The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-25
The Relation of the University Extension
Work to That of the study Club.

When Benjamin Franklin, i'm address,
ing the little group of pale and hest
tating patriots gathered to discuss
questions. and make decisions which
meant life or death to themselves and
to the new republic. exclaimed: Gen
tlemen, we must all hang together or
we shall all hang separately" lie
touched in one witty sentence the con-
ditions of success and Of failure in
all departments of life. Cooperation
rs the watchword of success. We must
succeed together or we must fail sep
arately. Co-operation-the principle
prevails everywhere-in government,
in business, in society. i'm domestic life.
The republic, the great political CO.
operation, has taken the place OF the
monarchy. great m~onopolies nave sac
ceeded the small Individual business
enterprises, the mammoth department
store has absorbed the little retail
shop. the city bakery has assumed the
work of the Kitchen oven. Everywhere
and more and more this principle Is
asserting itself. Society is becoming
a great organism, and the eye can no
longer say tn the hand, II have no
need Of thee" Nothing seems to he
able to succeed now until it has per-
suaded something else To cooperate
with it at its work and to share in
its success.
There are among us two great edu-
cational forces, both Of which are
somewhat new to life. both of which
are vigorous and healthy, both of
which are looking out upon life with
hopeful gaze and planning for sue
cess and prosperity. These two forces
are the literary and study hubs of the
country and the university extension
department of the universities
The methods of work in the study
clubs are rapidly changing. The time
was land ii was not so long ago
either when clubs formed their pro-
grammes in a happy-go-lucky fashion
from week to week, and mber dis
cussed parliamentary law at one meet
ing, the Canterbury Tales at the next.
and the principles of the culinary art
at a third. in cheerful Inconsistencies
of the fact that there was a lack
of continuity in the work. But the
time for that kind of work has gone
by: clubs are beginning to give a great
deal of attention to the programme.
to arrange IL and assign work weeks |
or even months an advance. to plan
that each years work snail be enc
continuous whole and each meeting.
each paper and each discussion shall
fit into its own niche and serve as an
organic part of the whole. And along
with this desire for more careful and
s~tudent-like WORT has come another
~ 81 NAAaN - aNh III i
spring leaders. 1t Is this demand
which university extension is attempt
ing to supply. The larger universities
a corps of competent. thoroughly
trained specialists in each department.
stand ready to furnish to study |
just this scientific, scholarly
leadership for which they are asking.
Suppose. for instance. a club decides |
that for next year IL wishes To stud
political economy or sociology. IL has
abundance of books. or can get them. /
IL knows not how to select from
them nor how TO aTranGe its selections. |
IL does not know what points are prin-
cipal. what subordinate-whicn are
necessary to a clear and comprehensive (
general knowledge Of the subject, 1
which are minor and important only
to specialists. Now comes the univer-
sity. and proposes TO furnish. through
its extension department. a leader who
will. in a ours Of lectures. or perhaps.
In a correspondence course, put before
members of the club the impor-
tant and fundamental principles of
the subject. who will furnish outlines
for individual study and suggest books
and periodicals where the best and
latest knowledge on the subject may
be found. and who will in this way
give To the club this much eeded gen
nnal direction Of their work. The uni
yersity extension department does not
10 give a college course In a
series of six lectures. or a correspond
ance course OF q lessons. Ii realizes J