The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1905-01-05
State Agricultural College
and IFS Scope in Education
Valuable Information Given by Dr. James Chalmers in His Ad
dress Before the State Educational Association

The following address by President
Chalmers was given at the annual
meeting of the South Dakota Educa-
tional Association held at Deadwood
December 81, 2S, 90, 1904. On motion
of County Superintendent Ustrud of
Sioux Falls seconded by County SUI
perintendent Eddy of Aberdeen and
unanimously carried by the Associa-
tion this address and the one by Presi-
4 dent Nicholson of Mitchell University
We're ordered published.
INTRODUCTION
1t seems to many Of US that the
officers or program committee OF this
Association were most wise in selecting
as the general theme for the Associa-
ton Program this year: The work Of
the several Institutions in Our State
system of Education. A state system
OF education is necessarily made up
of many parts. There is likely to
arise some confusion and uncertainty
in the minds of many as to the proper
function of each of those parts. 1t is
well, especially in a new state, to have
the place and work Of each school and
college defined. This seems to be the
proper time and place for the discus
sion.
County Superintendent Lugg of
Hutchinson county has been drafted
by the committee to speak OF the place
of the Common Schools in the state
system Of education; City Superinten-
dent Cochrane of Aberdeen, the High
Schools: President Cook of Spearfish,
the Normal Schools; President Slagle
of Rapid City, the School OF Mines;
President Nicholson of Mitchell, the
Denominational Schools; and | am to
speak of the Agricultural College.
This symposium includes therefore
the entire state system OF education
except the State University, and | am
informed by the officers OF the Associa-
tior that efforts were made to secure
that institution and thus make the
symposium upon this vital question
entirely complete.
LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS
This Is a comparatively young state.
Its systems of education and OF in
dustry are yet in formative condi-
ton. The beginnings are being made;
the foundations are being laid, upon
which the superstructure OF great
future commonwealth is to be erected.
Foundation-laying is important busi-
ness, for the stability of all that the
future builds thereon depends upon
the character and quality and strength
of the foundation.
STATE SHOULD BE COMPLETE UNIT
1t is intended that state shall be
an integral society, or a complete unit
Of population possessing an inherent
oneness or personality, and able to
ca.ry on every known kind OF social
activity and cooperation such as in
dustry, trade, education, religion,
science, art and so on. insofar as
state is inefficient and incompetent in
any one of these activities it shows it,
self to be weak and lame as state
personality.
INDUSTRY AND EDUCATION
Roughly speaking these activities
may be grouped under two heads
namely, industry and education. The
development CT South Dakota along
industrial lines in recent years has
been phenominal. Great material
prosperity has come to the state in
every way, until South Dakota has
become one of the greatest states of
the west, and its fame finds a solid
basis on its exceptional growth, wealth
and prosperity, and it is now very
generally known that during the last
five years the state has lead all others
in its per capita production OF wealth.
TO GO HAND IN HAND
II now remains to develop cores
pondingly the educational activity OF
the state. For the two, industry and
education, should keep pace, should
go hand ip hand. On the one hand,
material prosperity should contribute
To culture, refinement, intelligence. |
On the other hand, intellectual devel- |
opment should contribute to material |
adornment and artistic elegence and |
the embellishments OF external beauty. |
Industry standssfor the body and edu-
cation stands for the soul of the state.
Body and soul. They should go to-
gether. The body without the soul is
dead and inefficient. The soul with
ont the body is ethereal and unpracti
cal. The material interests OF a state
are wrapped up in its intellectual and
moral forces. The intellectual and
moral interests Of a state are wrapped
up in its Industrial forces. The two
are interdependent. The health and
growth OF the state depends upon the
development OF both OF
these activities, just as the health and