Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-11-05
THE PROGRESSIVE FARMER AND THE MODERN HOUSEWIFE
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION
az DR.. ANDREW NJ SOULE

ments Of types Of institutions in
which instruction of a technical
character must of necessity predorni-
nate.
AS I see the situation, the work Of
an agricultural and mechanical col.
lege should be standardized with the
idea of offering degrees equivalent
in scholarship and value to those
provided through the agency OF any
representative state university. The
normal school should be organized
on the basis of a junior college. The
pursuit of any other policy will sure
ly be detrimental to the welfare and
permanent progress Of institutions
of the class under discussion. When
this is done the entrance require.
ments to agricultural and mechani-
cal colleges and normal schools would
naturally become practically the
same as for a standard state univer.
sity. Whenever we lower the en-
trance requirements Of the normal
school it comes into competition
more or less with the secondary
schools. Surely this is not a desirable
policy. Let us strengthen the work
Of the normal school and give it
that niche in our scheme of educa-
ton 1t was originally intended to fill.
If we fail to maintain the entrance
requirements to the agricultural and
mechanical colleges on a high plane,
the graduates are bound to be inef-
fectively trained and incapable Of
offering the best kind of leadership
90 1,a o,.o tn
tended to serve. Simple justice,
therefore, requires that we have one
standard of admission to all insti-
tutions attempting to do collegiate
work of worthwhile character.
For technical schools such as the
agricultural and mechanical colleges
represent, I would advocate a higher
standard of entrance than that re-
quired by even the leading state uni
versities at the present time. To
some this may appear to be an un-
orthodox statement, but think upon
mature reflection they will agree
with my point Of view.
In all institutions such as I now
happen to represent I would prefer
to see twenty units required for en-
trance instead of fifteen as at pres
ent. The added year of work might
very we'll consist of six hours of a
modern language, six hours of Eng
liSh and three hours of mathemat-
les. Students in technical institu-
tons should be able to read and
write at least one foreign language
with precision. They must possess
general acquaintanceship with the
English language and its literature.
They should have at least one year
Of trigonometry and graphical alge-
bra for the mental training and
alertness of mind 1t affords. A thor
ough grounding in history and at
least one year of general economics
is also essential because the work of
the technical student is related to
all the varied problems of our cos.
mos. Fortified in this manner, q
young man is prepared to enter a
good technical school and give four
years of his life to the requirement
of knowledge in which scientific
courses and the application of the
principles involved in the problems
of life and human progress are
strongly emphasized. A technical
school which does less than this
must surely be failing of its pur-
pose. 80
The Georgia State College Of Agri-
culture is an integral part of the
University of Georgia and the en-.
trance requirements are the same
for all courses offered in the uni
versity. We permit and encourage
our students to specialize along GER
tain lines. This Is necessary because
the field of technical work is now so
broad and comprehensive that re-
search, industry, international trade
and the general needs of society can
only be adequately served by the
capable expert. In our college young
men or women desiring to specialize
in agricultural chemistry may take
three hours in their freshman year,
four to six hours in their sophomore
year and nine hours in their junior
and senior years, respectively, It is
possible for students, therefore, to
have received twenty-seven hours
Of instruction in agricultural chemis-
try upon graduation. There are those
no doubt who will consider an indf-
vidual of this character one-sided.
On the other hand, we are requiring
seventy-six hours of collegiate work
for the B. s. A. and the B. S. H. e.
degrees as compared with sixty-six
hours for the A. B. degree. We are
penalizing our students to the extent
indicated because we are insisting
upon their not only possessing a
technical but liberal education as
WELL
An institution Of our rank and
character cannot afford to require
that a student DlIt in less than oua
third of his time on the subject in
which he is majoring If he is to be a
leader and an ornament to society
when he graduates. The fact is, we
should require more work than we
do along scientific lines. At the same
time we must preserve a proper bal.
ance and relationship between the
various studies, the completion of
which we regard as essential to the
attainment of a liberal education.
How can we do this satisfactorily
pnless we maintain the same stand
ards of entrance as prevail in our