The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-10-25
Institutions Are Getting Up to
 Practical Things
TEACHING IS THOROUGH
The Graduates Return to the Farms and Improve Conditions In Agri- culture-Some Striking Ex-
 amples of the Benefits.
By HERVEY W. LAIRD.

Education. St. Paul Minn., October 22.- l Special Correspondence) )-Every school man in the party recognized in the University of Minnesota visited yesterday an institution of learn i ing that is getting down-or up-to practical things In it's agricultural col lege, it's agricultural school and its CO., i operative industries. just now attracting the widest attention from all sections, it is setting a new pace in education that can be used for the problems and duties of life In a farming state the trend of instruction has gone back to the farm and the work is showing in many ways in the i progress and development of the peo- pie.
 1 The party was taken in charge early 1 and given breakfast at the St. Paul Com mercial club, where elegant rooms are maintained. Here C. c. shultz, state su- 1 perintendent, after breakfast. outlined the 1 programme, after telling something of the ] educational institutions of the state At 1 the same time c. R. Frazier assistant su- perintendent, and Dr.. J. Lee Coulter of the university were present. Cars were taken to the College of Agriculture build ings, where inspections of the various de- partments were made. The college has only a small enrolment, compared to the school of agriculture, maintained in the same building. This school, with It's TOO or 800 boys and girls. is the main feature of the situation. as seen by those who are studying the problems of adjusting rural education to rural life.
 Pleasant Addresses.
 These boys and girls, who may come In with an examination on the eighth grade, and if they are older and seem to want to get the instruction. may get in at less, filled the great chapel when the time for assembly came. D. D. Mayne principal, with the members of the visiting party seated on the platform, went through the devotional exercises and made way for DeaneW. Olsen, who introduced Dr. J. Y. Joyner of North Carolina, who. in turn, called upon MT. Robert c. Ogden of New York MT. Ogden expressed his pleasure at being present and thanked the school officers for their courtesy~ Closing MT. Ogden said "As we joined in the Lords prayer there was that heart-throb of Americanism and American democracy that unites us all''
 After this lunch was served at the din- ing room of the school, the food being just that served every day. ItSre the l cost is cents a meal, with 40tcents a day the total expense for board. Including 1 unlimited laundry and the variols com forts of life. The meals are ample in every respect. A close watch is klept on the whole and the cost is not allowed to run over cents on an average. The kitchen is run with equipment of every labor-saving and cost-saving device known.
 Back to the Farm.
 Of the machinery of the university and it's departments there is a general knowl- edge. It is run upon the school and col lege plan. with buildings for all activi- ties about the grounds. The agricultural school, however, is of vital importance, in that it is getting down to the very meat of the farm life. Eighty per cent of it's boys and girls go back to the farm and stay there. having come to school to learn how to run farms and getting practical equipment that helps them. This is not so of the agricultural college students, who in the main do not go back to farms, but find service in the government depart ments. in teaching places and expert ser vice of other kinds.
 Principal Mayne said that he often goes into the country to find that the graduates of the school have made farms better and homes beautiful In one poor place way out he found a home that was rough on the outside but pretty and tasty inside. My daughter, who went to the agricul- tural school is my housekeeper." said the proud father. In another case a man had his farm loaded with mortgages and was about to give up and lose it. His two boys came to the school, got the instruc- ton and inspiration, went back home and not only paid the mortgage. but are now making money on the farm. Scores of cases of this kind are pointed out. The school. in word, Is the property of the farmers themselves, and they are mak- ing use of 1t.
 Closer to Home.
 Another feature of this work is the way the demand for 1t is getting close to home. High school, fostered by the state, are gift of the last legislature. Already there are 20 of them with agricultural in- struction and exper9nent with others com ing. Principal Mayne thinks that this will be the next development that the high schools will do vast amount of this ] work. and make enthusiasm for the main school and the college, and increase the l number of students to the point that they will include almost every farmer boy and girl in the state.
 The line of instruction in this school is general farm education, including chem l istry of the soils, forestry crops and crop cultivation and crop harvesting. In addi- ton there is instruction in biacksmithing and carpentering and other lines of this 1 kind that when a boy goes home he is fitted to do the many odd jobs about | the place that would take time and money 1 to have done A girl goes back with not only a knowledge of agriculture but of sewing, cooking and general housekeep- | ing Tn a word, each has been taught to work to the best advantage and in a way that will bring about the largest re- suits.
 Cooperative Industries.
 After the time at the agricultural school the party was driven to the main ! campus of the university three miles | away, where the larger buildings were l seen. All the sciences, with medicine the l law, dentistry and such like, were rep- resented here pr. J. l.. Coulter, who then took the entertainment in hand. | showed the visitors over the buildings. l which all know to be among the best | and to represent the most progressive 1 ideas fin higher education of the day But {! the main object of the trip was 10 look l into the cooperative industries, so all hurried over to the lCommerclal club of | Minneapolis for talks on this line. tlxt. fu 1Act4 T1-