SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry - Empire Forester Yearbook (Syracuse, NY)

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minisffzczfion DEAN Josnrn S. ILLICK EW York State has the distinction of being the birth- place of professional forestry education in America. The first college of forestry in this country was cstalblished at Cor- nell University in 1898. Unfortunately, this first adventure in professional forestry education did not last long, for soon after the founding of this original college of forestry, criticism began to be directed against timber cutting practices on the College's experimental forest near Axton in the Adirondacks. This criticism 'became so severe and powerful that early in 1903 the state appropriation for the College was withheld by gubernatorial veto. As a result of this administrative action, all the academic activities of the original forestry College were discontinued in June, 1903. Thus came to a close, after only about five years of operation, the first attempt at professional forestry education in America. That this adverse action on the part of the governor was not fully justified and final is demonstrated by the fact that professional education in forestry was resumed at Cornell in 1910, and in 1911 the New York State College of Forestry was established at Syracuse University. The foregoing information regarding the beginning of professional training in forestry in New York State is presented here with the thought that it will help undesrtand the environment in which our college of forestry here at Syracuse came into being, and why throughout its entire existence it has been offering extra-broad and progressive programs in both professional and public forestry education and also in forest research. Among the original purposes and objectives of our college as set forth in the creating legislation of 1911 are: 1. The teaching and instruction of its students in the science and practice of forestry and its several branches. The Board of Trustees in this original legislation was empowered to prescribe courses of instruction, research and experiments to be pursued. in the College, and the degrees to be conferred on graduates therefrom, and on those taking postgraduate courses therein . It is especially worthy to note that -postgraduate work was regarded as a proper educational func- tion of the college from the time of its establishment in 1911. Graduate work has grown from three graduate students in the second year of the College's operation to 117 in the school year 1950-51. To direct effectively this rapidly enlarging program of graduate stud- ies, a new position of Director of Graduate Studies is now in the process of establishment. 2. The carrying on and promotion of investigations, experiments and research in forestry and its several branches in field and forest, class room and laboratory and in industrial and com- mercial plants, and like investigations, experiments and research in relation to the habits, life histories, methods of propagation and management of fish, Ibirds, game, food and fur bearing animals and forest wildlife. Directly after the College was started, some research work was undertaken. It was largely, however, in the form of contributed services on the part of regular faculty members. The first direct appropriations to the College were made in 1945 in the amount of 325,000 At present, the College is conducting research projects calling for an annual expenditure of more than SZ25,000. Since 1948, this greatly enlarged research program is moving fonward under the direction of a Director of Research. 3. The giving of popular instruction and information concerning the elements of forestry, the effective marketing of forest products and of practical tree-planting throughout the State. 4. 'tThe obtaining and imparting of knowledge concerning the scientific management and use of forests, their regulation and demonstration, and the production, harvesting and reproduc- tion of forest crops and the earning of revenue therefrom. l121

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A review of the foregoing provision included in the original creating legislation of the College reveals very clearly that it was the intent of the founders that it operate on a broad education- al base and that all 'branches of forestry be appropriately and adequately covered. It is high- ly signifcant that within these broad objectives, our College has been operating during the past forty years. From these broad objectives and purposes, it appears to be obvious that it was also the in- tent of the founding fathers that our College of Forestry should become a relatively large one. In its first year Q191lj 52 students were enrolled. The second year the enrollment rose to l32, and within five years after its establishment, the student body increased to 277 students. liven at this early stage of development, the student enrollment exceeded that of any other forestry school in this country, and ever since then it has held this top position. 'Phe peak enrollment occurred in the school year 1948-49, when 875 full-time students were in attendance. This information on enrollment is presented here, not with the thought that bigness of and by itself has -any special merits, but rather that large student enrollment has progressed ac- cording to plan , and that the broad programs of forestry education offered by our college are operating entirely within the broad objectives and plans set forth in the original legisla- tion creating the College. To understand how our 'College is functioning today, and how it is moving forward to meet its enlarging responsibilities, it is important to realize that those who planned its establishment and develop- ment envisioned it as an institution adequately qualified to -offer broad and progressive programs of training in practically all the major fields of forestry, and also those fields that by some are re- garded as allied or even outside activities. Because of the numerous curricula offered, the wide range of activities in public education, and the extensive research program in operation, it is. readily understood that there are currently numerous fronts of action within the total development programs of our College. To dire-ct these numerous de- velopments properly, there has been in effect during recent years an almost continuous study and re- study of our college objectives, plans, functions and activities. Most of these studies are being car- ried forward by regular and special faculty committees, not infrequently assisted 'by students. Among the more active of these committees are those on College Planning , General Educationu, Undergrad- uate lnstruction , Graduate Studies , College Studies , and Summer Camp . lf I were 'asked what I regarded as the most significant recent developments on the rapidly ex- panding horizon of forestry educati-on at Syracuse, my answer would be a fuller realization that there is a human side to forestry, that a technological education irrespective of its extent and quality, is by itself grossly inadequate, and that a full education is a continuing process throughout life. We are beginning to realize more clearly than ever before that the all-important thing in pro- fessional education is not the subject to be presented but the student to be educated. To acquire tech- nical competence is an essential professional requirement, but 'of and -by itself it is not enough. A half century of experience has demonstrated clearly and abundantly that as a forester attains professional stature and rises in his chosen profession, he will deal more and more with people. It follows there- fore, that a broader and better aim of professional education in forestry is to equip students with the desire to go on learning after graduation and to continue growing in professional and personal stature, and to prepare themselves to take their place in the world as competent and responsible citizens. These are among the new educational aims of the New York State College of Forestry at Syra- cuse. Not all -of them have been attained as yet, but we are moving steadfastly and confidently in the direction of these broader and better objectives. There cannot be a high level of de- mocracy without a high level of education. And there cannot be a high level of living in America without a high level of profes- sional and public education in forestry. as Dean Illiclc, Dean Shirley, Professor Crossinan, Professor Belanger, Professor llluniley, Mr. Carroll.