Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1910-05-27
That Agriculture College
Suggestion.

OF the university be converted
rto an agricultural and horticultural
csllsge has aroused the ire Of the Hon.
" N Grant, Of Morgantown. MIR.
C.art II we recall correctly was
.au,her of the Board of Regents of
no University, Is naturally and prop
a-lv Ioyal to his town and doubtless
,,oaOines if the Keyser schoo, WAS
into college of agriculture
and horticulture they might lose few
dollars out of future university appro-
,iat,ons and a few students with their
incidental expenditures, from ATTIC nd
srce at the University and its school
Of agriculture. Consequently the said
|Mr Grant writes us caustie letter,
|lamentng the fact that there Is al
ready a college of agriculture at the
state university, suggesting that we
op,logize 10 Dean Atkinson Of said
horticultural college and then hastsns
TO give his letter to the Morgantown
papers for publication.
oar friend, Mr.. Grant, for such we
have long considered him, has allowed
his enthusiasm for his town to get the
bptter of his Judgment and lead him
into an error in assuming that we did
not know that there was some kind of
school of agriculture and that through
the personal suggestions and influence
of its editor several young men have
gone there to attend it, some Of whom,
now that the question has been raised,
|were by no means satisfied with the
|course OF instruction and the results
|obtained. Aud before we get too far
Iaway from that point we pause to re-
hnsrk that one draw-ba to the West
N irglnia University and all its depart
nents has always been that n few
persons like Mr. Grant have rega rded
ID as an asset for Morgantown,
means of getting as much money as
possible from the State for expenditure
thsre and allowed in the past, person
b ambitions aud factional d differences
10 figure too largely for the good of the
Institution and the people of the State
We do not feel that we owe any
apology 10 Dean Atkinson, Mr.. Grant
pr any bsdy else for the suggestion of
converting the Keyser Preparatory
Branch of the University into first
flasS college Of agriculture and horti-
tultur. We respectfully insist that
buch step would be wise one and Of
immense benefit to the State. Mr.
Grant thinks the College of AgricuI-
urs at the University is bowling
uecess IN every respect, except that 1t
las no students; that the farmers and
heir sons will not take an interest In
Plat kind Of educational work. We
Year they never will as long as the
agricultural work is retained as tail
20 the university kite. 1t is oversha-
Flowed, lost in the shuttle. The young
Farmers and fruit growers, we surmise,
would much prefer going elsew here
Fhan to Morantown, where they are
fngulied in the social swirl Of nearly
p thousand students of the university.
hey are not, as rule, particularly
|lhteFested ia military maneuvers,
pituitary balls, football, base ball, pink
teas and the like. Such a college, To-
gated at Keyser, in fruit growing Sec
|uon, would enable y teacher to take
MIS- classes out into the peach asd
|SppIe orchards and give practical les
SONS on spraying and trimming of
trees anu aloT.' many other lines of
WORK where observations and demon
|sFatlons are far superior to bulletins
|and lectures.
Ills paper is only too glad to give
|c'e0lt to any work that has been SC
|com p'lshed at Morgantown. 1t has
oeen unfailing in its commentator of
'Ae excellent horticultural work done
ny Director Stewart and his efficient
IVoIPS Oh helpers at the Experiment
station. Its editor drafted the statute
'""' gave them new power and put
SPoh them additional labors and thew
nave exercised that power wisely and
IuiScteelly and assumed their addition
q 'Soors cheerfully and effectively.
iney have called the attention of our
people TO the calam .tous condition
'nat exists wherein we are taking the
money received from exploiting our
'st natural resources and sending it
r'o other states to buy food and feed
mat we ought to grow at heme.
~ correct this condition and keen
MS money at home is the biggest
~ T'''iem before the people of West
Hsinia today, the Virginia debt
aNes.son not excepted, because we
eOu4u pay Off the whole debt with a
at uonal part Of the money thus un-
hphInA il.