed as a separate at an early date. 



Dr. H. P. Armsby, of Pennsylvania, reported for the committee on graduate 

 study, dealing especially with the Sixth Graduate School of Agriculture suc- 

 cessfully held at the University of Missouri, June 29 to July 24 (E. S. R., 31. 

 p. 301). A policy of concentration upon a few subjects at the school was 

 favored, as well as the provision of some form of credit for work accomplished. 

 It was recommended that greater attention be given by the colleges and sta- 

 tions to ways for facilitating the attendance of the younger members of their 

 staffs at this school. 



The report of the committee on college organization and policy, submitted by 

 President K. L. Butterfield of Massachusetts, included a description by Presi- 

 dent R. A. Pearson of a plan for student and faculty cooperation being tried 

 at the Iowa State College, in such matters as the upkeep of the grounds, sani- 

 tation and other minor improvements, and the protection of property. The 

 committee also summarized a questionnaire, conducted by President W. M. Riggs 

 of South Carolina, as to student character records, which indicated a general 

 belief in the desirability of such records but little uniformity as to methods. 



The committee on experiment station organization and policy. Dean E. 

 Davenport, of Illinois, chairman, emphasized the need for a sharp differentia- 

 tion of the field of the station work from that of extension agencies, as 

 explained elsewhere (see p. 5). The- committee also discussed the publi- 

 73227°— No. 1—15 2 



