10 July, 1919.] Agricultural Education in Victoria. 431 



Hence intensive culture and diversification are pointed to as the chief 

 avenues of progress, and these naturally lend special importance to- 

 education. 



" A lesson cited from American experience is that, ' 'No matter from 

 what angle the problem of agricultural education be viewed, it resolves 

 itself ultimately into the problem of providing a sufficiency of trained 

 teachers, agricultural specialists, and extension workers, and using them 

 as units in an organized scheme of instruction, investigation, and exten- 

 sion.' It took this country a generation or more to learn this, but it 

 is one of the most fundamental lessons out of our experience, and it will 

 be a saving of time and disappointment if it can be profited by in newer 

 countries. 



" With a view of training such a corps of workers, suggestions are 

 offered for modifying and strengthening the course and facilities in 

 agriculture of the University of Melbourne. The provision at present 

 is held to be wholly inadequate to the modern ideas of college teaching, 

 and until it can be enlarged the suggestion is offered that the staff of 

 the Department of Agriculture be used, and the facilities of the Werribee 

 Research Farm or the Dookie Agricultural College employed, for the 

 necessary practical work. Scholarships in American institutions are 

 advocated to provide trained specialists in technical subjects; and to 

 encourage more men to prepare for this field the insurance of larger 

 emoluments for services is urged. In this connexion it is noted that 

 the University Council has asked that the Government appoint six 

 graduates annually for a period of five years at a salary of 1,500 dolldfPs 

 a year. 



" Comparing the two agricultural colleges of Victoria with those in 

 this country, it is shown that they differ fundamentally, and that the 

 former are really vocational schools, giving as much attention to acquir- 

 ing manual skill and dexterity as to technical and scientific training. 

 The writer explains that ' The Americans emphasize the fact that the 

 true function of a college is to teach why things are done rather than how 

 they should be done ' ; and that, in the American colleges, ' Practically the 

 whole time is devoted to technical and scientific training and subjects 

 which make for good citizenship '. 



" The two existing colleges attract few farm boys, but might, it is 

 urged, if the type of instruction were provided which is adapted to their 

 needs. A strong plea is made for liberalizing their courses, for increas- 

 ing and strengthening the staff's, and for enlarging the facilities tor 

 instruction. Citing the success of short courses in the United States and 

 Canada, the encouragement of these in every possible way is advocated. 



" The plan does not end with the university and the agricultural 

 colleges, but includes instruction of lower grades. A State supervisor 

 of agricultural instruction is recommended for the high and elementary 

 school work, and central and district schools for preparing teachers for 

 the elementary grades. 



" The report has much to say on the subject of experiment stations 

 and agricultural investigation, which are rea:arded as absolutely funda- 

 mental to other educational development. The author holds that ' The 

 building up of a body of systematic knowledge by careful investigation 

 and experiment is essential for the sound development of agriculture in 

 any country,' and that a comprehensive system for this must run parallel 

 with the work of instruction and extension. 



