The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1914-04-02
SCHOOL Of AGR|.
GRADUATES CLASS
THIRTY-FoUR YOUNG PEOPLE RE.
cEIvE CERTIFICATES ON
THURSDAY
PROF. BURNETT DELIVERS I, ADDRESS,
Graduates Will Return to South Da.
kota Farms to Practice Scientific
Agriculture a0!eoart0 Making

aeat .
Thirty-four young men and Won
from the secondary school of agricul-
ture of the State College at the sixth
graduation exercises on Thursday
morning. Twenty-eight of the class
are men. Almost without exception
these students will return to South Da-
kota farms and homes to practice
scientific agriculture and modern
home making. The graduation ad-
dress was given by E. A. Burnett,
Dean of the Nebraska College of Agri-
culture, upon the subject Education
and Rural Progress" Other ad-
dresses were given by Hon. A. E.
Hitchcock of Mitchell, president of the
State Board of Regents, and Hon. T.
w. Dwight of Sioux Falls, member Of
the board, who also presented certif-
Gates.
"The efficiency of the rural school,
the efficiency of the farm home, and
the efficiency of the individual farmer
are the keys to success in modern ag-
riculture," according to Dean Burnett
in his address before the graduates.
Agriculture is today Americas great
est industry and one-third Of her popu-
lation are engaged in it. The increase
in population and the fact that the
supply of free lands is practically ex-
hausted brings the American farmer
face to face with the problem of get
ting yields from his lands year after
year, which will necessarily mean that
the fertility of the soil must be main
tanned and built up. Agricultural pro-
gress has not kept pace with the in
crease in population. Already the
United States is beginning to import
farm produce.
Efficiency in farming means that
more people must know how to farm.
Not only must the young people be in
structed in scientific agriculture IN
oul dSllSulluld al COliCSCoy Dul tuOoc
who are not of college rank should
also be taught in secondary schools
of agriculture, in high schools, and in
the country schools. The best young
blood must remain on the farm as edu-
Gated farmers. Leaving agriculture in
the hands of ignorant or unfit people is
fatal to the best interests of agricul-
ture."
AS means of uplifting rural condi-
tons, Prof. Burnett recommended the
splendid work being lone by colleges
of agriculture, by the experiment sta
tons, by the secondary school of agri-
culture, by agricultural extension, by
the rural church, and by an increased
social life in rural communities. He
especially urged that the rural church
must forsake the field of denomina-
tional effort and enter freely into the
life of the community; otherwise the
country church must become decadent
and without influence. Rural social
life must also be fostered and develop.
ed through farmers clubs, through the
Grange, and through other social or
CARNATIONS. ct is the duty of you
graduates" said he, "to return to the
farms and see that this program of
rural uplift is carried out"
Regent Hitchcock called attention
to the fact that the purpose for which
agricultural and mechanical colleges
were founded was to prepare young
men and women for farming and in
dustrial work. He stated that the col
leges had not carried out this plan
but that the graduates had gone large
ly into scientific work. In order to
correct this, secondary schools Of ag-
riclture were established in connec
ton with the colleges to train boys
and girls who would return to the
farms.
Mr.. Hitchcock went one step further
however, and advocated the Offering
of secondary agricultural training at
various accessible points in South Da-
kota, in the high schools and in the
rural schools. He stated his belief
that unless the rank and file of the
farmers were trained for skilled work
that profitable farming operations
would eventually fall into the hands of
an a~ristocratic few with homes in the
cities. He commended the graduating
class to its supreme duty of uplifting
the rural life in home and school and
putting agriculture on a permanent.
profitable basis.
Regent T. w. Dwight OF Sioux Falls.