The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-02-06

~ I IlS -HSAL al tt4AoN GNSA '~A
college has. It's teaching force all told
numbers considerably more than 100,
and the ulnbe Of students registered
is more than 1900. Of spirit 1t has
enough, though that is something yout
cannot count. However, one does not
have to be about the institution long
to know that it is alive and, more than
that, full of vitality. from it's presi-
dent. John Henry Worst, down to the
greenest freshman, or the most recent
recruit Of it's simplest short course.
Curriculum Elastic.
The great work of the North Dakota
Agricultural college, of course, lies in
the application of, science n the me
chaniC arts to practical agriculture.
Blu in this it's curriculum is compre-
hensive and thoroughly modern. The
man who studies agriculture here goes
out equipped for work as a farm man
ager, as an agricultural instructor IN
high schools, or as a district or county
agricultural agent. Especially is he
fitted to become an agricultural IN
structor if he takes the educational
course specializing in agriculture.
Through the department Of educa-
ton Of the college. North Dakota is
training its own young men and Wo-
men to carry on the agricultural edu-
cation of it's own people. The recog-
1 lllOl VI Il1IS L4NNS AAN - NtA~
be up with the demands OF The present
country life movement.
A High School Course.
There are large numbers OF young
men and of young women, however,
who are not prepared to take such ad-
yanced work as the college courses
call for, and who seek short cuts to
scientific farming. These wish merely
a technical training. For such there
+ - ,Y,r1 a,, ~, on, frni1iT10
high school, as one Of the branches OF
the main institution. This may be en-
tered by any boy or girl who has cred
itably completed eighth grade work in
the common schools, whereas TO enter
the college completion Of accredited
high S hool work must be shown,
Moreover, the work is SO arranged
that the course may be completed in
three years instead of four, If the stu
dent is willing to buckle down ia
work. This school, also, has a course
especially adapted to those who wish
to teach.
Special Courses.
Even such work as this, though. is
beyond the reach of many, Conse-
quently the agricultural college pro-
Vides a series of special and short
courses, including, for example, farm
lhusbandry, hOme-making and power
mechanics. Each Of these requires
three years OF twenty-five weeks each
from the middle of October until tht
middle Of March. thus leaving free the
sowing and cropping seasons. There
are, also, short courses Of ten weeks.
The agricultural college thus open!
it's doors wide to all North Dakotan!
who care to enter. They may come
and axe what they are prepared tC
give the time and money to obtain. TIL,
only requirement is that they shall dt
the work they come to do. The SOL
der is not wanted and quickly get
his ticket-of-leaVe.
Six Experiment Stations.
But an institution Of this sort is onl!
half complete without experimental
facilities, and these for an ~agricultur
al college are experiment stations ant
substations, where may be worked GU
the particular problems of the peopl
to be serVed-nOt of the school alone
but of the whole state. The North Da
lkota college is located on the states
lmain experiment farm. In addition t
this farm there are five substations-
at Edgeley, Dickinson, Willistor
Langdon, and Hettinger. OF the wor
of these experiment stations, and O
twenty-four demonstration farms
where are put to practical test the re
suits obtained at h experiment sta
tons. or elsewhere. Thomas Cooper !
director.
North Dakota Problems.
The kind of work done at the mai
stations and substations may be gath
cred from a summary in the 1913 re
port of the department.
First, however, attention hould b
called to n Of the big problems be
ing worked out.
A few years ago it was declared thu
, sugar beets could be grown in Mort
Dakota's southern tier of countie
only. Today Prof. E. F. Ladd, chem
list of the college and station. report
, that it is possible to grow sugar beef
of IL per cent or more sugar conteI
in the greater part of the state, tha
l the northern tier can grow them &
successfully as the southern, and thu
a conditions are quite favorable alOr
the Missouri river. This problem
being worked out as the basis of
possible new avenue Of profit for tt
North Dakota farmer.
L Question of Grains.
p Even more important is the problel
= of grains. The station and substatio1
! are breeding wheat, oats, barley ar
|. fax for productive capacity. They a.
t doing ear-to-roW corn breeding f.
, production and earliness. They are 2;
. work On winter wheats and ryes, seef
> ing cold resistance, yield and qualit
! iIDey are SGehiuS " duU d LLOSL~pLc
p alfalfa that will withstand low ten
peratures and at the same time 81,
: large returns to the states crop sys
= Item.
To further the stocking Of Mort
o dakota farms, the same agencies a.
l trying to solve problems having to
e with the cost Of milk production ar
r with economic T%ations. with differel
r pasture crops for hogs, with the carr!
"a ing capacity Of pasture crops for ca
e tie and sheep.
J, North Dakota's experiment station
: at work on such problems n scor
a of others, are wonderful sources of e.
u act information for the college and /
affliated schools and courses. Thu
J. serve, of course, as practical labor'
\ tories for the students as well.
\ Extending the Campus. &
But, again, you have not made su
an institution as highly effective
% may be, If you give it simply a DO
/, of students to instruct and an expel
ment station system from which,
r part, to draw reliable, first-hand /
:, formation. The number to be reach
II byssuch a method is too small. The
p may be some way to get the inform
70 ton. of which an agricultural collie
>r becomes the s~torehouse. out TO all pc
~ pie in a position to make use Of 1t.
Rural Service Department..
For this purpose the North Dakc
10 Agricultural college has a rural servi
III department. Other states have som
le thing Of the kind. but not quite
" same thing. -s.- ~
= IL Il 1,Hr 4yr art onrNcfgfC Of n