The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-08
REGIONAL DIRECTORS
IN FARMING CLASSES
To Teach Men In Uniform How Il
Help Stimulate Agri-
culture
EXPECTS TO BE RECRUITED
Khaki College to &c Institution Where
Students May MatiTculate in Regu-
lar Glasses

New York, Dec. 7.-nr. Kenyon l.,
Butterfield. president of Massachu
setts Agricultural college and mem
hnr Of the army educational commits
sion in charge of vocational training.
has just arrived in France to join his I
associates. Or. John Erskine of Co .
lumhia University, and Frank T., /
Spaulding. superintendent of schools /
Of Cleveland. Ohio. He announced at /
the headquarters of the y. NJ. G. A. !
war council that he would he followed +
by seven or eight presidents and +
deans OF American agricultural COLI /
ieEcs, who viii act as regional dtrec~ +
tors overseas. Under them will serve /
the faculty of experts who are being /.
recruited in the United States To SUI |
pervhse the teaching force that will /
he obtained from the lighting forces !
Americans I'm Paris
Or. Butterfieif stated that he OK }
peCted 10 find in Paris a list of for /
mer teachers, alumni and students OF i
agricultural colleges who are now in /
the army and who viii I've available |
for real teaching in the worlds
greatest university He carried with |
him a list of nearly two hundred |
names, furnished to him by large
western university. names of men
who doubtless will be transferred from
~Ait*ii$ hlt4Ac W ilit tudCailbUdI SYS~ I
tern set up by the government though
the agency of the Y. NJ G. a Het
has canvassed all the universities and
colleges in his compilation of a pro,
spective faculty to provide education
nj opportunities for the fighting men
overseas.
The scope OF the system as outlin-
ed by the commission" said DR.. But
tcrtield will be recognized when
tn
aioce we shall recruit experts in soils
and fertilizer, cotton and other south
ern crops. grain and northern crops,
| live stock. dairying. horticulture ag-
ricultural engineering, farm manage
ment, agricultural economies and
country life
So far RS possible Khaki College
will be an institution In which the
student may matriculate in regular
classes and courses of study Lectures
and demonstrations will be conducted
by the visitation method. that is by
utilizing all the opportunities over
seas for giving the men an insight
into the best French farming meth
obs horse breeding. intensive gar
! dening and the like. 1t will be pos
|Sibie for tho student TO begin practi-
/ caliy where he left off IN America be-
fore he responded 10 the call to the
I rVtH's' ~ Sa'FoiI pushing IIiS result
! it is expected that tho doors Of the
great French universities will be
! thrown open to the advanced classes
To Teach Beginners
! Along this line I may say that we
expect TO he confronted with the pro
i blems of many mon who have never
! done any agricultural work but who
| feel that when they are denohiIized
they would Ike to make their living
from the soil The commission TO fur
nish advice and counsel TO such men
| regarding the possibilities of the flu
ture for them IA asr4cuftdrg4f .pur.
Fshfts. expect that this counsel and
guidance will be one Of the most i'm
! portant functions of our entire sys.
tenn. We intend to cooperate in any
constructive plan that may be offer
| ed for settling large mum bers OF the
lighting men upon the land when they
return to America"
! DIR. Butterheld estimated the mum.
Der OF men from farming commune
/ ties as AZ least twenty five per cent
| OF the total Of men in uniform over
seas. and stated that he believes that
at least twenty-five per cent more are
interested In the possibilities of TAX
ing UP agriculture when they are mus
tered out of the service
/ The immediate needs in the edu-
catIonal work overseas today are or
ganizers and supervisors and text
books, Up to the signing of the ar
mistice the demands. for both were
much greater than the supply. but
! DR.. Butterfield said that he thought
| both problems would be solved in such
| "A way that no man in uniform who
wants TO study overseas would be dis
appointed. The list Of regional direc-
| tors and agricultural specialists in the
various branches is nearing compile
| ton and VIII soon be announced by
the y M. G. A. war council.
| DIR. Butterheld was a member of
, the commission on country life ap-
pointed by President Roosevelt and of
the commission to study European
rural credits appointed by President
| Wilson AS a member of the army ed
vocational commission he goes to Tu-