CORRESPONDENCE. 
255 
•i 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
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Veterinary College, Toronto, \ * 
Can., August 15, 1877. f 
Editor Veterinary Peview: 
Sir : In your August number I notice a short article headed “ Vet¬ 
erinary Education,” and asking me to explain how Mr. Stalker, of Iowa, 
became a graduate of the Ontario Veterinary College. I thought that 
Mr. Stalker in reply to the disinterested (?) effusions of the principal of 
a rival institution, had sufficiently explained his connection with both 
the American and Ontario Colleges. I agree with L. L. that Mr. S. is 
a gentleman and a scholar, and, further, I consider him thoroughly com¬ 
petent for and entitled to the position which he occupies. 
Mr. S. not only attended a course at two colleges, but for years 
previous to entering college had given the subject of Veterinary medi¬ 
cine and its collateral branches considerable study. 
Until this year I was under an impression that a student had only to 
attend two sessions at the American Veterinary College to qualify for 
graduation. 
In our College it is necessary to attend two sessions, without a stu¬ 
dent has attended a course in a recognized Veterinary institution. 
Many of our students, however, attend three sessions before undergo¬ 
ing a final examination, and merit and ability form the only “ royal road 
to graduation. ” * 
We have frequently young men coming here who have been study¬ 
ing with qualified practitioners for two or three years. Such a clasps 
of students can in two years pass as good an examination, perhaps, as 
young men who have not given the subject any study previous to enter¬ 
ing college can do in three years. As well as attending to two or three 
sessions, the most of our students pass the summer months under a 
qualified practitioner. I believe that a student after attending one or 
two sessions at college will reap a greater advantage by practicing a few 
months with a practitioner doing an ordinary practice, than by a six 
weeks’ course at any college. 
This year if we had had sixty junior students in place of thirty, 
they could have been all placed during the summer months with practi¬ 
tioners doing large and paying practices. 
