The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-12-01
FOR SCIENTIFIC AGRICULTURE
What the Nations Might Do to Further q
Good Cause.

"There is no country in the worid
that is doing more than the ohiteu
States to elevate agriculture and put
If ON a high scientific plane" remark
ed a government official who was III
the city the other day; "but what we
need. and need badly, just at present
is some provision for a postgraduate
course for students from our dlHereht
agricultural colleges-a sort OF agrE
cultural West Point, where tney
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 a lot of young men VINO
are splendidly trained as far as theo-
retical knowledge goes, but they don't
know how to apply it to practicai
problems. What l would propose Is
this: The Department of Agriculture
has, beyond all question, the nnest
staff of specialists in the world. Let
5 these gentlemen prepare post-gradu-
i ate course, open to a certain NUMBER
u of students from the agricultural col
3 leges throughout the country. rev
lectures a week by each Wouldnt
e make serious inroads upon their time,
g but, in the aggregate, would constr
d tute the finest postgraduate instruc-
= ton in the world. At the same time
ID the students should be taken on as
- helpers, and they would emerge thor
Is oughly fitted for practical usefulness
er would have each man devote one
~ wear to general work, something thai
should broaden him out, and then lei
ed him select his speciality and put In
1T saw. two years at that. There shoule
be no charges of any kind for tuition
ne 1.-THE department fully recognizes
lis the value of such special training,
by continued the speaker, land to tina
x end the secretary is now trying tn
vi experiment of offering scholarship
his which permit those graduates who Sc
I'D cure them to enter the different bu
bt- reaus as assistants under the expert
in charge. About forty scholarship
oro have been given out, and the schem
,vo is working first rate, although,
nd course. it hasn't the elements OF use
,rs fitness that a regularly organize
OK. post graduate government acaden
ia would possess. When the scholarsh
49,. idea was first suggested, some tin
~, ago It met with considerable oppos
tion from the scientists in the sc
so vice. They argued that they mig
he undermined in their positions
la the very men they had instructe
'o'u but since then it has been so clear
demonstrated that politics has nothi
iNu whatever to do with the personnel
,' the Department Of Agriculture I'll
i''io the objection is, for number of n
sons. very interesting and importa
one It has fully demonstrated, among OF
,erai er things, that the training received
Dles' even the best Of our agricultural
own leges does not fit graduate for !
date work in the field. l am told
snail several of the leading men in the
partment that their student help
ow! are of no real assistance until at
IN the second year of their apprenti
abies shin Prior to that time they are
sort " occupied learning to apply theory
fact. There is continuous dem
;nant for competent instructors on the I
way of the agricultural colleges, and, If
next had a great government univer
show such as 1 describe, it would furI
ty or a magnificent body of men from wi
d the to draw. The idea is being serio
were considered, at Washington, and
wouldn't be surprismed to see it
mood, before the next Congress. New
light. leans Times-Democrat.