University of Nebraska College of Agriculture - Shucks Yearbook (Lincoln, NE)

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I s S snucirs rs 'Q' Q ' -wt -f' v bbc Short Course A The short course in the University of Nebraska was originated with one purpose in mind namely that of reach- ing the busy farmer who could not be away from home more than a few weeks purpose of the short course is to reach a class of men who have not been favored with all of the advantages of education that the student in the Col- lege of Agriculture has it is not to be E' 7 x 5 T X Inf -, , X -gpg' -9' 6 Y ' 5 1 , U I 0, , , ' 9 '5' ' cj Q W -5 X, cf ? 'T' I J 2 during the winter months. It has served this purpose admirably and we find in looking back over the roll for each year that it has been in existence that a large percentage of the students enrolled were young men of mature experience who were farming for them- selves. This class of men must of neces- sity remain at home until the corn is all husked in the fall which in most sections of Nebraska is well into Decem- ber, and again they must be back at their work by March. In fact, even the seven weeks' term as it is now scheduled, is found to be a trifle too long for many men who are farming, as they find it difficult to leave their stock for that period of time. By looking into the catalogs of other state institutions on a par with Ne- braska University, we find the major portion of them schedule short courses for a period of from one to two weeks' duration, chiefly during the weeks im- mediately following January 1. A course of such short duration is acces- sible to the vast majority of young, enterprising farmers who wish to avail themselves of the opportunity to secure scientific information along their chosen line. When we consider that the primary wondered that the work offered is chiefly along practical lines. Not only this, but the work must be presented in such a manner that these men will grasp it. In an early day the short course started at 8 a. m., and classes not only continued thruout the entire day, but very often occupied the evenings. The total enrollment was not large and the equipment which was provided at the University Farm was such that work could be given in all of the various shops and laboratories which were lo- cated on the campus. Of recent years, however, we find that the enrollment is so large and the increased number of students in the school and more expec- ially in the College of Agriculture so vast that it is impossible to provide rooms wherein the laboratory work can be presented. Consequently at the present time aside from the dairy labo- ratory and the stock judging work, the short course receives practically all of its training in the form of lectures. A glance at the schedule card for the 1916 short course reveals ten hours per week devoted to stock judging, this being over one-fourth the total amount of time put in by the students. It likewise reveals six hours per week nw is win

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. . -Ph f by H d Wmter Short Course Students .t V t - S t V ' A ., A f u h N E ? I iq

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racy t Elm! f uy fi we f c? 4 if cj R , X u..Ji, spasm. . xesf cb . devoted in the dairy laboratories. Aside from this, we find lecture work scheduled. 'At the time the short course was started the Agricultural College was unknown and the School of Agriculture was barely in existence. As a result, practically every employee of the Ex- periment Station was available to assist in the teaching of the short course while it was in session. With the increased growth of the School of Agriculture and the more recent rapid expansion of the College of Agriculture, we find during January and February that practically .all of the instructors have schedules which require most of their time and such periods as they are able to devote to the short course are not nearly as numerous as they would like to have them. Short course men as a class come to the University for work. This charac- teristic has been displayed ever since the short course came into existence. Instructors seldom have to dwell on discipline when lecturing to a class of 'short course men. They are men who realize their lack of advantage and who come to school with the one purpose in mind, that of securing something which they can take home with them and put to practical use on their farms. In a way it perhaps would not be wrong to say that while many school and college of agriculture students are sent by their parents right from the grade or high school, in the main the short course men come to the University with their own money which has been earned thru hard toil, and doubtless this one thing has tended to makethe short course popular with the instructors in all of the departments. A Ebis 37co.r's Short Course By H. P. MORGAN- in ' ' 'It was an obvious fact that this year's short course was made up of men who for the most part, were intensely inter- ested in learning the right way to do things. The men were here to learn how to better the conditions on their farm, or to find if they were doing things right or not. In the livestock work we found them not only wanting to know how , but why . This, of course, was what was desired and while we could not hope to send them back as expert judges of r livestock, yet we feel that they know why they think one animal better than another. The men were able to get in closer touch with the instructors and many particular problems were brought up by the men. The good and bad points of both methods and animals were freely discussed. The men really felt as though they could get some practical help and, as soon as they got acquainted asked many practical questions. The men were at all times very