The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-12-02
AFTER GOOD Man
New Dean Sought for State
School of Agriculture
BANKERS TAKE A HAND
State Association Wants Something
Practical Done to Keep the
Boys on the Farm

CQdS. II. rTOSI, SSCIeIdIy, Cl Tie Mill
nesota Bankers Association, acting
as a committee from the executive
council of that body, have addressed
a letter to Hon. John Lind, president
of the Board Of Regents of the Min
nesota State University, relative to
the selection of new Dean for
the State Agricultural School. The
letter follows:
AT the twentieth annual conven-
tion cf the Minnesota Bankers AS
sociation, representing about eight
hundred and twenty-five banks, state
and national, located principally with
in the farming district of Minnesota,
the question of the agricultural de-
velOpment of Minnesota and also the
question of agricultural education,
were very seriously considered. A
resolution was passed, unanimously
instructing the executive council to
appoint a committee from among it's
members to look into these matters
and take such steps as in their judg-
ment might seem most expedient to
improve conditions in connection
Herewith. Subsequently, the COM
mittee was appointed, and after con-
siderable investigation and research,
it has succeeded in obtaining large
amount of information from all Sec
tions of the state regarding agricul-
tural conditions and the facilities
for obtaining education in scientific
agriculture.
"The committee learned, among
other things, that while in our sis
ter state of Wisconsin, compulsory
agricultural education in the rural
schools has been in vogue for many
years and is admittedly largely res
ponsible for the intelligent interest
taken by the people of Wisconsin in
agricultural matters, in Minnesota We
have no such law, with the result
that practically nothing is being done
in our rural schools along these
lines.
J "The committee has visited the
Agricultural College at, Madison, and
also our own Agricultural School at
St. Anthony Park. We were partic-
ularly interested in learning, if pos
sible, why the Wisconsin School is
reputed to be the best agricultural
school in the United States, il not
in the world and we believe that we
have found at least three good rea-
sons why it is accredited with such
a reputation. The Wisconsin school
has thoroughly competent, intelli-
gent and efficient administrative Or
ganization We found, also, that its
extension short course in agriculture
for farmers given at Madison, had
an attendance last year of something
over eight hundred farmers, as
against the attendance of a similar
course at our own school of one
hundred siXty-nine. We We're also
very much impressed with the intel
ligent and effective handling of many
other features of the extension work.
We also found in the Wisconsin
School a thoroughly organized and
efficient publicity department which
not only enables the school to keep
in close touch with the farmers of
the state, but also to thoroughly ad-
vertise throughout the world the re-
suits which the school is accom-
plishing in raising the corn yield
per acre in Wisconsin from twenty
five to approximately forty-two bush
els 1t is also through the efforts
Of the publicity department of the
Wisconsin school that the fact that
i the best cheese in the United States
is made in Wisconsin, has been
spread broadcast.
1--WE are satisfied that the plant
and equipment of the Minnesota
school is superior to that of Wiscon-
sin. We are also satified that our
teachers in the various departments
are competent men and of caliber
as broad, if not broader, than those
of the Wisconsin School. In view of
the fact, however, that it is conceded
there is to be a change in the execu-
tie head of our Agricultural school,
there is more or less disorganization
and consequent lowering of the work
There is no incentie to introduce new
methods and systems so long as the
appointment of new dean is post
poned.
"It is the opinion of our committee
that the position of dean of the Ag-
ricultural School is one of the most
important in this state, for many
reasons" While Minnesota is gener-
ally known as an agricultural state,
we find that, as matter of fact, its
manufactured products exceed in val
ue its agricultural products by many
millions of dollars. We also find
that less than one-third of the till