VOL. X

No. 6

OME of the land-grant institutions

feel that short-course programs are in need of revision. Much of the old type of short-course work done formerly by the regular teaching staff and sometimes by research workers at these institutions is now performed by the extension workers. The short courses offered by the extension group are sometimes held at the institutions and other times at different centers in the States.

There appears to be a general feeling that. the nature of extension work is such as to lessen the need of much of certain kinds of short-course work formerly offered at these institutions. The county agents or farm advisers, with the assistance of specialists in certain lines, are helping the farmers solve many of their problems and are, therefore, lessening the demand on the institutions for short courses of general character. On the other hand, the great spread of the extension work of the colleges has undoubtedly led to a greater demand for short-course work of a special character. Many persons who have been awakened by the benefits conferred on them through the extension work have desired in some way to get more instruction from the college along special lines.

Practical Instruction Most in Demand Several of the institutions report that courses in general agriculture have been discontinued due to a wider diversity of agriculture and also to the fact that there have been little or no demands for such courses. Those short courses which pertain to special units of instruction in agriculture, home economics, and mechanic arts, such as butter making, millinery, or gas-engine operation, are most in demand and are the courses many of the institutions are now emphasizing.

In reviewing statements of catalogues and the replies to a questionnaire it was 28557°-25-1

found that 45 of the institutions offer short courses in agriculture, 22 in home economics, and 24 in mechanic arts, varying in length from one day to three years. The questionnaire was sent to the three divisions in each of the land-grant institutions and 47 replies were received from agriculture, 41 from home economics, and 46 from mechanic arts. Of these numbers, 44 reported short courses in agriculture, 22 in home economics, and 31 in mechanic arts. It will be noted that the number of short courses as stated in the catalogues is not identical with that reported in the questionnaire, but this slight difference may be due to the difficulty in distinguishing between certain types of short courses, extension conferences, etc.

Generally Designated in Terms of Weeks The catalogues show that 14 of these institutions offer short courses in agriculture of from 1 to 4 years. Only 4 of the institutions designate short courses in agriculture in terms of months, while 30 designate them in terms of weeks, the length of such courses extending from 1 week to 22 weeks. Only 6 of the institutions designate agricultural short courses in terms of days, the length varying from 1 to 10 days. A considerable number of the institutions refer to short courses as 5 months each for 2 years, of 2 weeks each for 2 years, or 62 months each for 2 years, etc. Several of the institutions do not make this point clear.

In general the short-course work in agriculture has had a longer history and been more elaborately and frequently developed than the similar work in home economics or mechanic arts. These agricultural courses are either somewhat general or deal with some agricultural specialty. They are given sometimes to adults and sometimes to children of high

school age. In some cases definite entrance requirements are made, particularly to those courses of longer duration, but much more generally there are no such requirements. In some institutions the courses of 2 or 3 years of highschool grade are organized as schools of agriculture. In some cases where courses of from 1 to 3 years are offered at least a part of the work is carried on in connection with the regular four years' course. In the shorter courses, the work often consists of lectures, with perhaps some field or laboratory observations by the students; in other cases the students take an active part in field or laboratory operations.

The courses varying from 2 to 10 days are often essentially conferences, but not usually so designated, at which there may be discussions and observations on a variety of subjects, but very little, if any, systematic instruction. They are chiefly inspirational and informative and often seem to be intended primarily to acquaint the persons in attendance with the equipment and general character of the work of the institution and to inform them what aid the institutions can give them at their homes or if they attend the regular courses at the college.

Home Economics Parallel with Agriculture

Of the 22 land-grant institutions offering short courses in home economics only 4 report one-year and two-year courses. More than half report weeks' courses, varying in length from 1 to 13 weeks. Three institutions mention days' courses, varying in length from 1 to 10 days. A limited number of the institutions refer to Farm Week short courses where women attend home economics short courses while the men attend short courses in agriculture.

Home economics courses in some institutions give considerable attention to

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girls' club work. One of the institutions reports that one aim of short courses is to strengthen and standardize club work and to stimulate interest in this work by offering prizes and educational trips to winners in girls' club work. Much of this type of work is primarily of an inspirational nature and, according to statements from one institution, is designed to acquaint the young people of the State with the opportunities offered at the land-grant institutions to obtain educational advantages.

Specialized Courses Increase in Favor

The short courses likewise give farm women opportunity to spend some time in study and recreation at the institution. There is a tendency for short-course work in home economics, like agriculture, to depart from the early custom of general courses. The specialized type of short course, consisting of detailed instruction in certain units of work in which women are interested, seems to be receiving greater emphasis than any other kind. Some of the larger land-grant institutions do not offer short courses in home economics because of the increase in number of four-year college students and the lack of sufficient appropriation to permit the employment of additional teaching force for short-course work. However, one institution states that it is the plan to reinstate the short courses in home economics as soon as conditions will permit.

Mechanic arts short courses probably cover a broader list of subjects than either agriculture or home economics. Of the 31 institutions reporting short courses in mechanic arts, seven report courses of from 1 to 2 years in length. Approximately two-thirds of the institutions reporting state the length of short courses to be from 1 week to 15 weeks. Three report short courses of from 1 to 10 days in length.

More Attention to Agricultural Engineering

The returns show conclusively that many of the institutions are giving considerable attention to short courses in mechanic arts. Some of the reports are more or less general, but a large number are rather definite. A considerable amount of the short-course work, as would naturally be expected, relates to agricultural engineering and the special units such as tractor repair and operation, gas engines, blacksmithing, etc. However, considerable attention appears to be directed to short courses in engineering and its various units. Short courses in mechanic arts are sometimes given under the direction of the college of agriculture and sometimes under the direction of the college of engineering. While most of this type of work is carried on at the colleges, a considerable amount is conducted at

different centers within the States in the form of extension courses. Here, again, the committee has found it difficult to distinguish between regular short courses offered at the institution and those in the form of extension courses conducted apart from the college. There is ample evidence to show that the short courses in mechanic arts, whether offered at the institution or otherwise, are conducted in the form of special units such as the meter-men course, plumbing, carpentry, auto mechanics, etc. This method of organizing short courses is commendable as it affords ample opportunity to those who desire to attend such courses for training in certain specific fields.

To Improve Practices of Active Workers

The aims of the short courses are variously defined in the college catalogues and in the replies to the committee's questionnaire, but essentially they seem to be comprised in one or more of the following statements: (1) To prepare persons not in school to engage in agricultural pursuits, home making, or industrial occupations. (2) To increase the knowledge and improve the practices of people now engaged in agriculture, home making, or mechanic arts. (3) To inform those who attend short courses at the land-grant colleges as to the personnel, equipment, and other facilities of the institutions for aiding them when they return to their homes and engage in their various occupations.

There are those in the land-grant institutions who feel that considerable inconvenience is put upon regular college teachers who have to assume duties connected with short courses in addition to their regular courses. Not only the individuals but the departments have felt these hardships where an extra teaching force has not been provided. One reporter doubts whether the benefit to the State of this extra work justifies the interference with the collegiate teaching work. One institution feels that the cost per capita of short-course work is very high as compared to the four-year work. If the work is done by special instructors it should be very satisfactory, but if done by the regular four-year instructors it is not likely to be as well adapted to the need of students.

Special Directors Do Effective Work

A considerable number of the landgrant institutions are employing special directors of short-course work. This is a good plan, since these men have more time and can use special efforts to make short-course life at the institutions more interesting and also more profitable. Short courses should be so well planned and so thoroughly organized in every detail that the students' time will be

profitably spent. If these students are not properly disciplined and kept busy the institutions are at fault. Short-course students should not demoralize the discipline of the college. Short-course students have interests separate and distinct from the regular students when the length of the course will permit. Student activities, such as athletic teams, music, clubs, games, motion pictures, and other entertaining feats, judging contests, etc., should be promoted for the best interest of the group. When short courses are held they should result in giving good return for the time and effort spent, and should result in bringing the institution and the faculty in closer touch with a larger group of people of the State.

From a careful study of the content of short courses offered in agriculture, home economics, and mechanic arts, based on information obtainable, the committee is aware of the wide disparity in the time devoted to short-course work. The information at hand does not disclose the cause of this difference. Each of the landgrant institutions has its particular field of service, and is best qualified to determine local problems and to administer their solution. It is, therefore, the duty of each institution to determine for itself the extent to which it is rendering the service most in need by the people of its State.

Current Educational Movements Affect Courses

The character and variety of the shortcourse work are evidently affected by present-day educational movements of various kinds. There is, for example, a widespread feeling that the large investment of funds in the buildings, equipment, and faculties of the colleges is not justified unless the plant and personnel of these institutions are used to the fullest extent. Then there is the prevalent notion that mature persons engaged in particular pursuits are greatly benefited by even a short stay at the institutions where they may receive intensive instruction or information from experts. Thus we have what are called unit courses of various kinds for doctors, teachers, butter makers, poultrymen, fruit growers, automobile chauffeurs, meter men, plumbers, home makers, etc.

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Demands from various sources for temporary assistance through short courses come to the colleges from time to time, and compliance with them is sometimes unavoidable. For example, the enactment of State laws requiring the teaching of agriculture or home economics in the elementary schools has made it necessary for certain land-grant colleges to institute special summer Courses for teachers. The work of these colleges in the rehabilitation of World War soldiers is another instance of this kind.

In a more general way the movement for vocational education has grown so rapidly in recent years that it has greatly outrun the establishment of special educational agencies for such education. Thus it has happened that though there are now many more secondary schools in which agriculture, home economics, and mechanic arts are taught, the demand for short courses in these subjects in the colleges has continued. It is questionable whether the colleges themselves have sufficiently taken into account the spread of these vocational secondary schools and have sufficiently limited or reorganized their short-course work to meet the new conditions in the secondary schools. Some believe that the vocational short course need in some States is met by the national vocational education or Smith-Hughes Act. This development is raising the question whether colleges which are maintaining so-called schools of agriculture should continue or whether their work can now be assigned to the high schools now teaching agriculture under the provisions of the vocational education act.

Assistance in Research and Graduate Work

Another set of problems which have relation to the short-course work of the colleges has to do with the development of research and graduate work. It is now generally realized that institutions for higher learning can not afford to restrict or hinder their development as agencies for the advancement of knowledge and the training of investigators and teachers. On the other hand, where results of practical value come out of their researches it is unfortunate if they are not in a position to give that instruction which will make these results speedily and satisfactorily available to those who can make good use of them.

It is evident that since the range of the legitimate demands on the land-grant institutions for research, resident teaching, and extension work is increasing with the years, the necessity for a careful study of these demands and an adjustment of the work of the individual institution with reference to them according to their relative importance and the available equipment, personnel, and means at the disposal of the institution was never greater than it is to-day.

Standard Undergraduate Work the Primary Duty

The committee is convinced that it is the primary and essential duty of the land-grant colleges to carry on undergraduate courses of standard grade leading to bachelor's degree. It has also been expected from the beginning, as is indicated in the land-grant act of 1862, that they would conduct investigations to advance knowledge and they ought there

fore to conduct in the most efficient manner such experimental inquiries as they undertake. They have assumed definite obligations under Federal and State laws to conduct extension work in agriculture and home economics in a large way. They have a certain equipment, personnel,. and means for these lines of work, and nothing should interfere with their making the best use of their resources for these purposes.

Short Courses Render Valuable Service

If, in addition, their general or any special resources can be efficiently and profitably used for what are properly called short courses of resident instruction and these courses are well organized and administered they will render a valuable educational service. It is believed that the demand for short courses will continue to increase and that the present-day outlook in education favors the use of such courses. It is hoped therefore that the colleges will be able to make a satisfactory adjustment of personnel and means to conduct them in a reasonable way. But it will evidently require conscious and active effort to keep them in their right place as related to the other activities of the colleges.

To clarify what is now evidently a confused condition, the committee suggests that the colleges formulate and adopt a standard definition of short courses and as far as possible uniform designations regarding their duration and character. As an aid in this direction the committee makes the following propositions:

1. A short course is a course of systematic instruction in a given subject or group of subjects of shorter duration than a four-year college course and not leading to a degree. Obviously a course of systematic instruction can not be given in a few unrelated lectures within a period of a few days.

2. Extension meetings, farmers' weeks, and similar meetings for a few days, having a miscellaneous program and no really systematic instruction, should not be called short courses, but conferences or institutes.

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3. Short courses may be classified according to their duration as years' courses, months' courses, or weeks' courses and should be designated by their duration rather than by the general term short course. For example, instead of announcing a short course in dairying, occupying six weeks, the college should announce a six weeks' course in dairying.

4. Full consideration should be given by the colleges to whatever informational or instructional work is done by their extension departments, by the special secondary schools, or by the ordinary high schools, and they should so limit and organize short courses as to give them a definite place in the college program without duplicating the work of other agencies.

Certain Courses May Well be Discontinued

5. The colleges should plan to give up short courses of regular secondary grade, whether organized as schools or not, when other agencies are prepared to do this work.

6. It is doubtful whether the colleges should continue to offer one to three year courses in general agriculture, home economics, or mechanic arts. As far as the committee has been able to ascertain these are usually not successful as separate enterprises in the college program, and the demand for such courses appears to be decreasing. It would be better to let properly qualified students enter the regular college classes as special students and leave them at certain periods whenever definite units of instruction have been completed. In such cases there can be little objection to the college giving a statement to the student of what he has accomplished during his residence at the institution.

7. Short courses should as a rule be confined to special subjects and should be organized for persons not less than 18 years of age, as far as practicable in units, each of which may be taken separately by the student according to his option.

8. Since short courses should be planned more particularly for persons engaged or