iooo PARKS 



August 1926, pages 616-618) concerning the efforts that have been made 

 at the Massachusetts Agricultural College: "Recognizing the need for 

 sound general education and thorough technical training for park execu- 

 tives the Massachusetts Agricultural College has endeavored to build up 

 a course of study which would meet those requirements. As far as possible 

 these requirements are met in the regular four-year curriculum of the 

 college, and more especially in that group of subjects known as the major 

 in landscape gardening. As the problem works out in college we have two 

 main objectives, (i) to give a good college education, (2) to lay a solid foun- 

 dation in the general principles of landscape architecture. In the training 

 of park executives we can hardly go further than to introduce the elementary 

 applications of these principles to the problems of park design, construction 

 and maintenance. A special effort is made first of all, however, to give 

 a good thorough general education. The park executive certainly ought to 

 have the standing of a college graduate. He ought to have a good general 

 understanding of mathematics, science, literature, economics and sociology. 

 There is always a tendency to crowd out these subjects, replacing them 

 with technical courses in landscape architecture. 



In the four-year curriculum at the Massachusetts Agricultural College 

 the studies of the freshman course are general and required the same for 

 all students. In the sophomore year students in landscape architecture 

 take drawing and surveying, introductory to their professional work. In 

 the junior year they take up engineering, architecture and elementary 

 design. In the fourth year they get more design along with additional work 

 in engineering and construction. 



Throughout the entire four years considerable time is given to sub- 

 jects entirely outside the professional group. Some of the studies which 

 would be taken by practically every student following a major course in 

 landscape architecture are: Mathematics, surveying, chemistry, physics, 

 botany, entomology, geology, economics, sociology, English composition, 

 English literature, drawing, engineering, architecture, principles of design, 

 park design, estate design, city and country planning. A number of other 

 subjects are available at the election of the student. Special emphasis is 

 placed on the use of good English, and courses in English are taken prac- 

 tically every term of the four years. Among the technical subjects special 

 emphasis is laid upon engineering and construction, both of very great 

 importance to prospective park executives." 



Prof. James Sturgis Pray, chairman of the School of Landscape Archi- 

 tecture of Harvard University, in writing of the opportunities offered by 

 the school in training park executives, says: 1 "Our Harvard Graduate School 



1 Excerpts from Parks and Recreation, Vol. IX, No. 5, May-June 1926, pages 513-518. 



