AIM OF MASSEY COLLEGE.

Shannon News, 27 April 1928, Page 3

AIM OF MASSEY COLLEGE.

TO CATER FOR ALL WANTS OF FARMERS.

Speaking to the gathering of fanners at the Massey “Agricultural College on Monday, Prof. Peren, Principal, stated that there was an idea prevalent that the college was going to do nothing else but turn out university graduates. He had repeatedly to contradict that impression. The aim of the institution was to cater for all the wants of, the agricultural industry .and more particularly those of the North Island. Those wants, were exceedingly diversified and to meet them different courses would have to be adopted. The farmers were crying out for research, but he asked them to remember that they themselves, who had been farming for years and years, had not solved manv of the problems that the farmer had'to face. The man to get to the bottom of those difficulties was the man of science and once he had discovered the solution, the practical man had to take it in hand to see if it would fit in with farming practice. The man who spent his life looking down a microscope could not be expected to have ordinary farming r * horse 99 sense. Hg was exceeding* ly useful man, but not the. one to whom one would go to learn .farming. So there would be on the staff of the college, men of the particular type with whom one could discusß farming, but to produce the scientific man there was need for university courses. The aim of such teaching would be to turn out a limited number of specialists who would spend their labours on seieiftifie investigation work; men who would meet the demands of the farmers that certain difficult problems should be solved. , _.' Then there were to be at the College courses based on the requirements of the man who is going to farm for himself. There would be several of those courses to give farmers’ sons who had a good idea of the manual work on a farm, a smattering of technical knowledge. There weie many young men on farms who would like to know, more about cow diseases, breeding, topdressing, etc. Courses in those subjects were to be provided in the winter time when the Jads could get away from home. ® _ s Professor Peren stated that if anyone could .bring forward suggestions for those courses for farmers’ sons, he would be only too pleased to consider