The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-03-04

By A. F. Woods, dean and director
Of agriculture and forestry, UNIVERSE
ty Of Minnesota: Agricultural educa-
ton began in Europe and America a
little more than a century ago. 1t was
n of the first results Of the new
sciences Of chemistry and botany and
found its expression in the organiza-
ton Of societies for promoting the ap-
plication Of these sciences to the i'm
provement Of agricultural practice.
According to records compiled by the
department Of agriculture, George
Washington and Benjamin Franklin
were members of the first society
formed in America at Philadelphia in
1885. In 1892 Samuel l.. Mitchell.
M. D., LID, was appointed profess
SCR of natural history, chemistry, agri-
culture and other arts depending
thereon, in Columbia college Of New
York city. History shows that he took
an active part, especially in the study
of the relation of chemistry to agricul-
ture. Similar appointments were lat
er made in Harvard and Yale.
In 1914, the New York State Agri-
cultural society appointed a committee
to promote agricultural education. The
ment of an agricultural institute and
pattern farm where shall be taught
thoroughly n alike the science and
practice and the profits of good hus-
bandry, etc" Several such schools
were started and one, the Peoples col
lege near Havana, N. Y, took an ac-
tive part in securing national legisla-
ton in the interest Of industrial edu-
cation. The state Of Michigan provid-
ed for a school of agriculture in its
constitution, adopted in 1850. The
school was opened in 1857 with sixty
one students and five professors. The
farmers high school of Pennsylvania
was incorporated in 1854 and began
work il 1859. Maryland and Massa-
chusetts made provision for colleges of
agriculture in 1856. There were at this
time also a number of private agricul-
tural schools of secondary grade,
teaching agriculture with rather more
success than the colleges.
National Aid Obtained.
1t was the prevailing opinion, how
ever, that the subject was not re-
ceiving adequate support or attention.
The friends of agricultural education
in the various states revived a move
ment started some years before for
national aid to agricultural education.
This bore fruit in the first Morrill, act
Of 1862, granting land to each state
for the endowment of colleges Of agri-
culture and mechanic arts. Provision
was also made about this time for the
establishment of the national depart
ment Of agriculture.
During the first quarter century Of
their existence, these institutions did
pioneer work in industrial education.
They emphasized the educational and
practical Importance of the natural
sciences as contraSted with the
classical n literary studies still in
many cases dominating these institu-
tions. The application of chemistry
and botany to the study of soils and
crops came to be widely appre-
ciated and led to the establishment Of
experimental departments in some Of
the colleges and later to the endow-
ment Of such departments under the
designation Of agricultural experiment
stations, in connection with all of the
agricultural colleges. This act became
a law in 1887. Three years later the
second Morrill, act was passed, ~increas-
ing the endowment to agricultural COL
leges. At that time, sixty institutions
in the United States offered work in
agriculture. The total number of grad
yates since the establishment Of the
colleges, was approximately 5000. In
1894 there were 3,S47 students study
ing agriculture in these institutions
and 21,195 in other cuurses. IN 1911,
siXty-seven state agricultural colleges
had $4,000 students enrolled in agri-
culture. forty-tWo privately endowed
colleges also gave courses III this sub
ject. In 1894 the total income of these
land grant colleges was less than
$4,000, 900. In 1911. 1t was S22, 600. coo.
The total value of their property i'll
creased from $751;, 900. 900 to $3.50, 0000,-
600.