U. s. VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. 
395 
of progress, ask for something better—a longer, more thorough course of study, 
with a higher educational qualification for matriculation, and a higher standard 
of graduation than at present prevails? The old-fashioned non-graduates con¬ 
sidered it no reflection upon themselves when they insisted that the present gen¬ 
eration should make the most of advantages which they did not have, neither 
need we feel that we offer any affront to ourselves when we ask for some¬ 
thing better. 
I will not speak of individual schools, as it might lead to personalities and 
comparisons which are, to say the least, disagreeable; but we do insist upon a 
higher education, a proper matriculation examination, a longer course of study in 
most of the schools—three sessions of nine months each, at least; four sessions 
equally long would be better. The faculty should contain a large enough num¬ 
ber of veterinarians to prevent the school graduating students with but one man’s 
ideas. Where a number of veterinarians are interested in the school the students 
also receive greater clinical advantages, as in such instances practitioners will 
take pains to send their interesting or unusual cases to the school for the benefit 
of the students. 
The matriculation examination at most of the veterinary schools on the Con¬ 
tinent, where such an examination is required, is a farce, and men enter and 
graduate who can barety write their own names, much less read or write intelli¬ 
gently or intelligibly. This state of affairs should be remedied at once and no 
student allowed to enter who did not, at least, present evidences of a good Eng„ 
lish education, and the higher above this the better. A collegiate or academic 
course of some kind prior to the student’s entering upon his veterinary studies 
should be encouraged, as it is to such an extent in the medical profession; and 
to my mind the best preparatory course for the future veterinary surgeon is to 
attend one of our agricultural colleges; here the study of botany, chemistry, 
agriculture, the characteristics of the various breeds of animals and general 
principals of breeding, together with sufficient knowledge of French and German 
to be able to read foreign veterinary and medical works, is one which will well 
fit him for his future work. 
Dr. M. R. Trumbower, of this committee, writes as follows:—“It becomes 
daily more and more evident that we need a better and higher educational stan¬ 
dard and increased facilities in our veterinary schools, and I think the inaugura¬ 
tion of a longer and more scientific course of study is near at hand. I doubt, 
however, whether all the colleges can be induced to adopt a uniform standard for 
study and examination; hence our support should be given to such institutions 
only which indicate a willingness to meet the advanced demands. 
“ It is absolutely necessary that the requirements for admission (education¬ 
ally) be made sufficiently strict to exclude many such as were able to matricu¬ 
late in the past. The professional standard can be raised by a representation of 
better men, and it is the only way to do it.” 
I heartily concur in the above and agree with Dr. Trumbower that on this 
great continent there will always be veterinary schools and veterinary schools, 
and that in the near future we, as an Association, will have to countenance those 
only which evince a disposition to meet the requirements of the times. 
Dr. Colsson, of this committee, refers to the fact that many veterinary gradu- 
