Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1916-12-28
OUR AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.

he Saturday News commends to the thoughtful consideration of it's
several thousand readers, and especially to the fifteen hundred farmer sub
Colonel Lee Slower elsewhere reproduced, concerning tn enlargement O. m
sphere of usefulness Oft the State College.
The Saturday News does not profess to be n expert along the lines in
aicated. but the suggestion that the agricultural college stops short of its
possibilities is worthy of more than passing notice.
South Dakota is distinctvely a n agricultural state. Within certain
well defined restrictions, the agricultural college, az stated ~ III colonel, IS
our most important educational institution.
In point of pachcabiity and necessity a finished" education n agricui
tre is worth nor to the state than a finishing in many of the learned pro-
A former rector of Trinity Episcopal church in WATERFOWL, Rev. Mr.
walton. who had served his smother country with credit before coming to
frequently called attention in his sermons to the American lack of apprecia-
ton of the dignity OF labor. -
schools, as distinguished from tn agricultural college, refer now then
to the institution 1t Bookings IS the cow college" in a little goodnatured
raiHery.
They seem to forget that their own livelihood in the years to come,
should they become 1t all proficient N their chosen profession, depends upon
the dignity of the labor which they ridcule!
The boy who graduates from the cow college and becomes al honor
to his alma mater is infinitely better equipped for the great battles Of life
than is he who becomes but mediocre in any of the socaned professions
becomes a more useful member of society than he who attains % a measure
soon be a extinct species of the human rae were it not for the brains and
the labor of the agriculturMt.
If we could have but the one, it would be better to eliminate IL state
university than to stnt u agricultural colege-but,. fortunately, the people
of the state have both the means and the disposition to maintain both.
But let it be understood that the great and growing state of South Da-
kota does not intend to make it's agricultural college play second fiddle to any
educaiona institution.
The state has several experimental farms, n of which is located at
Cottonwood and another ear Highmore. Much valuable information is thus
cleaned in the way of crops adaptable to the varying climatic conditions of
South Dakota.
But there is n o provision fol the commerchlzaton of any of the grains
and grasses resulting from these expeiments-no place wherein may be
grown q SUFFICIENT quantity of an given product IL make the experiment
financially remuneratve or the college.
II wouhu seem to The Saturday News that an undertaking of the sort
mentioned by Colonel Slower would infringe upon no mans personal rights
and at the same time it would recompense the institution, in part, for the
time and means devoted to experimental work.
While the colonel has been riding what some OF his friends term this
hobby for ome years, this is the first time, 5 Q far Is we are aware, that the
IDEAS aye been sown broadcast to the four winds of South Dakota.
We submit TO the people of the state whether the suggested plan be
worth more than a passing thought.