182 DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS. 



of the agriculture of that region, which would have been impossible a few years 

 ago. The present activity in plant breeding, as distinguished from the indiscrimi- 

 nate testing of varieties, is a good example of the raising of the level of experiment- 

 station work as applied to directly practical ends. The plant breeder now sets 

 definitely before him the kind of variety needed by the farmer in a given region 

 or for a given purpose and applies all his scientific knowledge and practical skill 

 to the production of such a variety. The notable success of some of the efforts in 

 this direction already made are but a foretaste of much wider practical results as 

 knowledge and experience in this line of endeavor increase. To do such work 

 effectively there must be an almost ideal combination of science and practice. 

 And the more we can learn definitely regarding the underlying principles the more 

 surely will we be able to make successful practical applications. In such investi- 

 gations science becomes more practical and art more scientific. 



Problems of station organization. — Much attention has been given during the 

 past year to questions relating to the more perfect organization of the stations. 

 As the stations develop, the importance of a clearer definition of the functions of 

 different officers in administration and investigation becomes more apparent. 

 Conditions which existed when institutions for higher education and research were 

 established in this country have materially changed, and the old forms of organi- 

 zation are now, in many cases, a serious hindrance to their best development. 

 For example, the theory on which the laws relating to the governing boards of 

 many of the State colleges and experiment stations are based is that the board is 

 to have the direct control and management of the institution. For this purpose 

 it is to meet frequently, keep the details of the business of the institution well in 

 hand, consult freely with officers of various grades, and pass rules and regulations 

 governing every operation. This may, perhaps, have been well enough when the 

 institutions were in a formative period and trained executive officers were scarce, 

 but to-day this theory is out of date, and its application to the intricate and special- 

 ized business of our colleges and stations is highly injurious to their best interests. 

 It works just as badly when applied to a college or experiment station as it would 

 in the case of a railroad or a bank. The fact is that boards of control are most 

 useful when their functions are confined to a broad, general supervision of the policy, 

 finances, and work of the institution and the choice of its chief officers. For this 

 purpose annual or semiannual meetings would ordinarily be sufficient, since the 

 number of matters requiring the attention of the board should be reduced to a 

 minimum. The best reason for the continuance of such boards is that when com- 

 posed of broad-minded and successful citizens they represent the best sentiment 

 of the community regarding these institutions, and are able to give the public an 

 adequate guaranty for the wise and liberal management of the great interests 

 involved in the State colleges and vuniversities. Otherwise it would probably be 

 best to do away with the boards and make the heads of the colleges directly respon- 

 sible to some State officer of high rank. One especially annoying and unjustifiable 

 feature of the present system is the maintenance at many of the colleges of an 

 officer, commonly designated secretary of the board, who acts as a representative 

 of the board in the intervals between their meetings and exercises important func- 

 tions relating to the business of the institution independently of its president. 

 There is thus divided responsibility in the daily administration, and in case of 

 friction between the president and faculty or students often a convenient center 

 for discontent and disloyalty is ready at hand. All the legitimate functions of a 

 secretary of the board might easily be performed by a registrar or other officer 

 attached to the president's office, and thus an important " rock of offense" might 

 be removed from the administrative system of these institutions. 



The successful college president is no longer preeminently a great scholar, but 

 rather a broad-minded and well- trained man of affairs, understanding the require- 

 ments of modern educational and scientific institutions and able to administer the 

 affairs and manage the personnel of such institutions. He will look to his gov- 

 erning board for advice and counsel on the larger matters of general policy, but 

 he ought not to have their intervention in the details of the business: To his 

 hands should be fully committed the administration of the whole institution, and 

 his work should be judged with reference to its successful issue. There should be 

 no doubt in the mind of any officer connected with the institution that he is 

 responsible to the president for his official conduct, and that an appeal to the 

 board can be made only in extreme cases. 



The institution will naturally be divided into a limited number of departments, 

 at the head of each of which will be placed an officer competent to plan and man- 

 age the business of the department intrusted to his charge. The amount and 

 character of the administrative duties which these officers will be called upon to 

 discharge will vary with the nature of the department. The agricultural experi- 



