Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1897-04-30
MAKING FARMERS.
A COLLEGE WHICH IMPARTS A
PRACTICAL EDUCATION.
Regent BlandTord Gives Some In-
formation Regarding the Little
Known state lnstitutiOn-It Is
Eminentiy Practical in Its De.
fnIe9-
Wnlla Walla Union.

Wnlla walla Union.
"Our people should visit this insti-
tution," said Mr.. Blandford to a Union
reporter, "and learn what it is doing.
1t is giving living example of the
modern conception of an education
one that will enable man or woman
to make living for himself or herself.
1t combines the efficiency of both the
college and the training school. 1t is
very edifying to see the girls and boys
with big aprons on working in the
biological and chemical laboratories
making "cultures" of microscopic
bugs, looking for the bacillus that is
to spread contagion among and kill off
the ravaging squirrels, or prevent
chicken cholera, or kill mice and
hundreds of others; or forming all
manner of chemical compounds. Or
perhaps they are gardening, or raising
flowers, or learning to make butter
and cheese; or are in the orchard
pruning, grating, budding-all under
the eyes of a trained scientist-or
learning to farm where the soil is not
considered mere earth, but complex
substance made up of many elements
and having great possibilities for plant
growth IF you only know how
Everything is inspired with life and
interest. There is no fine social dis
tinction between the man who studies
Greek and him who cultivates sugar
beets or bees. The plan of the college
should turn out men and women
not dudes and dudines; workers, not
drones."
ave have been notified" contin-
ued Mr.. Blandford, "that the govern
ment has 200 pounds of sugar beet
seeds to be sent soon. Walla Walla
should get some of them. Every
county in the State has done more
experimenting with them than we
have. Our biologist also thinks he
has isolated the squirrel bacillus, and
is about ready to furnish the farmers
with remedy for this pest. Work is
being pushed in orchard experiment
tation, soil analysis and assaying.
Several hundred varieties of orchard
trees are now being tried. Walla
Walla county should have her
different soils analysed; until this is
done we can never know their full
value or crop possibilities. Having
made great success of the farmers
school and the dairy school, the
faculty is considering the advisability
of a school for prospectors.
"We expect to turn out some very
promising civil engineers soon. While
in the mechanical engineers depart
ment the boys make everything from
q tool chest to a dynamo. Walla
Walla farmers should try some of the
new grass-the bromus inermis-it
seems to thrive we'll ON hill sides and
yields very fine crop.
"The college will close for the sea-
son June 25, and its first class of
graduates will receive their diplomas
and degrees. We are trying to es-
tablish curriculum for all the high
schools in the State 80 that they may
be uniform, and their graduates can
matriculate without passing through
preparatory class. Some time dur
ing the summer we will try to examine
and report upon all the natural water
powers of the State, subject that
Eastern investors are now looking up,
and there are many other lines of
practical work under way that will be
OF benefit to the State"