The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-03-31
The Utah Agricultural Col
lege a Leader in Educa-
tiOnal Reforms.
By E. G. Peterson.

tn EMOCRACY in education Is an es-
tablished fact The Utah Agri-
cultural college is proof The
- cry from eastern universities and
colleges that the undergraduates
become incipient. that the ravages OF
taken the iron from the men, has re-
suited in a harsh but not entirely ,un-
founded criticism of methods In college
administration,
This criticism was most extremely ex-
pressed by the late Mr. Crane OF Chi
cago, man OF great principle. however
drastic his ideas on education. 1t was
ne who said that the states good money
should not 20 into productive enter
prises and that the peoples best inter
ests might be served b. burning down
ing His was the criticism OF the hard
listed, IRON iawed materialist whose eyes
gieam wildly at the mere suggestion
of economic waste. forEetfui that Nnat
NAV seem waste today may tomorrow
be proht
Waste Sometimes Pays.
The history Of our Fundamental re-
sea rches proves this. Without the de-
cades Of tireless energy expended IN
German laboratories. much OF II seem
ingly waste then. the great. present-day
application OF chemistry TO industry and
the twentieth century movement called
srsSsh'S ,arded So the ep great practices Of rrl-
cation and Of dry farming whose nome
Is Utah are the results OF years OF
vigorous search into the mysteries oi
the movement OF soil waters and into the
complexities of soil chemistry. Much OF
this AT that time seemed lnappncaoIe 10
any human use. .
But. outside OF this great service which
universities and colleges have rendered
in the past the ;n;o sosSs has
years ago. and to an alarming cxIen'
today. Il was and is impractical stu
dents were and are drilled long on Aris-
totle and his philosophy. and short, on
Babcock and his milk test; yet ~ IS
conceivable that the Babcock test Is
greater human asset than Arlstot'e
theories Of the origin OF life.
The college community became un-
democratic because its studies were fine
spun and without purpose; Inc well
| tailored students disclnimed interest IN
tho vulgar commonplace things OF life,
they came to look upon the day WORK
as in sense unctean, so tney formed
| into exclusive clubs and fratcrnitles ano
the great vital pick and shovel prop-
| lens Of life were left 20 their owr
solution Thus the greatest result OF
college life was rendered impossinle o'
suit OF the social structure which was
| built, stunned the breadth OF experience
and sympathy OF interest which thai
/ breadth Of experience woHIo psouuoI pro .,Oi
versity devltJized. languorous members
and in mnny cases valuable ornanlentt
! of the university clup. Dul p'bei "iS'
| citizens OF doubtful value.
Mysteries in the Soil.
The evolution which approaches =
revolution in the velocity OF us tranE riS,
| formation toward practical tnings III nis
! in the college course has gained sucf
| head that It may now be thought or a'
| established With tho regeneration o.
| the course Of study has como chsnG'
| in the college spirit. When the studN
OF wheat OF soil, OF water. and OF farn
animals succeeded the study of classics
the higher mathematics and tho nys'
teries OF the sky, the student beam
! VIOLENTLY aware Of the fact that lin IN
water which feeds his crops. In the sol
upon which he walks. In the amman
which furnish him food and drink ah'
the plants which make for his hAppI'
| ness was the greatest educatonal oppor
! tunitv that the world had ever known
IL suddenly became known that tner
are more mysteries In the SOL tnan tssi
the sky contains. Here lis opportnIit'
for the most stalwart mind 10 organia
and TO apply this new field of fMct Alon,
with an equal intellectual viGor the ''ney
education" carries :, thouSHu io'
greater practical application;
The Utan Agricultural college Euard
very sacredly this new Idea OF pract.
caijty and Of service and Its studcnt
arc inbued With the same fne aomif.mur m
OF hard work-a day fact and lar
aiohf5 ideaIisu1 OF human bctterment'