Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1921-05-27
DOES A COLLEGE EDUCATION
WEAN YOUNG MEN AND
WOMEN AWAY FROM
THE FARM

Quite often the statement is made
that a college education weans younq
men and women away from the fam
A few days ago | heard of man
who had had two sons in college and
who made a complaint of this char
acter. When asked what courses hi
sons had taken, he replied, "Weu,
am not certain that | know, bu. /
think one of my sons took an cngiu-
eering course and the other Il gen
eral course There are many
courses in State Colleges that are
not designed for men or women who
intend to make farming their lite
profession, and those who take tn II
expect to go into other than agricul-
tural work. On the other hand
there are courses designed primarily
for those who love agriculture and
who wish to farm or to take up worR
either as teachers in experiment sta
lions or in some business or occupa
ton closely associated with or re-
lated to agriculture. Those WIT
take the former courses usually do
not expect to enter the agricultural
field and the college does not wean
them away from the farm-they are
weaned already. The latter, how
ever, usually do enter the field for
which they fit themselves and the
! college does not spoil them, but helps
them to make good in their chosen
profession.
That those who take an agricul-
tural course usually are ambitious
to return to the farm and in the ma
| iority of cases do so, is well illus
trated by the fact that the majority
of students who graduate in agri-
culture from the various colleges of
the country are now on the farm or
engaged in agricultural work or
some kind. This is well illustrated
too. in the ambitions of those who
are to graduate from agricultural
courses from our colleges this year,
OF the present senior class in agri-
culture at the State College of Wash
ington the large majority ultimately
plan to farm even if, on account OF
lack of capital or for some other
reason. they find it necessary to DO
other work for a period.
OF the so agricultural students in
the senior class it is the ambition
and intention of "A to farm as their
life work, one expects to take up
experiment station work permanent
". one to enter the produce exchange
business and one to teach. Only two
are at present undecided.
The eagerness with which all OF
these students are looking forward
TO work after leaving college is well
reflected in their answer to the ques-
tion as to what they plan to do the
first year after leaving. twenty-five
exneet to go back to the farm I'M
mediately and Il to teach over per-
iod ranging in length from one 10
five wears. One says he expects 10
work for some business house OF
manufacturing company, another' /
will work where | can get the best
nav" third. Il want to get Jop
to nav my debts fourth, Il Will
take I'D any kind of work pertaihlhs
IN agriculture to gain more eNpeli-
ence" and fifth, II will take up
experiment station work. Some
are looking to more advanced Worl
in college. either at the State College
Of Washington or at some other IN
stitution for the first year or two
while several are undecided.
Forty-five students, or 80 per cent
of the entire class, expect to own
farm some day in spite of the tac'
that only three own farm now ana
only 10 expect to inherit farm
I1owover the parents of 33 students
own farms.
That the desire to take an agricui-
tural course is due in large measure
IN a love for agriculture, resuit'ns
from being born and brought up on
farm or from farm experience
Gained by living on the farm for a
number of years or during summer
vacations is we'll illustrated by the
members of this class. Only one IN
tho group of so had had no farm eH-
perience. all the others either nave
been brought up on the farm nave
snent their summer vacations there
or have lived on the farm for a mum