678 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION K. 



It seems that a permanent bureau should be established. The 

 officers of this bureau should be men of high attainments in social 

 and political economy, men of standing in the scientific and educa- 

 tional world, also men of rugged intellect, with human sympathies, 

 who know the needs and thoughts of the masses. Men of commer- 

 cial training and other representatives of agricultural activities 

 should also be represented. 



The function of the bureau would be, among other matters, to 

 prepare a scheme that would meet the needs of such a national 

 project as settling the people over the Commonwealth. When we 

 get a right perspective of the scheme, it will be found that agricul- 

 tural education will occupy a prominent place in it. 



B. — The Metamorphoses of the Farmer. 



The prejudices that obsessed the older generation of farmers 

 against scientific education and research work are passing away. 

 Although the Old Guard dies, but never surrenders, the Young 

 Guard is full of promise, full of enthusiasm, and full of determina- 

 tion. 



The many young agriculturists who enter the ranks of the scien- 

 tific corps leave it with broader and more practical minds, and are 

 in every way better equipped as agriculturists and as citizens who 

 can voice the needs of their class in the social and political arenas. 

 This is evident from the interest shown by some of our older past 

 students in public matters. 



To many farmers of the old^r generation the halo of mystery 

 surrounding the work of the scientist, though producing a passive 

 form of respect for him, was not made a living force until the 

 scientists themselves became more in sympathy with the needs of 

 the agricultural community, and so better understood its language 

 and its needs. 



The prejudices on both sides are dying out, and so the farmer 

 and the scientist meet on common grounds. Hence there is more 

 directness in the attitude each has to ihe other. 



C. The Education op the Man on the Land. 



In America, the Agricultural Colleges and the Universities take 

 a more active part in the direct instruction of the farmers already 

 on the land than do similar institutions in the Commonwealth. 

 The reason is evident. In America, the instructional staff of every 

 college is very large, and the heads of branches have under them 

 men who are educationally of equal standing, though perhaps not 

 so experienced. Then, as the vacations are long, the members of 

 the staff are free to leave the college without seriously hampering 

 the work; or, better, they may deal with the farmers at the 

 college, and get in direct touch with them. 



