Bisbee daily review., 1912-02-24
AGRICULTURAL
 COLLEGE RIGHT
Professor Forbes Tells in Phoenix Why It Should Be at
 University
CONSIDERED TIMELY

Prof. Forbes of the state uni | versity was in Phoenix yesterday, | and was interviewed concerning the agitation in Mesa and Tempe for an agricultural college. and the probable relation of such a college to the exist ing university organization. His discussion of the subject is of in terest at a time when educational affairs are at a formative stage in the new state. says The Republican.
 He said: 1t seems not generally understood that the university al ready includes a college of agricul- ture and mechanic arts. mining school and the agricultural experi- ment station, within its present or ganization In fact, the federal en- dowments for the maintenance of a college of agriculture and mechanical arts and of the experiment station amounting 10 SS0,0O0 a year, are the main financial foundation of the In stitution: and it should be clearly understood. to begin with that any proposal to withdraw this endowment contemplates the financial ruin Of the state university.
 The statement has been made that the agricultural college is not accom- piishing it's work in agricultural in struction adequately. However, it Is not a college of agriculture only, but a college of agriculture and mechanic arts that is provided for by federal statute. In accordance with the de mands made upon it by mining sec tions of Arizona the university has heretofore emphasized the mechanic arts courses of study, which are jointly and equally considered in the law. In recent years, with increasing development of agriculture in the state, corresponding attention has been paid to agricultural classWorE in the university. During the past three years a model farm has been opened up for demonstration work in dairing, gardening and farm man agement. laboratories equipped and classwork organized, with thirty-five students at present taking two and four year courses, and a strong ten dency to growth in this department
 With reference to the interests Of agriculture and of mining both Of which the federal endowment recog- nizes. the work of the university is
  is remem bered that mining interests are as yet several times the magni- , tude of agricultural interests within the state.
 ' Yet again it is stated, in connec- tion with the teaching of agriculture, that the college of agriculture is not now located in one of the larger agricultural valleys of the state, and that agricultural students have not the opportunity for farm training . that they would have with 50O-acre Q farm in full operation at the college back door. This criticism, which is valid only as far as it goes, fails to Q show good understanding of what r constitutes college wofk in agrlcul' - lure. A college is not a manual training school-in agriculture or . anything efse. If it were, a hired , mans berth on any well conducted Q farm would afford the best possible Q agricultural education. College work in agriculture is mainly concerned with the study of the principles oi agricultural science, in class rooms 7 and laboratories; using the college farm. which need not be of great size. as a means Of illustration in . connection with classroom and labo- ratory work. A litle farm well tiled and above all significantly tiled, IS the main concern in connection with college cIasswork.
 The university nevertheless, sym uathizes with and encourages the growing desire throughout the state for increased opportunities for edu
 this our experiment station, through it's widespread investigations, is Iargel! responsible. for the university has drafted a plan for state endowment of agricultural courses in the hlgn schools of the state, wherever they may qualify to receive it. such hlgl schools, assisted in teaching agf1cul ture bv the state endowment, VII reach the greatest possible number of young people, at the most impres sionable age. in their own local envir onment, and at least cost to them selves. This plan, in conjunction with a centralized and economically
 adm nistered state university, VIII not only extend the opportunity foI elementary classWoTk in agriculture to all alike throughout the state, but will preserve the opportunity for ad vanced work of college grade in strong centralized and well-endoWeG state university.
 "A further statement of this plan which is already receiving genera
 approval will soon be available 1T printed form.
 Meantime, the university. belieV ing in the maintenance of college stanoards in its own general CT dciency. and in its own bright future stands for it's own integrity and foi a continuation of it's present strong centralized and generally seryiceabi' f,raaufzatiOn.'