The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1919-03-27
FINE ADDRESSES
TO AGG|E CLASS
THE SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE
HELD ANNUAL COMMENCE
MENT LAST WEEK
DEAN THATCHER Of MINNESOTA, SPEAKS
Class Depleted BY War Calls For
Members Makes Good Showing At
Graduation Exercises

,"'' iSuoy III Nv SoliCSt duuI
forum occurred the ninth annual com
mencement Of the State College School
of Agriculture. The exercises took
place in the morning and the address
was delivered by Dean r. w. Thatch.
er OF the University Of Minnesota col
lese OF Agriculture, and showed the
thought of a master mind in the hand
ling of a subject so fraught with in
terest to the men and women of the
northwest. T. w. Dwight, president
OF the board of regents, addressed the
graduating class briefly after which
l. D.. Aldrich, secretary of the board,
presented the certificates to the grad.
yates. Willis E. Johnson, who has
been elected president of State Col
lege to take effect with the coming
college year, also gave a short talk on
agricultural education and farming as
a business. The call of war had TAX
en- quite a large number of the senior
class to the army and camps, and as
a consequence the graduating class
present this year was abnormally
small. The nine who received their
s~heep-skins are as follows: Merton
Aldrich, Big Stone city; Agnes Car
Isle, Lake Benton, Mimi; Charlotte
Larson, Bradley; Paul Baker, Hough-
ton; Mark Keith, Brookings; Lorenda
Moorehouse, WATERFOWL; Elva Nichols,
Westbrook. Mimi; Albert Piper, Car
penter. and Harry Walker, Trip. The
other exercises of the commencement
were the band once and physical
culture drills on Monday and the
school of agriculture class play on
Wednesday evening.
mo one thing is so interesting and
capable of giving real education as
to teach what the soil is" said Dean
r. w. Thatcher Of the University of
Minnesota. Educators are apt to
feel that vocational training is sep
arate from other education-just a lit
tie below medicine, law and similar
courses. Out of the dust of the earth
created He him." Dean Thatcher ex-
planned how everything that we wear
and eat comes out of the soils made
of soil, sunshine and air. Even the
houses we live in come out of the soil.
He mentioned the great change of pub
lie opinion toward the farm and the
farmer.
Dean Thatcher divided the problems
agricultural development into three
parts: Problems OF primary produc-
ton of the soil, problems of manufac-
ture and problems CT distribution -
marketing. Schools and colleges have
studying and teaching problems
of production, but we have not de-
veloped the primary result. In con-
nection with manufacturing, it is to be
regretted that the farmer has fallen
the habit of giving the profit to
someone else, because he does not
manufacture his products into their
form at home. This was done
a greater extent in the olden days.
Dean Thatcher declared that some
must be worked OF so the
A"i ''Sh Sooiu llh IFS lohuNA az
home. People should understand
about distributing products,
values and the like, and con-
seQuently make the profit. Do not
blame proiteers in this connection, it
is the fault of the farmer.
In conclusion, Dean Thatcher stated
that one should be educated in har-
mony with his surroundings. He said
the School of Agriculture has
failed If the young men and young
women, who have attended, do not de-
sire to go back to the farm and con-
farming and home making the
most interesting and important work
to be done.
Regent T. w. Dwight said in his
presentation speech that IS out of
every 100 do not make a success in
life, though the largest percentage of
successes are among the farmers.
Only m out Of so has q thousand dol.
lar income. Last year, n per cent
Of the adult population paid an in
come tax.
Mr.. Dwight warned, or rather urged,
members of the class to be indus
trious, to be aggressive-be a self
make their own decisions and
them rapidly-he who hesitates,
steps back and never gets any place.
He cautioned them always to keep
their obligations-establish credit, and
not to be afraid to run in debt for the
good of their business-might as well
pay interest as rent. High interest
payers in South Dakota are the most
successful men. He asked them to
cultivate the art of good craftsmanship,
that the good salesman was
the highest priced man in the COM
In conclusion. Mr.. Dwight
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