The Wilmington morning star., 1945-08-27
COLLEGE GIVES
NJ. E. S. DEGREE
By PHYLLIS j. YATES

BY PHYLLIS j. YATES
To Harold L. Manning, British
subject, went the distinction in
May of this year of receiving the
first MES. degree-Master of Elk
perimental-S t S t il s. ever
awarded in the United States.
North Carolina State College
awarded the degree in Raleigh tc
Manning, who, although a citizen
of Great Britain, is Brooklyn
born.
Behind both Manning and the
degree lie two stories which
should be of interest to North Car
olina's citizenry. First, because
their state institution of learning
is one of the two schools in the
country equipped to grant such
degree. And because Manning.
who has spent all of his adult life
in the British West Indies should
hear of this training offered at
State College and come here for
his studying.
The story begins several years
ago, before 1912 when State Col
lege set up it's Department OF Elk
perimental- Stat sites. A publlca-
ton written by Prot. Gertrude M.
Cox, now head of the department
and Director of the Institute OF
Statistics, sent out from Iowa
State College, where she was then
located, cam into Manning
hands down in the West Indies.
He was employed as cotton
plant breeder with the Empire
Cotton Growing Corporation,
government sponsored scientific
group. and the explanation OF her
experimental designs appealed to
him.
At that time he limited himself
to a correspondence with the stat
istician and a study of her writ
ten matter. Later, however, ne
was able to secure permission
from his employers to visit the
United States and study under
Miss Cox.
In August OF 1914, Manning, his
wife and daughter, arrived al
State College where Miss Cox was
now located, and he began his
studies.
Concentrating his attention on
the use of statistics in conducting
his experiments for the develop
ment of better cotton, he chose as
his thesis project, Precision Of
Yield Comparisons from Expert
mental Plot Trials in Sea lslano
Cotton Breeding"
Since May, when he received MS
degree, Manning has been at WORK
on recent project, ESTIMATION
of Selection of Advance IN oed
Island Cotton
In early September he plans to
leave for England where he VIII
await further assignment to Ugan-
da in British Central Africa.
Manning's history is itself an in
teresting story. He was born IN
Brooklyn, where his parents, both
British subjects, were then living.
While he was still quite young he
was sent to the British West Indies
where it was hoped the pleasant
climate would benefit his health
There he became interested If
tropical agriculture a n d later
studied at the Imperial College Of
Tropical Agriculture in Trinidad.
After his graduation he was SEN
to the Leeward Islands as an TX
tension officer and later to Br1tlssf
. Honduras. Upon his employment
by the Empire Cotton Gro"lhl
Corporation seven years ago. ~
) was sent to the W;ndward isianG q
and it was from the lslana ~ =. -,
. Vincent, one Of this group en"' i''
, came to North Carolina. 49, =,
The organization for when NJ
worTs Manning describes as SIM
liar to the Agricultural s es.
ment Stations in the Unlteo ota.es
|, axcent that only one crop cottoi
Y - STATED Research Laboratories
t 80, - been set up by the organiza
. NV IN all British controlled ter
+ ritory in which cotton can b'
grown. ,,hor.+or;es s,.,
! port only one research worker az
o its total employment does not ex
ceed go members. AS it is still
quite new-about 30 years old
nected to construct his own labo
the scientist in many cases is ex.
l - "A
-