The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1914-09-03
Agricultural
College Will
Haze Big Class
FACILITIES AT UNIVERSITY ARE
HARDLY ABLE TO MEET DE-
MANDS.
DEAN sANDERsoN SAYS ALL
WILL BE CARED FOR NEVER
THELESS.

MORGANTOWN, Sept. 3.-Indica-
tions are that the entering class of
the College OF Agriculture will be so
large as to tax its class room facil-
tiles. Dean Sandcrson gives assur-
ance ,ohweVer, that all will be prop
erly cared for. With the increase in
the faculty and with the additional
equipment, the instruction given will
be the best for West Virginians OBJ
tainablc anywhere. and the course Is
even attracting students from other
states. There will probably be an
entering class of fifty and a total of
over one hundred students enrolled
turc. This number is not large when
compared with that of other states,
but in comparison with the entering
clss of four and total OF seventeen
just four years ago, when Dean SaE
Gerson became connected with the
institution, the growth is quite re-
mrakable. This increase is doubtless
due to the fact that practically every
graduate from the college is either
n successful farmer or is now holding
a responsible position in the agricul-
tural work of this or other states.
Among the new men in the faculty
is Professor Il. W. Sheets, head of the
department of animal husDandry,
who spent last year in graduate work
at the University of Illinois. Pro-
lessor Sheets grew up on a Harrison
county stock farm. graduated from
the college of agriculture and has a
wide acquaintance among livestock
men of the state. His assistant. Mr.
| X. r. Snapp, comes from Illinois,
where he has had unusual success
both as stockman and teacher. Pro-
fessOr Firman L. Bear. in charge of
the new department of soils, has al
ready made place for himself with
West Virginia farmers through his
lectures at farmers institutes. and is
recognized as one of the best teach
ers Of soil fertility in the country.
Interest in agricultural education
is now statewide, due to the b" y l
policy of the college Of agriculture in
organizing its work to serve all the
trainers of the state. Not only is
there q nine weeks winter course
| for men who cannot spend longer
time at the college. but a special far
mers' week in early January. and in
addition series of one-weck agri-
cultural schools held in counties
| Throughout the state. Several far
liners Institutes are held in practi-
cally every county of the state and
| the attendance this year IS by far
the largest in the history OF the in
stitute work. Fifteen correspondence
courses in agriculture and home eco
Monies. for those wishing to stuC,--, at
home, were announced last month Tor
the first time. and already hundreds
of farmers, farm women and school
teachers in all parts of the state have
enrolled. In recent teachers in
stitute twcnty-nine teachers enrolled
to take the correspondence course in
cshool agriculture, thus showing how
the work of the college is reaching
out through the common schools to
farm homes in all parts of the state.
I
Farmers reading circle courses are
also provided for local study clubs in
soil improvement, farm crops and an
imnl .husbandry. $50
In like manner the. agricultural
oxperimont station is extending its
work to meet the needs of the far
, mcrs Of the state as never before.
| Investigations in animal husbarSS
in cooperation with the United States
department of Agriculture have been
,tarted and arrangements are now
Ibeing made for determining the cost
!, NJ the best feeds for wintering beef
COWS and steers on a large West Vir-
ginia livestock farm. Recently tue
representative of the U. S. Depart
lment Of Agriculture made the usual
lannual inspection of the eNperimcnt
,tation. approved all its work and eX-
pressed his appreciation Of the pro-