Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-11-21

Washington. d. G., Nov. 19.-Scien-
t1sts at the department of agriculture
nave started back to school for the
winter. Tn certain afternoons when
the ~ gong rings, 200 workers in
TINS department drop test tubes and
calculations and turn their thoughts
TO higher education. Classes taught
by highly specialized experts in agri-
cultural science are being held and the
sclentist-students gather in appointed
laboratories to add new wisdom to
their store:
10 understand how this may be-
now some of the most competent of
she country's specialists, out of col
iege perhaps 20 or 80 years, are in
terested in going to school-you must
see the government scientist as he
really Is. Too often he has been pic
tured as q learned, round shouldered.
distracted sort of mechanism. that oc-
easionally climbs down from a labora-
tory stool TO describe his work in a
government bulletin.
A government scientist may have
correspondent more or less to this de-
scrlption a few decades back, Nova
days the agricultural scientist books
more like a business a n college
professor, a real estate agent, or q
statesman. He is distinctly human.
ana he may have a sense of humor.
lie IS just as apt to remember to
nave has hair cut as any other type
of citizen.
Q cannot imagine a classroom
lllled with ,ponderous sages with gro
tesque, absent-minded mannerisms.
But you can picture q group of
keen.mlnded men and women. coming
together to learn about the latest theo-
rles IN some. branch of their science
as explained by an authority.
This little school of agricultural
science Illustrates an interesting ten
dency IN governmental policy. Once.
a college degree and the ability to pass
the technical civil service examination
were regarded as conclusive evidence
Of a scientists fitness to hold his
government job for life. In some of
the departments a scientist was dis
couraged from asking for leave Of alb
sence III order to go to a university
and Increase his knowledge Of bis
subject. lie was made to feel that
he was paid to do a particular kind
Of work and if he did not know every
thing that he needed to know in his
position. then he was admitting incom-
petcnce and the government had better
have q man in his place who knew all
about the science in question. In other
words, self-satisfaction was urged upon
government scientists.
Education Never Completed
Now. in the department Of agricnl-
turc they are being encouraged to
leave their work occasionally and get
time off to improve themselves. The
theory that education is never com
pleted is being put into practice.
This school was started only last
year. but it has already come to the
notice of scientists in different parts
of the country. DR.. Il. ID. Ball, as
sistant secretary of the department.
says that because Of these classes and
also because of the higher salary scale
now obtaining, the department now has
less trouble in getting the kind Of men
that it needs.
I'VE use 1000 scientists, the larg-
est scientific force Of any department
Of the federal government, outside Of
the war department. says DR.. Ball.
but of late years We have had diff
Guilty in getting young men from the
universities to take the civil service
examinations Now, / am getting let
ers from college students asking how
they should shape their courses in or
der to enter the department. and have
the advantage Of our post graduate
! classes.
we should have the biggest scien-
tific men in America 10 do the govern