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Visit to Mt. Tom and State College at Amherst 
Massachusetts Press Association Go On Pil- 
grimage to Central Part of State 
A visit to the beautiful Connecti- 
eut Valley at this time of year is al- 
ways filled with charm. and the con- 
stant changing scene as one motors 
or rides through the country border- 
ing this famous New England river, 
especially in its course across Massa- 
chusetts, presents a panorama diffi- 
eult to duplicate. 
The pleasure, incident to such a 
visit, was presented to the members 
of the Massachusetts Press Associa- 
tion, over the last week-end, and a 
number of the editors and their 
wives took advantage of the oppor- 
tunity. Through the courtesy of E. 
A. Ryder of President Mellen’s office 
a special car was attached to the 
regular afternoon train, Saturday, 
at 1.40, for a ride over the Central 
Mass. line of the B. & M. to 
Northampton, which point was 
reached about 5 o’clock. The Dra- 
per, one of the finest hotels in that 
part of the state, was the head- 
quarters of the association during 
their stay. C. H. Bowker, manager, 
did everything possible for the con- 
venience and comfort of the editors 
and their wifes and everybody was 
pleased with this feature of the trip. 
W. A. Loomis, an old newspaper 
man, now president and general su- 
perintendent of the Holyoke Street 
Railway Company, called at the ho- 
tel Saturday evening and with Mrs. 
Loomis, dined with the association. 
He extended an invitation to the 
company to accept his hospitalty on 
Sunday morning for a trip to the fa- 
mous Mt. Tom. So, on Sunday 
“morning after breakfast, one of the 
splendid easy-riding cars of the com- 
pany was sent to the hotel and a de- 
lightful ride was then started for 
Mt. Tom, ten or twelve miles off. 
The day was fine. After a short stop 
at the company’s park halfway up 
the mountain, the trip was contin- 
ued. The cable railway up the 
mountain side proved a novelty for 
many in the party. To attempt to 
describe the wonderful view from 
the top of Mt. Tom on such a clear 
day as the association was privileged 
to enjoy Sunday, would lessen rather 
than increase the pleasant recollec- 
tions visitors to that spot may now 
possess. For miles and miles around, 
on all sides. the beautiful. country 
lay, with here and there a village 
or a town, or a city adding a touch 
of real life to the sublime handiwork 
of nature. Beneath the mountain 
on the west lay the fields and farms, 
spread out like a mammoth mosaic. 
To the east the Connecticut twined 
in a silvery stream in and out among 
the hills as far as the eye could 
reach. 
ton with the beautiful Smith College 
buildings; in another direction the 
buildings of the Massachusetts Agri- 
cultural College and of Amherst 
College, and across the river in an- 
other direction the buildings of Mt. 
Holyoke College. It was, withal, a 
sight long to be remembered. 
Sunday afternoon some of the 
party went on an automobile ride 
and others attended the vesper ser- 
vices at Smith, where there are 1700 
students. 
Monday after an early breakfast 
the company again were guests of 
Mr. Loomis on another electric car 
ride through much of the territory 
admired from the mountain the pre- 
vious day. This included the trip 
down the river to Holyoke and then 
up the valley through South Hadley 
to Amherst. At Amherst President 
Kenyon L. Butterfield of the State 
College met the association and a de- 
lightful two hours were spent in 
looking over the college buildings 
and seeing the kind of work the 
state is doing in offering an educa- 
tion to the young men (and women). 
At the conclusion of the inspection 
of the college the visitors were taken 
on an auto trip through a number of 
the towns not already visited, by the 
Hampshire County Automobile as- 
sociation, and arrived back at 
Northampton in time for lunch, and 
to catch the 3.15 train for Boston. 
The Massachusetts Agricultural 
College is frequently mentioned as 
one of the most progressive educa- 
tional institutions in New England: 
it is progressive because of the field 
of activity which it represents and 
because of the efficient leadership 
which it is assuming in that field. 
Thinking people are as never before, 
realizing that in a nation like ours, 
agriculture is really the funda- 
mental industry; the agricultural 
colleges accepted this belief some- 
what earlier than did the majority 
of the people, and have been largely 
responsible in producing the whole- 
some attitude toward agriculture 
and rural life, now entertained by 
the general public. For many years 
On the north was Northamp- . 
B RBH 3.8 9 
our agricultural college has been ex- 
plaining to its students and to evy- 
eryone else who could be reached, 
that the conservation and intelligent 
use of the soil represents one of the 
most serious problems which face 
not only the farmer, but every other 
class of people. As people came to 
more thoroughly believe in the possi- 
bilities and significance of the agri- 
cultural industry, the college was 
willing, and in a measure prepared, 
to give them the information and aid 
for which they sought. 
And so the agricultural college 
may today be regarded as a public 
service institution, which is  sup- 
ported partially by the Federal 
Government, but chiefly by the 
Commonwealth. — 
The faculty now numbers sixty 
men, some of whom are recognized 
throughout the country as leading 
authorities in matters pertaining to 
their special department of teaching. 
While the state institution at Am- 
herst is primarily an agricultural 
college and recognizes that training 
in strictly agricultural lines is its 
chief function, its curriculum in- 
sures a general cultural education to 
those completing the course; the 
college also trains men for vocations 
closely allied to that of practical 
agriculture and horticulture; thus 
its graduates are found engaged as 
expert entomologists, botanists, ag- 
ricultural chemists, landscape gar- 
deners, experiment station workers, 
school and college teachers, and a 
few as professional men. 
The state legislature, recognizing 
the efficient work of the college, and 
the need of better equipment for fur- 
ther carrying out its mission, has 
made liberal appropriations for its 
support. 
But generous as the State has been 
in the past, there are pressing needs 
still apparent at the agricultural 
college. The class room facilities 
are wholly inadequate for the proper 
accommodation of the freshmen and 
sophomore classes; larger and better 
equipment laboratories are also 
needed by some departments for the 
more efficient training of those men 
specializing in the sciences closely 
related to agriculture; the library 
and assembly hall are much over- 
erowded; there is a most urgent de- 
mand for additional dormitories; 
since the time when there were but 
81 men at the institution, no increase 
has been made in the dormitory fa- 
cilities; at present about 75 of the 
478 students are housed on the col- 
lege grounds, and the rest are 
obliged to seek rooms in the private 
houses of the village. 
(Continued on Page 29.) 
