South Dakota State College - Jack Rabbit Yearbook (Brookings, SD)

Page 24 text:

Department qfBotany and Entomology 'RG -wN'Ax 5' to A ' BE T U oi SM ir wi. Y 2 WILLIAM A. WHEELER, M. S. Professor of Botany and Entomology 1' s- .rf t 5. 6'-' Bs 1 ,QQ L K as f A 1 'ix ffl h 'xx' 'Lt .1 Ax kuh I wi 5.5, . ' X W .Q ,3 w wf 'f 1 4 24

Page 23 text:

DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY AND ENTOMOLOGY. As a department in an Agricultural College Botany occupies an important place. All instruction in agriculture and horticulture is founded upon this science. The teaching of the principles of plant life and growth therefore occupies a fundamental position with reference to the other branches mentioned. In the South Dakota Agricultural College, botanical instruction is given in the freshman year of all courses. The study of botany has a scientific, an :esthetic and a practical value. In an agricul- tural college, the latter is placed first because of the various applications to which the subject may be put in practical agriculture. The other two aspects, however, are not lost sight of. This department as it is organized in the South Dakota Agricultural College includes 'the instruction in botany and entomology in all courses given in the college, the botanical and entomological research of the Experiment Station, the supervision of the Highmore Experiment Station, the botanical work of the State Geological and Natural History Survey, nursery inspection and the enforcement of all requirements of the nursery inspection law in South Dakota. The head of the department acts therefore in the capacity of Botanist and Entomologist of the Agricultural College and Experiment Station, Super- intendent of the Highmore Station, Botanist to the Geological and Natural History Survey and State Entomologist. Students who enter college from the high school often expect credit for work done in the high school. Occasionally such credits can be given, but generally the work in graded or high schools is of such a character that even though it may be of assistance to the students in carrying on college work it cannot take the place of any definite course in the college. The first year's work of three terms gives a general survey of the plant kingdom in the branches of Morphology, Ecology, Physiology and Pathology. In the upper classes special courses are given in Mycology, Taxonomy, Physiology and Botanical Microteclmique. In the several courses given the aim is to instill 'in the mind of the student an intelligent idea of scientific work. The laboratory is considered the workshop in which to develop the faculty of original research and investigation. Laboratory side talks are given regularly to explain the work in hand. Lectures and recitations are resorted to mainly as adjuncts to the laboratory. In the work of the Experiment Station attention has been given to the study of plant diseases and to the practical methods of the treatment of such diseases- At the Highmore Experiment Station a large amount of experimental work is in progress to test and develop forage and grain crops for drouth resistance. The past season about 21,000 plants of millet, 1,500 plants of alfalfa, 2,000 plants of red clover, 1,000 plants of brome grass and thousands of other plants were grown in the plant breeding plots where the individual plants could be observed and selections made for breeding purposes. The aim of the plant breeding work at the Highmore Station is to secure the greatest practical value and at the same time to learn as much as possible about the scientific side of plant breeding. The botanical work of the Geological and Natural History Survey has for its aim the study and cataloguing of the state Hora. No appropriation having been made for this work not much has been accomplished. In nursery inspection and the enforcement of the nursery inspection law all nurseries requesting it are inspected by the head of the department each year. egggggr 23

Page 25 text:

5 fl DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING. A problem which comes before every young man sooner or later in life is this: What will I take up as a life occupation ? It is a serious question and much depends upon its satisfactory answer. Will it be a profession-as the law, medicine, ministry or teaching? Will it be the arts-as painter, sculptor or author? Will it be more active-as the field of mechanics or the trades? Will it be near to nature's heart on the farm or in the field investigating the natural history and'philosophy of things? The answer to this question involves the young man's happiness and prosperity through life. The man who takes up a work, merely for the bread and butter there is articular liking for the work enters upon a period of mere drudgery, for uncongenial labor is that and but little more, but if he selects a congenial occupa- tion every day's work is a day of pleasure, his labor is sweet and his profits financially usually greater. Students attending the Agricultural College are peculiarly favored. They are placed where, while pursuing their education they may at the same time enter experimentally into the different fields of work, and so select the occupation. which they can see will be con- genial to them in after life. They can start their work and so be at least partially prepared to enter at once into their work. They can become acquainted with its scope and with roficient in their worldand so know better where to look for an opening when they are ready to enter into the active duties of the business. Pro- fessions, arts, agriculture, mechanics. electricity, civil engineering, business, all are laid before him in our curriculum for him to choose from and it would be a very peculiar student who did not find his ideal occupation in some of the branches offered. The latest department added to our curriculum is the Department of Civil and Agricultural Engineering for students to consider as leading to a congenial occupation and it has many advantages and fascinating features to offer. It is the acme of engineering work, much of it is outdoors, it is endless in its variety and it is so universally practical that it appeals to a great fvariety of individual temperaments and we wish .to oiier it as one line to be considered along with the other in the choice of a life occupation. From the beginning of our institution certain subjects of the civil engineering work have been offered, but they were classed as certain studies of the mathematical department. In 1902, however, the Regents established the separate department and Professor Crane, who had been teaching the subjects as Assistant in Mathematics was chosen as its head. A full course in civil engineeering branches was offered leading to the degree of B. S., the same as in the other engineering departments. It includes land surveying, both field work. theoretical study and drafting: hydraulics and its applications in water supply, sewerage and irrigation, road construction, applied to country roads, street pavements and railroads, all the mathematics, physics, chemistry and other scientific branches required in a full col- legiate course as well as one year of French. The Regents have very generously added to the equipment of the department till now we have about every variety of apparatus for teaching the work, including transits, levels, compasses. both ordinary and solar, a plane table, current meter and planimeter and slide rules for oliice computations. These instruments are not merely to look at-they are placed in the hands of the students who are given definite problems for them to work out with their use. They are expected to get field data from which to compute areas and plot fields to scale. They are given profile work and computations of grade, cut and fill, They are expected to be able, after their notes are worked up, to place the location stakes on the ground ready for the workmen to begin operations-in fact to do the work required in actual practice. It is needless to say that the students enjoy the work. It is a kind which appeals to them. Much of it is out of doors, it is highly scientific as well as practical. It is a study that at once leads to something tangible and practical as a con- genial occupation after school life is done- in it without any p those who are prominent and p 25