The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-07-16
War Has Found University's
Response { Quick and Hearty
State Institutions Give 28S
Persons to Service Of
Country.

-
nearly 900 students out into real serv-
ice in this. the preliminary. phase Of
the nations participation in the world
war Nearly 200 of these are engaged
in the effort to bring Montana's a..ri-
cultural yield up to the point WHORE II
will constitute an important cont r. m
ton to the storehonse OF this nation.
which Is to feed the world next year.
The rest are actively engaged in the
military service of the nation, army,
navy. aviation engineering. marines.
and practically every branch of the
military arm of the government.
Four Of Faculty Enlist.
This quota of men came from the
School of Mines, the state College of
state University. Four members of
the university faculty. too. have en-
listed for service in these fields. The
immediate response of these 800 men.
and the efficiency with which they
grasped the work of their individual
departments bring to the people of
Montana a realization of the extent
and the character of the work which
is being done at the universities sew
eral institutions.
One Woman on Farm.
With the declaration of state of
war between Germany and the United
States. the chancellor of the Univer-
sity of Montana called Immediately a
conference of the heads Of the four in
te,$st -: I'll,
sity. It was recognized at once that
the University OF Montana shared with
| other educational institutions of the
country. the responsibility of furnish
ing trained men for each line Of mill
| tary activity outlined by the president
| of the United States in his call for CO.
ration. 1t was decided to release
all students who could be of service in
increasing the agricultural output of
the state in order that they might par
ticipate in the program for intensive
| production. The State College of
Agriculture and Mechanic Arts sent
| 100 of its students to the field and
these have been actively engaged in
| farming in Montana this year. The
State University sent 81 of it's stu
dents to the farms. One of the uni
versity students thus released Is q
woman. who is personally directing the
| operation of an extensive farm in
Reaverhead county.
Farm College Serves Well.
| Naturally the call for intensive pro-
dnction furnished the State Agricul J.
tnral college with a fine opportunity
| and the manner in which the institu-
ton took advantage Of the opportu-
nifty has been gratifying to it's friends
i The extension department of the col
lese was organized to cover the entire
/ state: already there were II county
aericnlturists at work; to this mum :
Der, % were added at once, placing 3S
trained men in direction of the farm
ing operations in as many Montana
counties. President Hamilton of the
college, Director I.infied of the ex-
pertinent station, and Director Cooley
| of the extension service were made the
general executive committee for the
work in the state. NJ. L. Wilson,
state director of the county agricul-
tural work, was given the responsible
| ity Of control OF the men placed in
local charge of the county work. The
state was divided into five districts,
with one of the colleges experts as SUI :
| perintendent of each district This
resulted in an effective organization,
which has made 1t possible for Mon
tana to maintain her reputation for
| prompt and efficient endeavor when
she is called upon to perform work of
patriotic nature. The new men
placed in the field as county agricul-
turists are nearly all members of the
| agricultural faculty of the college or
| students in advanced standing. The
college has given to the state the best
it had.
Organization counted.
Il never realized before that Mon
| tana had a real agricultural college,
was the comment of one of the states
prominent men. And he followed with
the question. How did you ever do
| it?' The answer was found in the
| thoroughness of the organization of
the college; it was prepared for the
| emergency. Promptly the agricul-
| tural regions of the state were COW
cred with posters and bulletins. giving
the outline of the situation. the de.
| mands which Were made upon Mon
! tana and the details OF the general
| plan for meeting these demands. The
| result was response that was graft
! tying. The acreage in Montana was
increased wonderfully and the selec-
ton of crops was made in accordance
with the suggestions made by the
executive committee. acting in confer.
ence with the state council of defense
The midsummer indications are thai
the yield of Montana's fields will con.
tribute in immense quantities to tho
storehouse of the nation.
Many to Fighting Branches.
While this agricultural work was If
progress, the people of the University
of Montana did not neglect the sternel
demands of the situation and the In.
situations of the university sent thei
quota to the fighting branch in tn,
military and forestry branches Of tn,
government. Some of the universit,