Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-01-18

Accuse not Nature. she hath done her
part;
Do thou but thine
Agriculture constitutes the paramount
and fundamental industry of the world.
Strange as Il may seem, this ancient
prOverb has been more perfectly eXem-
plified in the twentieth century than
ever before. The struggle for world
supremacy now in progress seems likely
to be decided in favor of the nations
which can command the largest and most
varied food supply. Therefore, nature,
as in all cases, is certain to become the
determining factor in the situation, and
the laurels of victory destined to rest
with those who through the develop
ment OF the human intellect along scien-
tihce lines are able TO transfer latent
resources into heat and energy-produc-
ing units for the proper nOurishment Of
mankind. Small wonder that the terms
scientific agriculture" and agricultural
expert have become words to conjure
with. and it is needless to point out that
any plan of national defense calculated
to advance peaceful Industries or pre-
pare for aggression against neighboring
states must take into account how best
TO mobilize soil, climatic and crop re-
sources, and maintain an efficient corps
OF agricultural workers. Under the cir
cumstances. il is not surprising that
the attention Of educators. publicists and
economists has been more generally TO-
cused on what is being done to prepare
leaders through the training. research
and extension divisions of our agricult-
uTal colleges than I'm any previous epoch.
Thise IS a particularly gratifying situa-
lion 10 those who have waited so long
and patiently to see this type of educa-
tIon accorded the recognition il deserves,
and accounts for the selection Of "a De-
cade in Agricultural Education as the
title OF my paper. that / might without
prejudice or egotism be able to record
something Of the transformation
wrought in the economic and agricultural
conditions in Georgia through the estab-
lishment OF an applied system OF educa-
ton
LAYING THE CORNER STONE.
In 1906. the state of Georgia decided
10 establish a modern agricultural col
lege. Existing conditions rendered a
change in agricultural methods neces-
sary. and public sentiment had so ripen-
ed and matured that the legislature ac-
guessed in the demand of the farmers
for assistance to their vocation. Funds
were appropriated for a central building
and farm of several hundred acres of
WORKOUT plantation land assigned to the
college as n domicile. Construction and
reconstruction were Immediately COM
menced, and our experiment in agricult-
ural education was under way.
Realizing that any definite advance is
predicated upon moving human entities
through the slow process of intellectual
development, the trustees organized the
institution with three distinct ends in
view:
ror1A.rfa,.s ;,,st-,,o.;o,, Cor 49, 49,
pose Of developing leadership in all its
essential qualities.
2. Research. that new data on which
to base progress might be obtained.
3. Extension teaching, in order that
the knowledge acquired through the
work Of institutions at home and abroad
might be assimilated by the workers
within the state and distributed i'm sim
pie and concrete form to those who
live out in the open country and have
thus been most difficult. TO reach and
lift out OF the rut of habit and induce
to follow constructive methods of prac-
t!ce based on scientific data.
In the beginning there was a divided
and wavering public sentiment to con-
tend with which at one moment favored
book learning and in the next openly
opposed IT. Some thought agricultural
education would revolutionize condi-
AAOnc III III AAlG w OA
an eye" others regarded the undertake
ing as hopeless and foredoomed to fail
ure. The college began its career in
this unsettled atmosphere with the
most meager equipment at it's command
and an unfruitful farm to operate. A
corps of instructors had to be literally
discovered and employed: a body Of
knowledge. even II pitifully small and
circdmscribed, accumulated; and the
organization OF extension work under
taken along purely empirical lines.
CREATING A FAVORABLE PUBLIC
SENTIMENT
These facts are not cited for the pur-
pose of lauding anything which may
have been accomplished for which
merit may be Justly claimed, but to
illustrate the latent power of an ideal
zealously followed out by a devoted
board of trustees and faculty. and
which has ultimately won for the in
stitution a recognition within the con-
fines OF Georgia of which IL has reason
to be proud. and brought to its sup
port the leaders Of thought and indus
try in every walk of life. To mold