10 



SCIENTIFIC AGRICULTURE 



January, 1921. 



The History, Progress and Future of the C.S.T.A. 



By the GENERAL SECRETARY. 



On tlie evening of Friday, October lOtli, 1919, five 

 men met in a small room in Ottawa. They were 

 tlie original organizing committee and they dis- 

 cussed for several hours the possibility of organizing 

 a society in Canada which would include in its mem- 

 liership all men engaged in scientific, administrative, 

 experimental or investigational agricultural work in 

 CTanada, or in any work of a similar nature. At the 

 close of that fii-st meeting a tentative name for the 

 prospective society was adopted — The Canadian Society 

 of Technical Agriculturists — and the writer was ap- 

 pointed Secretary-Treasurer. The chairman was M. B. 

 Davis and the other members were G. LoLacheur, P. L. 

 Drayton and F. E. Buck. At that time tlie society did 

 not contain a single member. 



During the remainder of 1919, lists of eligible mevu- 

 bers were obtained from various sources and on Janu- 

 ary 9, 1920, an organized membership campaign was 

 undertaken. Circulars were prepared giving (1) the 

 aims of the Society; (2) the probable constitution; 

 (3) the names of those who had already endorsed the 

 movement. Provincial organizing committees were 

 also appointed. As tlie member.ship increased, the 

 lists of members were forwarded to eligible non-mem- 

 bers, a plebiscite was taken on the name of the Society, 

 and on the date and place of the organizing convention ; 

 nominations were received for the offices of president, 

 vice-president and honorary secretary. An attractive 

 programme for the convention was drawn up, printed 

 and distributed. Following the receijit of nominations, 

 a dominion-wide election was carried on bv mailed 



ballot, in co-operation with the Proportional Repre- 

 sentation Society of Canada. 



From the foregoing it will be readily appreciated 

 that the Organizing Committee was particularly bu.sy 

 during the period from January 9th to June 2nd, when 

 tlie Convention opened in the Chateau Laurier, Ottawa. 

 The growth in membership during the period of organ- 

 ization was as follows : January 31st, 77 ; February 29tli, 

 120; March 31st, 174; April 30th, 311; May 31st, 411. 



It was unfortunate that all this preliminary work 

 was carried out during a period when the re-classifica- 

 tion of the Dominion Civil Service was causing con- 

 siderable dissatisfaction. It gave the C. S. T. A. the 

 appearance of being an outgrowth of re-classification 

 and created a temporarily difficult obstacle. Another 

 difficulty arose on account of all the members of the 

 Central Organizing Committee being graduates of Mac- 

 donald College, and this was only remedied to some 

 extent by the appointment of Provincial Committees. 

 Other minor obstacles were met from time to time but 

 practically all of these were suggestive of new methods 

 of organization and in the end proved to be con- 

 stnictive. 



And so we cover the organization period in a very 

 hurried sketch, and arrive at the Convention. It need 

 not be dwelt upon at length. The election of the present 

 officers was ratified, the constitution and by-laws em- 

 liodying the ob.jects of the Society, were adojjted, aiul 

 a Dimiinion Executive Coinmittee was aiijiointed wliich, 

 in turn, emplo,yed a General Secretary-Treasurer. Ex- 

 cellent addresses on many varied subjects were given. 



r.A.NADI.4N .SOCIKTY OF TECHNICAL, AGRICULTURISTS 

 Group taken at the Central Experimental Farm. Ottawa, during the Organizing Convention. 



