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rather than general suggestions. This is done with the understanding, as hereto >f< >re, 
that the committee is not seeking to establish dogmas or write prescriptions, but only 
to furnish a definite basis for discussion. It is the more encouraged to continue 
efforts in this line because it is convinced that, as the result of its previous efforts, the 
movement for the betterment of courses of- instruction in our agricultural colleges has 
been materially aided, though no institution has adopted in detail the programme 
laid down in the reports of this committee. 
As the basis of our presentation of a scheme of science teaching for a four-year col- 
lege course in agriculture, we take (1) the standard entrance requirements laid down 
in the report of your committee on entrance requirements as published in Bulletin 
No. 41 of the Office of Experiment Stations; (2) the general outline of the college 
course as made by that committee and our committee and published in Circular No. 
37 of the Office of Experiment Stations; and (3) the syllabi of courses in the different 
branches of agriculture as laid down in the reports of this committee published in 
Circulars Nob. 39, 41, and 45 of said Office. 
The standard entrance requirement scheme has been taken rather than the abridged 
scheme presented by the entrance requirement committee, because in our judgment 
there can be no satisfactory arrangement of college courses in agriculture until the 
students admitted to the college courses have had suitable preparation in secondary 
schools. Within the past few years there has been a wonderful development of the 
high schools in all parts of our country and there has been set on foot a movement 
for the establishment of secondary schools and courses especially adapted to the 
requirements of our agricultural communities. The agricultural colleges should 
encourge this development of secondary education in many ways. But they should 
do so especially by differentiating their college courses more distinctly from secondary 
courses, and putting their college courses on a sufficiently high basis to make the 
bachelor's degree from an agricultural college represent an education of as high a grade 
as a bachelor' s degree from any other college. For this purpose the standard entrance 
requirement scheme referred to above is none too high. This provides for at least a 
year's instruction in some natural science. It is believed by your committee that 
ordinarily an elementary course in physics or chemistry in the high school will best 
lay the foundation for further science study. In the scheme herewith presented we 
selected physics as the science to be taught in the high school as the preliminary to 
science study in the college course in agriculture. 
In the general scheme of the four-year college course in agriculture presented here- 
with, we have first provided for courses in general physics and chemistry on the 
assumption that these would naturally precede the study of plants and animals, 
whether in a general way under the head of botany, physiology, or zoology, or in a 
special way under the different branches of agriculture. Some knowledge of physics 
and chemistry is also essential to a proper understanding of even the elements of 
meteorology and geology, as provided for in this course. Botany has been so placed 
as to run along with agronomy, and physiology and zoology with the more scientific 
presentation of zootechny. 
While we believe it would be well for the agricultural student in his undergraduate 
work to take all of the subjects included in the scheme as here outlined, yet we have 
recognized the demand for an earlier specialization of agricultural work by so arrang- 
ing the course that in senior year at least some studies may be substituted for those 
laid down in our scheme. For example, if the student is aiming to be a plant expert 
he may omit veterinary science and take more of applied botany or horticulture, or 
specialize in agronomy as far as additional courses in these subjects are offered in the 
institution he attends. In a similar way the student devoted to animal industry may 
substitute special studies along this line for the horticulture and forestry. 
Agricultural experts can not, however, expect that any properly adjusted under- 
graduate course will fully meet their needs for training along their chosen lines. 
Persons who expect to enter positions in our Department of Agriculture, experiment 
stations, or agricultural colleges should attain at least the master's degree. And 
ere long the doctor's degree will be a prerequisite to entrance on the career of agri- 
cultural teacher or investigator in our colleges and universities -and the National 
Department of Agriculture. 
In outlining the courses in the various sciences the purpose has been to indicate in 
a general way the topics which may properly be included in such courses, taking 
into account the time limitations and what will be taught under the head of agricul- 
ture. The arrangement of these topics and the emphasis to be laid on each of them 
will of course vary with the teacher, as well as the equipment and other conditions 
existing in particular institutions. Our effort has been chiefly to so present this 
matter as to indicate how the science teaching may be differentiated from and at the 
same time related to the teaching of agriculture in a college course. 
21736— No. 142—04 5 
