The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1900-12-20
FOR SCIENTIFIC AGRICULTURE.
E'sat the Nations Might Do to Further
Good Cause.

ESat the Nations Might 10 10 Fufluer
Good Cause.
There is no country in the world
that is doing more than the United
States to elevate agriculture and put
1t on q high scientific plane" remark
ed a government official who was in
the city the other day; "but what we
need, and need badly, just at present,
is some provision for q postgraduate
&course for students from our different
HORTICULTURAL colleges-a sort Of agri-
cultural West Point, where they
could cross the line between theory
and practice and form body from
which future college faculties might
be chosen. AS things are at present"
he continued, these institutions are
turning out lot of young men who
are splendidly trained as far as theo-
retical knowledge goes, but they don't
know how to apply it to practical
problems. What | would propose Is
this: The Department of Agriculture
has. beyond all question, the finest
staff of specialists in the world. Let
these gentlemen prepare pOst-gradu.-
ate course, open to certain number
of students from the agricultural COL
aeges throughout the country. A fGy
lectures q week by each wouldn't
make serious inroads upon their time,
but, in the aggregate, would consti-
tute the finest postgraduate instruc-
ton in the world. At the same time
the students should be taken on as
helpers, and they would emerge thor
oughly fitted for practical usefulness.
j would have each man devote one
year to general work, something that
should broaden him out, and then let
him select his speciality and put in.
say, two years at that. There should
be no charges of any kind for tuition.
THE department fully recognizes
the value of such special training"
continued the speaker, land to that
end the secretary is now trying the
experiment Of Offering scholarships
which permit those graduates who Sc
cure them to enter the different bu-
reaus as assistants under the experts
in charge. About forty scholarships
have been given out, and the scheme
is working first rate, although, OF
course, it hasn't the elements Of use
fulness that a regularly organized
postgraduate government academy
would possess. When the scholarship
i idea was first suggested, some time
ago, 1t met with considerable opposi-
.jtiOn from the scientists in the SER
vice. They argued that they might
be undermined in their positions by
the very men they had instructed;
but since then it has been so clearly
demonstrated that politics has nothing
whatever to do with the personnel Of
the Department. of Agriculture that
&c objection is. for a number OF rea-
#6&s, very interesting and important.
1t has fully demonstrated, among 9TH
er things, that the training received at
even the best Of our agricultural COL
leges does not fit graduate for i'm
diate work in the field. ! am told by
several Of the leading men in the de-
partment that their. student helpers
are of no real assistance until after
the second year Of their apprentice
ship. Prior to that time they are full
ly occupied learning TO apply theory TO
fact, There is a continuous demand
for competent instructors on the part
of the agricultural colleges, and, If we
had great government university
such as / describe, 1t would furnish
q magnificent body Of men from which
to draw. The idea Is being seriously
considered, at Washington, and |
wouldn't be surprismed to see it laid
before the next Congress. ss."-New Or
leans Times-DemOcrat