University Extension Work in 

 Forestry 



SHIRLEY W. ALLEN, '09 

 Assistant Professor of Forest Extension New York State College of Forestry 



The wag who said he had no use for forestry because "Pos- 

 terity has never done anything for me" was fairly well in- 

 formed and very honest. The man who waxed warm on the 

 wastefulness of the lumberman and the timeliness of for- 

 estry and then pastured his woods and kept them full of dead 

 |and down timber was also well informed but not so honest. 

 The County Fair visitor who asked the man in the forestry 

 booth whether he was an organizer for the Ancient Order of 

 Foresters or a Tree Surgery expert was honest enough but 

 in sore need of information. These men represent very well 

 the attitude of the average citizen who has any idea of for- 

 estry at all. They also stand as an eloquent indication of the 

 great opportunity in educational work for the general public 

 along forestry lines. 



This kind of educational work as in the case of any economic 

 question can best be accomplished by what has come to be 

 known as University Extension Work. The latter is defined 

 in the New Standard Dictionary as "A system for extending 

 the advantages of University instruction beyond the limit of 

 Universities, by the establishment of lecture courses and 

 classes in or near populous centers." 



I think I am safe in saying that New York State through 

 her College of Forestry at Syracuse University is a pioneer 

 in this Extension work in Forestry. As early as 1912 lec- 

 turers from the Faculty of the College were sent out over 

 the State to talk before Granges, Men's Clubs, High Schools 

 and other organizations. Since that time the work has been 

 prosecuted with great vigor until at present it is organized 

 as a definite Department in the College. Four men are kept 

 busy with lectures, demonstrations and the various other lines 

 of work now falling properly under University Extension. 



The visiting of over two hundred communities in one sea- 



