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SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLIII. No. 1099 



for special studies. Such an organization 

 for agriculture would not need tlie exten- 

 sive equipment of a college of agriculture, 

 and not even a farm. 



It will be observed that I speak of agri- 

 culture for endowed universities and col- 

 leges that are supposed to cover the field of 

 liberal education. Whether agriculture of 

 any kind should be taught in a state univer- 

 sity in a commonwealth in which the land- 

 grant college is separate, is a question of 

 state policy. By the act of separating 

 the institutions, the state practically sets 

 boundaries to the university as well as to 

 the land-grant college; it always remains, 

 then, as I have already intimated, for 

 the state itself, clearly to define the pur- 

 poses and the functions. It is likewise 

 a question of policy, internal in this case, 

 as to whether even in a university carrying 

 the land-grant work there should also be 

 an arts course in agriculture. 



I am convinced that we greatly need such 

 departments of agriculture as are here sug- 

 gested. The institutions need it on their 

 own account, and we need it for the cause 

 of education and to train our people for 

 self-government. There is no such profes- 

 sorship of agriculture as this, so far as I 

 know, in this country. The institutions are 

 missing an opportunity. 



My impression is that a first-class depart- 

 ment of agriculture in a first-class univer- 

 sity, with a living man at the head of it who 

 has had naked-hand experience on the farm, 

 would exercise a kind of influence in the 

 subject and on the country that is now un- 

 visioned, although much needed. I suspect 

 that the judgment of siich a department 

 would have unusual weight with the public, 

 being perhaps non-professional and free of 

 propaganda and of governmental policies. 

 I foresee students going from such teaching 

 to the colleges of agriculture for more de- 

 tailed and technical work; and I think I 



foresee certain students going to such a de- 

 partment for reflective graduate study and 

 for the privilege of acquaintance with a 

 teacher who is not buried in organization. 



The old-time college professor, giving 

 himself personally to his students, with few 

 assistants, provided a type of leadership 

 and of influence of the highest value; he 

 lived the life; he was content in his work. 

 To this man add something of the activity 

 of the working world, but without admini- 

 sti'ation of great schemes and without a 

 maze of paralyzing reports, returns and 

 projects, and you have j^our perfect teacher. 



This teacher would be in position to 

 maintain poise. He need not be afraid of 

 deliberation. He would be greatly satisfied 

 to watch the procession go by. We need a 

 certain number of these men who are not 

 only good students, but who are so detached 

 from plans and managements that they can 

 keep our philosophy straight. 



THE CHECK PLOTS 



We very well know that we need outside 

 enterprises and influences to correct the 

 tendencies of government. Education and 

 research in agriculture are tied up with 

 governmental procedure. 



I would not have you think that I am op- 

 posed to governmental sxipervision. I do 

 not even raise the question of the advisa- 

 bility or the merits of enactments or pol- 

 icies, although ready to review the tenden- 

 cies in certain practises; and I wish dis- 

 tinctly to give my voice for the meeting of 

 the laws to their full and in a whole-hearted 

 way. Regard for law and authority is as 

 much a safeguard of a free people as is the 

 necessity for individual action. I am not 

 implying that things are going bad with 

 us, or that any of the agricultural enter- 

 prise is suffering. On the contrary, I think 

 that our governmental work in agriculture 



