The Point Pleasant register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, W. Va.) 1909-1939, 1910-05-25

The suggestion in these columns
last week that the Keyser Preparatory
Branch of the university be converted
into an agricultural and horticultural
college has aroused the ire of the
Hon. E. NJ. Grant, of Morgantown.
Mr.. Grant, if we recall correctly was
a member of the Board ofRegents Ct
the University, is naturally and pro-
perly loyal to his town and doubtless
imagines if the Keyser school was
converted into a college ofagriculture
and horticulture they might lose
few dollars out of future university
appropriations and a few students
with their incidental expenditures,
from attendance at the University
and its school of agriculture. Conse-
quently the said Mr.. Grant writes US
a caustic letter, lamenting our ignor-
ance of the fact that there is already
a college of agriculture at the state
university, suggesting that we apollo
gize to Dean Atkinson of said agri-
cultural college and then hastens to
give his letter to the Morgantown
papers for publication.
Our friend, Mr.. Grant, for such
we have long considered him, has al
lowed his enthusiasm for his town to
get the better 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
at the state university. Had he been
as well informed as he thinks we
ought to have been he would have
known that this paper has done a
very considerable amount of free ad-
vertising of this same school of agri-
culture and that through the personal
suggestions and influence of its edi-
tor several young men have gone
there to attend it, some of whom,
now that the question has been rails
ed, were by no means satisfied with
the course of instruction and the re-
suits obtained. And before we get
too far away from that point we
pause to remark that one drawback
to the West Virginia University and
all its departments has always been
that few persons like Mr.. Grant
have regarded it as an asset for Nor
gantown, means of getting as much
money as possible from the State for
expenditure and allowed in the past,
personal ambitions and factional diff
ferences to figure too largely for the
good of the institution and the peo-
pie of the State.
We do not feel that we owe any
apology to Dean Atkinson. Mr.
Grant or anybody else for the sug.
Sestion of converting the Keyser
Preparatory Branch of the University
into a frst-class college ofagriculturt
and horticulture. We respectfully
insist that such a step would be
wise one and of immense benefit t.
the State. Mr.. Grant thinks tn,
College of Agriculture at the Uni
versity is bowling success in ever!
respect, except that it has no stud
ents; that the farmers and their son
will not take an interest in that kinc
of educational work. We fear the,
never will as long as the agriculture,
work is retained as tail to the uni
versity kite. 1t is overshadowed
lost in the shuttle. The young farm
ers and fruit growers, we surmise
would much prefer going elsewher,
than to Morgantown, where they ar,
engulfed in the social swirl of nearly
thousand students fthe university
They are not, as a rule, particularly
interested in military maneuyers
military balls, football, base ball
pink teas and the ike. Such col.
lege, located at Keyser, in fruit
growing section, would enable :