384 



SCIENTIFIC AGRICULTURE 



July, 1922 



The EnvifQnment for Research * 



L. S. KLINCK, President of the University of Britisli CoUimbia. Vancouver, B. C. 



Last summer, -while plaj'ing truant from 

 the session? of the Congress of the Univer- 

 sities of the British Empire, it was my good 

 fortune to meet, in his private laboratory, 

 a research scientist who is known through- 

 out the English-speaking world. He had 

 not attended a single session of the Con- 

 gress nor did he intend to do so. In reply 

 to -a question from him as to what phase 

 of University work was under discussion 

 that afternoon, I replied, "The Universi- 

 ties and Research''. "'Talk, talk and then 

 more talk"", said he caustically. "To cer- 

 tain types of minds, the discussion of re- 

 search is so fascinating that they cannot 

 refrain from talking and writing about it 

 even though these activities preclude the 

 doing of any original investigation on their 

 })art"". "Yes'", he continued, "research is 

 fascinating to the research man, but some- 

 times I think it must be even more alluring 

 to those who are responsible for giving the 

 subject a place on the programs of Con- 

 gresses and conventions." 



This eminent authority then remarked 

 that he had spent the greater part of the 

 day in unpacking new equipment. To me 

 it seemed that the services of a janitor or 

 of a laboratory assi-stant might have been 

 employed more economically at such a task ; 

 while the appearance of the laboratory it- 

 self constituted an even more convincing 

 reason for engaging less skilled labour for 

 this purijose. Presumably the Ma.ster was 

 so interested in seeing the new equipment 

 tliat he considered his day had been well 

 spent. All this, by the wa}-, was an un- 

 conscious and most illuminating commen- 

 tary on the wisdom, or lack of wisdom, of 

 giving the subject "The Universities and 

 Research" a place on the program of the 

 Congress. 



With us, in Britisli Columbia, the sub- 

 ject is unquestionably a timely one ; and 

 there are, from an administrative point 

 of view at least, reasons why I should have 

 been requested to address you on "The 

 Environment for Research". I shall not 



* An address delivered before the Pro- 

 vincial Convention of the C. S. T. A., 

 Vancouver B. C. April 4 and 5, 1922, 



undertake a comprehensive treatment of 

 the subject but shall approach it from the 

 angle of those engaged in agricultural 

 teaching and investigation, "Within this 

 restricted field. I shall endeavor to show 

 that research on the part of members of 

 our agricultural staffs is essential to good 

 lecture and laboratory instruction, and no 

 less necessary to the training of graduates 

 if they are to have the right attitude to- 

 wards this fundamental question. 



"When I make the statement that the 

 quality of the instructional work is very 

 directly affected by the amount and char- 

 acter of the researches conducted, I am 

 not unmindful of the heavy burden of 

 lecturing and administration which the 

 staff have cheerfulh' assumed. Neither 

 have I forgotten that practically all our 

 available resources are required for stu- 

 dent laboratory and other lil^e equipment ; 

 nor have I lost sight of the fact that work 

 of such uncertain and so expensive a na- 

 ture, as is research, will never be popular 

 with the general public. But after making 

 due allowance for these conditions, we can- 

 not overlook the fact that experimentation 

 and research are absolutely essential to ef- 

 fective teaching and that for this, if for no 

 other reason, it must be encouraged. Re- 

 search is a form of university work which 

 cannot be overlooked or neglected with- 

 out fatal consequences. 



While a high standard of achievement 

 in research should be set, it will, in the 

 nature of things, be impossible for all to 

 attain it; and while it is desirable that in- 

 vestigations be original, it is not necessary 

 that all be so. For the average instructor 

 who is cariying on a piece of investiga- 

 tion, one thing is more important than 

 striking originality, more impt)rtant even 

 than brilliant acliievement, and that is 

 his own attitude of mind towards the fun- 

 damental question of research. 



The personal attitude towards this sub- 

 ject is important in all Universities but 

 it is particularly so in our own because 

 we are more isolated than are the workers 

 in most other in.stitutions. Moreover, near- 

 ly all the members of the teaching staff 

 are voung; and unless satisfactorv arrange- 



