Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1913-03-07


The arguments respecting the extent and va
such an education as is given in the avers
ricultural college, that have been heard. on
eets and elsewhere since the movement v
nched to make the Branch Normal school in t
= an auxiliary of che agricultural college, are
lely different that we deem the following
ct from the pen of President John A. Widt
the agricultural college to be deserving tf
ention of every citizen of this section Of
tie.
President Widstoe says:
1.-THE educational policy of the Utah
Agricultural College conforms TO the will
of the people as expressed in various laws
by the State and the Federl Governments.
Into these laws may be read the accept
ance of three great principles Of modern
educational philosophy. First. that edu-
cation shall be brought within the reach
of the masses of the people; second. that
education shall aim to prepare men and
women for the real work of the world of
any or all kinds and, third. that the
applications of modern science have made
the common pursuits desirable from. an
intellectual and financial point of view.
Among the enduring expressions of
public belief in the principles of equal
educational opportunities for all are the
free public schools. free textbooks, free
public high schools, and free public col
leges and universities. The establish
ment of the principle of universal &c u:a-
tion is still in progress. and upon it will be
based many coming reforms. In harmony
with this principle the Agricultural ca
lege has placed emphasis not only upon
strict college work, but upon practical
short courses in the various departments
and upon extension work throughout the
State.
"The second principle demands that
education must be practical. that is. cap
able of being used profitably in the daily
affairs of the community. Consequently,
all necessary human pursuits are the
legitimate concerns of education. The
farmer and the physician; the housewife
and the lawyer; the artisan and the
minister. must find equal opportunities in
the public institutions of learning, for
preparation for their respective life pur-
suits. Moreover, since the farmer and the
physician are both necessary in the
worlds work, and since there are more
than ten farmers for every physician.
than ten times more emphasis more
should be placed in the scheme of
education on farming than on medicine.
In obedience to this principle the courses
of instruction in the College have been ex-
tended to conform with the industrial
needs IF the State. and the subject as in
Guided in them have been so arranged as
to give the students greater power over
existing conditions.
The third principle implies that in
the light of modern knowledge discipline
OF the mind may be gained by study in
any of the developed departments of
knowledge. Agriculture. domestic sci
ence. commerce and engineering, studied
scientifically. are equal in educational
value to any of the so-called learned pro-
fessions. The various branches of
mechanic arts are likewise being devel-
oped u: der the influence of modern know
ecge, are rapidly becoming as desirable
as any other profession. A main purpose
of institutions like the Agricultural Col
lege. is to throw the light of intelligence
into the pursuits of the majority Of man
kind, and thus to make. as far as posi-
BILE, all necessary pursuits equally valua-
bic. A phase of this principle teaches
tfat hand labor should be coupled with
head labor for the trulv happy life. This