138 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLI. No. 1047 



ing information as to the relative stemding of 

 fraternity men, reasons for any deficiencies 

 which might exist and possible advantages to 

 offset such deficiencies. Replies were received 

 from the universities of Illinois, Iowa, Michi- 

 gan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Although 

 there was naturally considerable variety of 

 opinion, on the whole the replies were favorable 

 to the fraternities, assuming that the latter 

 were normal and were properly governed. 



The grade of scholarship was generally ad- 

 mitted to be somewhat lower, but on the other 

 hand it was conceded by most of the writers 

 that fraternity men took a more active part 

 in student affairs. 



The accompanying table shows the condi- 

 tions existing at Purdue and at Wisconsin in 

 1911 and it is possible that the relative values 

 would be much the same to-day. 



may be is due rather to environment than to 

 character or ability. C. H. Benjamin 



Purdue University 



It will be noted that in all branches of activ- 

 ity but one the percentages of fraternity mem- 

 bership are higher than the percentage of total 

 membership in the university. 



In honorary societies, the fraternity mem- 

 bership is less. 



On the whole, the fraternity man is one who 

 is content with average rank and is ambitious 

 for athletic, social or political rather than 

 scholastic honors. He is a good fellow, and 

 probably when he graduates knows more of 

 college life and customs than his barbarian 

 brother. 



Men in fraternities and out are much the 

 same intrinsically, and what difference there 



HOW CAN WE ADVANCE TSE SCIENTIFIC 



CSABACTEB OF TSE WORK DONE IN 

 TEE AMERICAN AGBICULTUBAL 

 EXPEBIMENT STATIONS? 

 With the provision of the new Smith-Lever 

 Fund for extension and demonstration in agri- 

 culture, with the increase in the already great 

 number of farm advisers, with a thousand 

 agencies for spreading information among 

 the farmers, the experiment stations ought to 

 be able at last to find and to occupy their 

 proper field. 



That field is research, the scientific investi- 

 gation of questions connected directly or in- 

 directly with agriculture. The demand for 

 men capable of such work has always been 

 greater than the supply of trained and able 

 men. How shall we call men, and women, 

 to this high service in increased numbers? 

 And how retain them? These are the vital 

 problems which confront the experiment sta- 

 tions; there are ways in which the great uni- 

 versities may aid the smaller ones in solving 

 these problems. 



Without going into the history of the ex- 

 periment stations it is sufficient to point out 

 that in the beginning their purpose was not 

 clear even in the minds of most of the early 

 workers : they were popular information 

 bureaus in part, until they ran short of infor- 

 mation. There has been a great deal of repe- 

 tition and of compilation in their work: and, 

 in looking over the earlier bulletins, we find 

 little streaks of high-grade ore, pure investi- 

 gation, the work of men in advance of their 

 time, for the most part not appreciated, and 

 misunderstood. 



The mills of the gods grind slowly; now, out 

 of those bulletins published in those earlier 

 years, only the ones which were original in 

 thought and method have survived; the rest 

 served their temporary purpose and were for- 

 gotten. 



To-day we are beginning to appreciate the 

 value of investigation. In every state uni- 

 versity, in every meeting of the Association of 



