The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-05-20
OF DR.. MYEY'
KENTUCKIAN DISC USED
AGRICULTURE TODAY
Feature Program of Inaugural
ton DR.. Coffmann Presi-
dent University
ASSOCIATED Press pispatch.1

=
st. Paul, May 14.-Emphasizing the
importance of the agriculture in a
nations life, Frank LeRond McVey.
president Of the University of Ken
lucky and former president of the
University of North Dakota, urged
the restoration of the experiment
station at the University of Mime
sofa to its function of research work
at conference late yesterday at the
Little Theater, Minnesota Union
held in conjunction with the inaug-
of the university.
The University of Minnesota was a
pioneer in agricultural instruction
and research, Mr.. McVey said, but
OF recent years other institutions
have come abreast of Minnesota and
the agricultural college does not stand
out as 1t did in the earlier days.
1.-THE establishment of the expert
ment stations in 1881 had an immedi-
ate influence in widening the vision
and adding new. content to the
istry," Mr.. McVey said. ''The influ-
ence of the stations upon the teach
ing in the central west was passing
from small grain agriculture to di-
versified crops and animal husband
ny. Nevertheless, it required time
to enlarge courses of study and
bring the standards of teaching up
to a college basis, let alone "a uni
versity conception. In consequence
It has been a matter of barely twenty
years that the university idea of re-
search has found its way into agrt-
cultural instruction. Meantime. ag-
al lf,x..a ind ofp1y 10 q
forged ahead bringing problems to
the state universities faster than they
were able to solve them. So rapidly
has this movement gone on that 1t
threatens to out-run the financial
and administrative capacity of the
state universities and agricultural
colleges to deal with it,
University Obligations Great.
1.-THE obligations Of the university
to the great industry Of agriculture
are enormous necessitating the ap-
plication of vision, courage and
knowledge to these problems, Prof.
cessary to insist that agriculture is
the foundation upon which rests
the welfare of a great industrial PEG
pie. That statement Is accepted
though it might be well to emblazon
on college walls the words Of Dan
lei Webster to that effect.
"The cultivation of the earth is
the most important labor of man.
Unstable is the future of a country
which has lost its taste for agricul-
ture. If there is one lesson Of history
that is unmistakeable, 1t is that ma
tional strength lies very near the
"Such statements do not solve the
problem of the universities relation
to agriculture, they only tend to
bring it out in greater contrast. The
time, has come, however, for the ad-
ministrative bodies of the state uni
versites to grasp the full meaning of
Daniel Websters comment.
81 will not go SO far as to say
there is crisis in agricultural in
struction today" the president de-
clared, "but l would insist that We
are very close to a period of depres-
sion if not actually in 1t. By that l
ing pace with the needs Of the in
dustry~ in the representation of sci
entific data and the teaching of prin-
ciples. An inquiry among those best
informed on the status of agricul-
tural extension will disclose the pref
ty general impression that agricul-
tural extension has showed down all
over the country.
Much valuable scientific work has
been done by the stations and is be-
ing carried on by them today, never
back In agricultural research among
the agricultural experiment stations.
This disturbing condition is due to
insufficient support. Up to 1914 the
state increased the funds so appro
priated to meet the federal appro-
priations, but since then they have
not increased the aggregate amount
despite the difference in purchasing
power of the dollar today as compar-
ed with 1914.
Future Development Agriculture.
I'm most of the research now car
ried on in the universities, the lab
oratory man has set himself definite
narrow problem that has touched
only the fringe of agriculture. This
procedure is undoubtedly necessary,
but the larger aspects Of agriculture
as a whole must be graspe d
by the university and the research
conducted as whole and not by the
peace meal plan. Without doubt the
future development of agriculture
depends upon the wholesouled con
Is not meant that the university shall
organize agriculture, or conduct the
business side Of agriculture, but It
must provide the scientific data for
its uses and at the time when 1t is
needed.
1.-THE University Of Minnesota was
pioneer in agricultural instruction and
research. Meantime other institutions
have come abreast of Minnesota and
the agricultural college does not
stand out as 1t did in the earlier
days. The whole country has been
so busy with extension of knowledge
that research has been neglected.
Accumulated knowledge was drawn
upon and the new sources were not
kept up. There rests upon the uni
versity the very clear duty to re-
store the EXperfssant Station to its
real function, to enlarge: its vision
Of the great service that can be rem
dered to agriculture, raise the in
struction to higher efficiency and re-
cognize that the training of men for
this field is one of the greatest func-
tions it can undertake."
Prominent persons in the educa-
tional fields from all over the coun-
try took part in today's exercises.
In addition to DR.. McVey, the fol-
lowing also spoke: James Earl Rus
sci, dean of teachers, college, CO.
1,,r Do J,.sx