191T1 EDITOBIAL. 103 



Steady growth of the instruction side of the college, the large de- 

 velopment of the experiment station, unprecedented appropriations 

 for wider expansion of the whole institution, and finally the organiza- 

 tion of extension work on a novel scale, have increased the working 

 staff many fold and made the duties of administration fully equal to 

 those of the large independent colleges. Indeed, the responsibilities 

 and the internal and external relationships of the dean and director 

 in our larger institutions are now often more exacting than those of 

 president of many of the colleges. It is little wonder then that the 

 dual position of dean and director has made it difficult or impossible 

 to give the attention to the starion work which it formerly received, 

 unless special provision is made for assistance. 



Nor is this overburdened condition confined to the institutions hav- 

 ing this combined officer. Where the position of director is retained, 

 he often has manifold duties outside of that office, and may serve as 

 nominal head of all the agricultural work, or as head of an inde- 

 pendent department of the college, or even as director of extension 

 work. His relationships to the agricultural interests and to the peo- 

 ple of the State, like those of the dean, often make large demands 

 upon his time. Hence it frequently happens that the director of the 

 station is much more than the responsible head of the research depart- 

 ment of the college, and needs to have his office carefully organized to 

 discharge his functions. 



The present situation in respect to the office and duties of those in 

 charge of the stations is shown in the following analysis. 



In twenty-four institutions the office of dean of agriculture and 

 director of the experiment station is combined in a single person. 

 In other words, the dean or head of all the agricultural work in the 

 institution is likewise director of the experiment station, and there 

 is no separate officer or associate to look especially after the latter's 

 affairs. In six States the dean and director of the station is also 

 director of agricultural extension, an office sufficiently engrossing 

 in most instances to warrant a separate head; and in eight cases 

 the dual officer serves as head of an important subject matter depart- 

 ment in the institution. In one instance the combined dean and 

 director acts as State leader of county agents, and in at least three 

 others he has additional duties of an exacting nature. 



In twenty-six institutions the director of the station is an inde- 

 pendent officer, reporting directly to the head of the institution. In 

 five of these cases he is likewise director of agricultural extension, 

 and in several of the remaining cases he is lq charge of a division 

 in the college having both teaching and investigation. In several 

 instances the overworked condition of these dual officers and its effect 

 upon the efficiency of administration have already been recognized. 



