The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-07-11
THE WAY We DO IT.
Address by Dean Liggett O
State Agricultural School
Methods i'm the United States Essen
TALLY Different From Those of
Other Countries.
Minneapolis Journal !:

Minneapolis journal:
1t is now quite generally recognized
that Minnesota leads in agricultural
education. Last year Dean W. M.
Liggett of the department of agricul-
ture of q. of M. was chosen president
of the association of American Agri-
cultural colleges and experiment sta
tions and this year he and Minnesota
have been further honored through his
selection to make the principal ad-
dress at the graduate school of agricul-
ture at Columbus, Ohio. This school
is attended by professors and gradu-
ates of agricultural colleges from all
parts of the country. Prof. w. M.
Hays of the Minnesota college mas
been actively instrumental in organ
izing the school. The subject assigned
Dean Liggett is 1.-The American Sys-
tenn of Agricultural Education and
Research. - In opening his address
last night Dean Liggett said that the
system under discussion was essen
TALLY American in character. He
showed how the system grew out of
the appropriation of funds through
the original Morrill, bill and how It
had been built up by experimental
development through the efforts OF a
devoted band of professors. Generous
support on the part of the people was
another factor. The speaker said
During the past twelve or fifteen
years there has been decided change
in public opinion regarding the agrl-
cultural professor and the agricultural
college is no longer considered a
fit subject for ridicule and jest, but
his teachings and ideas in general
are respected.
The Importance of cooperation
among the stations and colleges was
then emphasized as was the necessity
of broad spirit among the investiga
tors and workers. Dean Liggett affirm
ed that the financial benefits ACQUIRING
to the people as the result of any one
of the achievements of the stations
were greater than the entire OUTLAY for
the maintenance of the work. Fur
Their he said:
The logical development of the
educational system will be along lines
which are already blocked out in
some of our institutions. There will
be the agricultural night school, which
will take the farmers boys and girls
when they have completed the gram
mar school grades, and give them
three or four years of high school
work which will fit them for farm life
and work. The course in the agricul-
tural high includes continuation of
the common branches in connection
with technical studies adapted to the
age of the student and the posi- bilities
of practical results. For instance,
chemistry must go far enough to teach
the analysis of foods and soils botany
must be the foundation for the study
of many kinds of plant life and the
practical work of planting, cultivating
and harvesting; entomology must
teach at least the general character of
the insect friends and enemies of the
farmer, and the means of employing
the one and destroying the other
There must be practical shop study of
carpentry and blacksmithipg, actual
work in the dairy, technical instruc-
tion in animal breeding and the selec- |
tion and care of stock, and experiment
tai work in laboratory and greenhouse. |
In fact all the work must be intensely |
practical, and there must be opportu- |
nifty for practice and observation of |
actual method at every turn