New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-11-14
UNIVERSITY EXTENSION IN THE WEST
BEtNETrTS CoHFERRER UrON BOTH THE COLI
IEGES AM TILE GENERAL PrELIC.

BENEFrTS CoEFERREP UrON BOTH THE coll
LEGES ANb THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
The University Extension movement which Is
steadily gaining ground in this country Is calculated
to do an inestmaele amount Of good. in the West
particularly. While in TIE East this work sooner or
later viii undoubtedly be conducted on a
somewhat formal and systematic basis
with extensive OF study and an
elaborate lecture sustaining the relation TO mo
parent university that does England. in The West
II seems likely 10 be less rigid and less formal
There several reasons for this. In the first
place the people generally In sympathy with any
progressive movement at the start. Ii NAV be that
they arc not always conservative enough, but at any
rate they get The benefit of their experiments II
Is the nature OF tho wcsterner 10 take everything
that comes along a matter Of course TO plunge FIRST
and afterwnN. In the second place. tho col
eges and particularly the state Universities are more
in touch with the people at large than Eastern colleges
They founded upon different principles. both as
regards their endowment and their control. IheN
absolutely uIhampered by prejudice or tradition
and there Is close rotation between them and The
public schools OF the state. Conditions Ike these
favor the right kind Il public sentiment at the outset
In many Of The Western and Southwestern States the
public schools directly preparatory for the State
University which is the recognized head Of the edn
catOnal system. Consequently. the Interest OF the
people, individually and collectively extends beyond
the public schools. They take personal PRIDE in
regents and instructors IN almost new movement.
ono good result Of tho extension movement In the
West has been 10 bring professors and Instructors
into the confidence OF the people. far their
opinions upon matters Of practical affairs are con
cerned. They longer looked upon the
most Impractical class Of men-the last persons IN
the word to be consulted upon questions In which
socety is deeply concerned. Tie truth OF the
IS that they better qualified than the so.called
"pra teal Icli-wllch generally means the ureiu
cated-to decide a great many questions Fortunately
sentiment is changing In this regard. The college
man has made himself Indispensable in many lines
outside the work ia the Classroom For instance,
Chancellor snow OF the Kansas University discovered
a method for DISCRIMINATING the chnch bug. saving
millions OF dollars TO the farmers OF the STATE. Pro
fessor Nicholson, Of Nebraska University. through
his valuable experiments with the susarheet, hes
done al noa3culsblo service 10 every branch Of the
industry in This country: aud Chancellor Garfield. of
she same institution. is in constant demand lee
turer upon practical subjects in his own and neghbor.
ing stats. In communities where such
an influence. and under the favorable conditions
afforded by the West the extension movement j.
accomplishing a great dea!. Circles have been estab-
lished in number Of towns and in farming districts
remote from Libraries and oven good schools.
The lectures in the prescribed courses and the sep
srats lectures given 10 awaken interest I'm the
movement are generally upon such subjects ~ labor.
charities and corrections. economic topics natural
history. entomology agriculture. sanitation and cdu
catona matters The university instructors reg
ulsrly called upon 10 lecture IN all parts Of their
statas and before all kinds Of audiences. Tie ad
vantage has been mutual. Because OF the dependence
OF the people OF the upon these Institutions for
aid In a great many matters, decidedly practical
turn has been given 10 the college curriculum IT.
strucon L. provided nearly every practical sub
1ect and preparatory 10 almost profession ard
scientific Industry. Agricultural and industrial courses
AZ MI
attention Is given 20 the subjects Of taxes, Hnance,
mortgages. corporations and the Ike.
Tho fact that the conventions OF various state Or
eanlzations are efen held at The university shows
the feeling toward the institution. M"infers cIun-
upon the assistance OF special u and the Of
laboratories, libraries ana apparatus Tho hsiWical
agricultural and Horticultural Aodeties. da!iymon'
ftOckbeeders and bee keepers associations all hcl
their meetings al the safe UNIVERSITIES.
The real benefit OF the University Fxtrnsion like
the Chsutauqun and Christian Enieayor movements.
canust be estlmrtc1. The dcn. OF course. IS not 10
offer substitute for the WORK Of he university, for
ne claim, hat such course OF ouoy taNcn up ht
leisure possibly give the nenii discipline ah0F'"l
not had the opportunity Of taking college coVrse. this
is or should be stimulus 10 take mp serious study.
III some parts OF the country Whr'e the greatest
advance har been made tAcIc has boon somr sort '
COOPERATION among neghbOring towns ard II tnIer'
wear Who deyo.. their whole tlHr - one OF NOR.
subjects giving regular days Ia HE week 20 each
one Of the regular educational features OF the day.
In isolated towns, where there are only few P-opie
Interested In literary scientific subjects N } not
. pedient for them 10 hire special ieachef-. They
naturally look 10 The nearest !llrge for assistance
and a great deal NAY De accomplished Ia the smaller
colleges where the Instructors arr nD' already toe
much oyerworAed to give Tim" 10 outside matters;
The circuit lecture field opens mp new employ
meut for teachcs-not iOssNzed prof whs nay"
ou1own theiI usefulness at home to pain, OH ne
DRY classroom lectures. Young students who womb
rehash the notcho0k dctafipns which they have re
ceived yholesalc-but young men ana women tI'iien
speclany for his particular Kind Of teaching.