86 JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY . [Vol. 4 



Mr. Summers: I am not so modest as Professor Washburn, so 

 will talk before he does. I am out of the teaching of entomology, 

 almost, to my great regret, and I can only say a word or two about 

 one or two special problems at this moment. One special problem 

 that I have at present is to arrange a very brief course required in 

 entomology for certain agricultural students who have had insufficient 

 preparation in general zoology, a course that is not at all worthy 

 of a place in any institution, that is, one fit for the college student; 

 the short course student takes but a thirteen weeks' course. 

 Now, what we will do in the case of the student who comes to us 

 with no preparation in general zoology, and to whom we are to 

 give instruction for a single semester in entomology, is really my 

 great problem. I have a strong feeling in connection with our 

 courses in entomology, that we ought either to demand sufficient 

 time to give a respectable course to students who take up that work, 

 or that we ought to refuse to teach it at all; and I have done so the 

 present year. Within three hours of taking the train to come to this 

 meeting — I refused to teach a course in my department that was to 

 have only partial time for one semester, in which I was expected to 

 give training to forestry students in forest entomology — no general 

 zoology, no general entomology. I think the reasons for that hardlj' 

 need explaining. 



Mr. Washburn: I think Professor Summers hit the nail on the 

 head when he refused to give instruction on such meager general 

 knowledge. Now, Mr. Chairman, I approach this subject from a 

 different point of view from that taken by any one else, and I think 

 Mr. Gossard may be a little disappointed in what I have to say. 

 From the nature of my position, mj^ ambition is to do the very best 

 economic work possible, and to do that, we need in Minnesota, as we 

 all need, trained men. We have great difficulty in finding men of 

 experience to take positions of responsibility in this line. What is 

 the reason? I can only answer for my own institution. I do not 

 think the Board of Regents appreciates the importance of entomologj^, 

 practical entomology, or any entomologj'. I do not know whether 

 that is the case in other institutions, but that is our difficulty, and I 

 should like to see more entomology put in, and I want to get a chance 

 at the boys when they first come into the college, so that thej' may learn 

 for themselves whether they like entomology or not. Now, I have 

 drawn a resolution, Mr. Chairman, which it will do no harm, I am 

 sure, to-present at this time. It might be helpful to some of us, and 

 certainly could not harm us, though Dr. Smith and Professor Summers 

 might not agree with me. 



President Sanderson: There would be no objection to the 



