The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1921-03-25

4 BIG FORWARD STEP PLANNED
II Line with Great Advance OF Other
soutern States to Put H'gner
Education on Better
Footing

Footing
Jacksonville. March. Shall Florida
% forward in big way for education?
This involves one of the Invest issues
az the coming session Of the leglsia-
ture.
Judged ysthe number of appeals In
the form Of resolutions from all parts
Of the state, and from all kinds OF or
ganizations, the desired legislation has
strong backing.
One Of the ardent supporters of the
movement puts it this way:
Florida has spoken. This state
wants to keep in line with other
Southern states in the great forward
movement for higher education now
taking place.
Take Mississippi with less taxable
wealth assessed than Florida, itslegislar
ture has voted s4,500,000 to its higher
institution of learning. Louisiana and
Tennessee have taken similar forward
strides and other Southern states are
in the midst OF campaigns to put the
South where other sections of the
country can not put it to shame, IN an
educational way"
President A. A. Murphree of the Uni
versity of Florida says that the great
est need Of Florida is trained leaders,
leaders who as teachers can give the
state better public schools; who as
experts can promote more prosper
GUS agriculture and finer rural life;
who, as engineers, can develop the
states natural resources; who, as cul-
tured and rcsourceful men and women
can be leaders in their chosen profess
sions, or business.
Dean and Director Wilmon Newell
Of the States Agricultural Education
al work says that before Florida can
go forward as it should. many agri.
cultural problems must be solved. They
are distinctly Florida problems, and
must be solved by the state.
Many things are on his program.
Among them, the introduction of per-
manent pasture grasses of which he
believes there is no doubt about sue
cess; the solution OF the soft pork prob
| lem in which the Florida Station has
done the most important work of any
station in the country; the crossing of
| Florida cattle with sires that will lay
| better foundation for the cattle in
| dustry: the training Of veterinarians
to protect their livestock industry of
the state from its heavy annual losses
| the investigation of the kinds of fer
| tilizers to use for different crops on
| various soil types; the upbuilding Of
the poultry industry of the state
| through better breeds and manage
ment: the continued watchful care
and protection Of the citrus and truck
! ing industry; the enlargement of the
usefulness OF the county agent and
| specialist.
Will it pay?
The alumni association OF the Uni
versity OF Florida has issued state
| ment showing some of the ways the
investments In that institution paid.
BY discovering means of controlling
the nematode that causes the harmful
| roOt-knot Of various crops, the Elk
pertinent Station has saved Florida
| $4,000 annually.
The velvet bean OF the South was
developed at the Florida Experiment
Station. Last year this crop in Flor.
ida was valued at $3,125,0O0.
The. Experiment Station discovered
the citrus canker before it had gain.
ed much Roadway, and its suppression
by the State Plant Board and Bureau
OF Plant Industry, which followed
saved a possible destruction of the
citrus industry OF the state.
The discovery and application Of con-
troll measures whereby the whitefly is
held in check, saves the state annual.
", at least $3,300,00O.
| The cause of soft pork and how to
overcome it, now being successfully
| investigated, offers promise of saw
ing the state s5.000,O00 year.
The value of the county agents to
the state in teaching growers better
management of orchards, including
how to spray and control diseases and
insects. is worth millions each year
| to the state.
| Cooperative marketing which the
county agents assist in operating.
meant saving of s1,203, 900 last year
In boys club work there was j
clear profit on their crops, pigs, etc.
OF $57,567 in 1920 and in addition Sc.
/ 740 in prizes were won.
The higher educational institutions
represent great plant ready for SER
vice to the state. 1t il not able t.
meet the demands for the service it can
render because it lacks the necessary
equipment. The money for the eauip
ment and service will not be missed
~ the State because it will create
vastly more wealth than 1t will cost