April, ’23] 
OSBORN: PERSONAL CONTACT WITH STUDENTS 
171 
workers and their assistants or helpers. In the great majority of cases 
I believe it is only fair to the assistant to count him in part as a student, 
a man to be encouraged and stimulated with the idea that he is to ad¬ 
vance to larger opportunities and greater responsibilities. 
I would suggest therefore, that every station and extension worker, 
or for that matter every entomologist who may find opportunity for 
contact with interested individuals should think of himself as a teacher 
and do his utmost to interest and encourage the individual. He can 
reflect that many of our most useful workers have been discovered in 
this manner. 
Assuming that these general statements may be accepted there is 
still the practical question as to whether the opportunities for personal 
contact between the teacher and the entomological student are all that 
they should be or whether there are opportunities for improvement in 
our present systems. 
I can think of no more ideal plan of training than for an ambitious 
student with a clear conception of what he wishes to prepare himself to 
do coming under the tutelage of a man of larger experience and train¬ 
ing in the subject, himself alive to the opportunities for growth in his 
chosen field and ready and willing to impart his knowledge to those who 
seek it. 
In such conditions there is no close figuring on hours to spend or 
credits to be received but a mutual give and take, in an association of 
pleasure and of profit to both teacher and student. Imagine if you can 
such an association as Benjamin D. Walsh with the youthful C. V. 
Riley debating as to hours and credits or thinking of any limitation but 
physical barriers of strength and time in their study. 
Now there are manifest difficulties in adapting this method in college 
schedules but somewhere in the training of the entomologist there should 
be an opportunity for the student to come under the direct guidance and 
inspiration of the more experienced worker. One of these opportunities 
is afforded when the student is assigned to summer or vacation work 
with the Bureau of Entomology or Experiment Station entomologist. 
The success of the plan is dependent upon the character of the men 
and in large degree upon the seriousness with which the older worker 
views his responsibility to the student. Naturally the .men responsible 
for making such connections must use careful judgment in arranging 
the combinations. 
The contacts, possible with advanced students in the college or 
university have already been suggested. Such contacts naturally in- 
