Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1906-08-03
AGRICULTURAL COL
lEGE ONLY IN NAME
Oreson's Bis School for Farmers
Teaches Everything But
How TO Farm.

lege has an enrolment larger than
any other college in Oregon or WASH
ington and only exceeded by Stan.
ford University and the State Univer-
sity Of the California colleges and it
is splendid success in many ways.
yet it falls far short Of being an ag
ricultural college, for too much of its
work has no bearing whatever ON the
science of agriculture. The depart
ment known as the experiment sta
tion, is all that is really doing work
that is eff ctive in advancing the
agricultural interests of Oregon.
This department has DR.. James Witty
combe at the head of it. The Doctor
is practical farmer and not theo-
retical college man and the splendid
work in agricultural research and
demonstration that he and his staff OF
instructors are doing is having a
most helpful influence in raising the
standard of agriculture in Oregon
and making it profitable vocation TO
the farmers instead of merely means
of gaining bare living as has been
too much the case with the average
Oregon farmer.
On the need Of change in the
methods Of conducting the State Agri
cultural College the Rural Spirit o.
Portland. has the following sensible
argument:
1.-THE announcement of DR.. Thos.
NJ. Catch, president of the Oregon
Agricultural College, that it is his in
tention to retire at the end of the COM
ing year brings up afresh the subject
Of the sphere Of an agricultural col
lege. After 10 years Of splendid SER
vice at the head of this Institution
DR.. Catch retires with the good will
and hearty sympathy of the whole
faculty, who at their last meeting
adopted resolutions expressing this
fact in words highly complimentary
to the aged, but able educator, and
it is with the same feeling of defer
ence and respect Cor his splendid SER
vice aud ability that we say that his
resignation is coming none too soon
for the good of the institution. A
few more might be accepted on the
same hypothesis. In fact a general
reorganization might be effected to
the ultimate good of the agricultural
! interests of our great state which we
| think are entitled to an agricultural
college in fact as well as in name.
President Catch is an able educator.
but he il not an sgriculturist-makes
and interests run in other lines and
with such q man at the head of the
institution and with others of similar
inclinations filling most OF the chairs
Is IL to be wondered at that the agri.
Gu tural department is the weakest of |
all the departments maintained in the |
school? Is it any wonder that the |
boys who enter that department are
dubbed as Rubes' and 'Hayseeds' |
and on account of that influence are
often deferred from taking an agricul.
tural course and sometimes influenced |
to change 10 some other after they
have chosen it? Agricultural college
forsooth? Either the name or the
naturs should be changed. AS we
said in an editorial ON this subject
some weeks ago we believe the trend
for the last few years has been to-
ward the specific purpose declared in
the name, but it is entirely too slow.
At the present rate il would take a
thousand years to reach the point and
we believe now is good time 10 in-
stall more rapid pace in that direc-
tion. Let much Of the work now done
there be left to the state university.
Put man at the head of the institu-
tion who is in the prime of life, an
agriculturist in theory and practice,
whose heart is in the work and whose
influence will lend dignity and char.
aoter to that department above all
others. In fact let there be no de-
partments except those pertaining to
agriculture in its various phases and +,
let each department be provided with ,
specialists who are wide-awake, pro-
eressive and up-to.date and able to en- !
thuse their students and inspire in I
terest and pride in the work for !
which they are fitting themselves.
Let us have an agricultural college
that will be pride TO the state and
the envy of others; one that will at ,
tract TO its walls the brightest young +
men aud women of our state who will ,
there fit themselves to return TO the
farm and help dignity the profession y
If the farmer until ii shall stand 7
where it belongs on par with all n
others. " =