Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-11-13

people of the state who cannot leave
their homes for the four year course We
give these persons special training along
selected lines. it may be live stock or
fruit or general farm crops or the cream
| cry or the dairy generally or beet sugar
production. These short courses have
( done the state no end of good. large
| share of the numerous successful cream
| cries and cheese factories of Michigan,
are managed by men who have taken the
short course. So some Of our best breed
ers have attended here. All of the beet
sugar factories have controlling chemists
| whom we have trained.
again, the college extends its help
ing hand to farmers who cannot leave
| home even for a short course at college.
| through the Farm Home Reading Circle.
which brings to the attention of its mem
bers certain books on many lines with
the reading overlooked by us and exami-
nations offered. A diploma is granted on
| the completion of certain courses of
reading. The number of people who have
been benefited by the reading circle is
large. over 5000.
Third, the farmers Institutes are
themselves a branch of the extension
work of the college. They reach over 100 :
600 people annually and exert a powerful
influence in every county and in nearly
every hamlet in the state Prominent,
successful farmers who practice on their
own farms the principles and practices
set forth on the institute platform are
employed to aid the college forces in car
rying forward this work.
Fourth, the Experiment station is a
department of the college, which, with
it's ten to twelve bulletins per year and
a mailing list approaching 10000, is revo-
lutionizing agricultural practices in the
state The introduction of beet sugar pro-
duction into Michigan was made by the
station. This year we make more sugar
than any other state except Louisiana.
The station introduced the most popular
variety of wheat it has Increased the
profit from lamb feeding, greatly aided
the feeders of dairy cows; has been the
instructor and guide of the fruit raisers;
has protected from fraud in fertilizers,
and has so kept in touch with the farm
ers. that the latter rely upon the station
to answer all sorts of questions and to
aid in all conceivable ways.
mo station, or college, either, for that
matter, is making a just use of the funds
donated to the state by the general gov
eminent which does not thus fundameR-
tally influence the agriculture of the
state in which it is located
ION the other hand, the college feels
that it is quite within its legitimate work
to give direct aid to the development of
the resources of the state. 1t does this
by taking an active part in exploitation
of these resources. have, as director OF
the Experiment station, sent more than
100 families into .Ae newer parts of the
state, where they have made good homes
and bear the station in grateful remem-
brance The dairy industry we have built
up by lectures at all sorts of meetings,
urging the erection of creameries where
conditions were favorable. The cement in
dustry we have helped by analysis OF
marls and clays. and other industries Inn
mediately or remotely related to agrt-
culture we have aided by all means at
our command We have answered ques-
lions without number addressed to us by
people outside the state and asking in
formation concerning business possibili-
ties in Michigan.
ut seems to me that our success is due
to several cooperating advantages.
'aThe state has demanded good work OF
the college along lines purely agrioultu-
ral so that the faculty has been chosen
and the equipment secured to meet this
demand 1t must do some literary work,
but it is not primarily a literary college
nor a polytechnic institute, but an agrt-
cultural college, strong in agriculture and
related sciences.
THE men we graduate know how to do
things, not alone how things ought to be
done and why We provide dairy build
ing and also daily supply of milk, over
two tons in amount, so that every young
man electing agriculture as aaEspecialty
works in the creamery until he knows
how to make good butter under varying
conditions. So he must work about the
stable until he knows how TO care for
sheep and cattle, and must be In the field
until he knows how crops are raised.
II have gone into ---e details OF our
methods at some length TO illustrate
what a college which meets the demands
of the people does and how. 1t requires
no little study to determine what state
needs most, and still moro study to so
present the work of the college as to
draw the bright young men of the coun-
try to it. The Instruction must be such as
the people will take. 1t will not do to lay
down certain pedagogic principles as a
guide and say that we shall either teach
systematically along these lines or not
teach at all We must take the people as
they are, the conditions as they are, and
the powers aiding us as they are, and
must make the college reach the people
in the way that will beneft the people
most whether the method conforms to
our preconceived notions or not. We must
rea CHI the result whether we can go over
our own railroad or not.
II send you by this mail various re-
ports and documents concerning the col
lege. Very respectfully,
&C. d. SMITH,
Director of the Experiment Station
and Dean of Short Courses; Secretary
Farm Home Reading Circle; Superin-