Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-03-28
WHAT ABOUT THE COLLEGE OF
HAWAII? ,1'~

In reSigning from the faculty of the College
of Hawaii at the request of the college officials
Professor Jared q. Smith expressly invites
public discussion of the kindBof agriculture
training which the college should give it
pupils.
He himself takes the attitude that the col
lege work should be directed "mainly to
ward fitting students to enter plantation work.
The animal husbandry courses at the college
he does not regard as important, or their re
suits as justification of the emphasis given then
in the curriculum.
He says that cit has seemed to me that in
struetion should follow the lines indicated by
the principal industries of Hawaii, that the
first aim should be to satisfy the educational
requirements of the young men who expect tc
grow more sugar per acre at less cost, more and
better pineapples, coffee, rice and other crops.
and that 1.-THE day may come when students de-
mand instruction in dairying, poultry raising
pig-feeding and other similar lines. 1t will be
q good day for Hawaii when that. demand
arises, but it has not arisen and may not fol
another generation. - ...z 49,. ....
For the failure of the courses to attract more
students, several causes are doubtless contrib
utory, none of which is proof that the courses
should not be given One of these causes, il
seems obvious is explained in Prof. Smith s
own frank statement that Il have neither the
aptitude nor the enthusiasm necessary to be,
come highly successful instructor.
ought not to have attempted to become a
teacher, and his further statement, as publish,
ed this morning, that - am not an animal hus
bandry enthusiast and do not profess up-to-the-
minute knowledge of dairy problems, feed.
ing etc.
The college is still young; it is pioneering the
waM and it is facing problems which agricul-
tural institutions on the mainland do not have
to face. Chief of these, from the standpoint
of setting students in the animal husbandry
courses, is the fact that Hawaii's industrial at
Tension is centered almost exclusively upon raw
sugar production. But this very fact is what
nlales it vitality necessary for some agency to
pioneer the way toward diversified farming.
Forssthat which is HaWaii's arm of strength
now the highly developed production of a
world staple bringing high prices-might con-
ceivably some day be Hawaii's weakness. Any
blow to sugar now hits the whole territory
hard
The pros and cons Of diversified farming
cussion has resulted in the conclusion that Ha-
waii should have more of such farming. There
should be more opportunities in agriculture for
the small land-holder The fact is self-evident
and is beyond the stage of debate.
Governor Pinkham's timely figures a few
months ago showed the startlingly small
amount of public land available for entry and
the smaller amount suitable for cane growing.
That focused attention on the necessity for
pioneer education in making the most Of. what
Hawaii has. 49, -
President Dean of the College Of Hawaii and
President Waterhouse of the board of agricul-
tnre and forestry in detailed statement upon
the present status of diversified farming showed
that outside of cane and pineapples no crop
has proved itself likely staple for Hawaii.
That also focused attention upon the neees-
sity Tor making the most of what Hawaii has.
That dairying and pig breeding are not con-
siderable industries now is one of the best pos
siblereasons for the College of Hawaii to under
take the problem of pioneer education along
these lines. The demand for milk and butter
continues to grow; the demand for pork and
bacon continues to grow. And there are other
reasons aside from the normal situation Al
Ia.