only 8,853 agricultural students were enrolled, the smallest number since 1912.

The war closed. In the fall of 1919 there was a great rush to the colleges which continued through the following year. At first it was felt in agriculture as well as in other lines. The slogan "Food will win the war," the demonstration of the dependence of the nations on food, the prices for food products during the war period resulted in a higher regard for agriculture than at any time in its history. The farmer's reaction was that of unbounded faith in his occupation and in its economic outlook. Those not in farming were impressed by the unusually high price level. The result was an immediate increase in college enrollments-14,275 agricultural students in 1919-20 and 14,493 in 1920-21, an increase of more than 60 per cent since 1918-19. In addition, this regular enrollment was augmented by a large group of special students, most of them mature men who did not have the necessary entrance credits but who desired to benefit by the opportunities that colleges offered.

These conditions did not continue. By 1920-21 came deflation and the prices of farm products were soon cut in two. In a few months the great depression in agriculture which was to continue over an indefinite period had arrived. The impossibility of making both ends meet on many farms, the lengthened days of labor, the economies that had to be practiced, and the profound disappointment of farming people during this period will never be fully appreciated by those who did not experience some of the hardships of those days. Business closely related to agriculture also suffered. Farmers were not able to purchase the farm machinery or make the improvement they desired and needed. They felt compelled to use less fertilizer. Much livestock, especially beef cattle, had to be sold for what it would bring and feed consumption was reduced. Only a minimum could be spent for seeds and plants. All this was reflected in reduced business volume in farm machinery, fertilizers, feeds, and seeds-business enterprises in which many agriculturally trained men are engaged.

The reaction from the situation on the farms and in agricultural business was felt in the colleges. Farm leaders talked about the low estate of agriculture. Others did likewise. Others did likewise. Farmers themselves advised and urged their sons not to go into agricultural work. If they went to college let them study business, the professions, anything so that it did not lead back to the farm. After such advice only those cared to enroll in agriculture who had deep personal interest in agricultural science and agriculture as an occupation or who planned to equip themselves for such work as that of county agents and agricultural teachers. The result was that students who en

rolled in agricultural curricula were very much in earnest but their numbers grew smaller from year to year. By 1924-25 the regular agricultural enrollment had dropped to 11,715, by 1926-27, to 11,179, a point lower than in 1914. Only in 1927-28 did the tide seem to turn and agricultural enrollments slowly begin to increase. This was continued in 1928-29 and in 1929–30.

The changes that took place in agricultural enrollment during the period 1920-21 to 1927-28 are illustrated in Table 11 which shows the enrollments in agriculture during that period in 44 institutions.11 It is clear from the table that the tide turned in freshman enrollment in 1925-26 and there has been an increase in the number of freshmen each year since that time. In 1927-28 this increase was reflected in the sophomore and junior classes so that the total enrollment in agriculture again appears to be increasing.

TABLE 11.-Enrollments in agriculture 1920-21 to 1927-28 by classes in 44 institutions reporting

The land-grant colleges studied the situation during the lean years and made a large number of adjustments in curricula to meet the new conditions. The emphasis since the war has been upon prices, costs. and how these may be reduced; management and the use of laborsaving machinery; and upon marketing. This emphasis in the agri

11 These figures do not agree with the official figures from the Office of Education quoted above. since they include only the data sent by institutions in connection with the landgrant college survey, and these include some forestry students.

cultural curricula in the land-grant colleges has provided courses in economics, in agricultural engineering, and in farm management. New curricula in commerce, agricultural administration, and agricultural business have appeared. A more settled condition in agriculture and a more logical and orderly thinking and interpretation of trends in agriculture and in industry also tend to show that the possibilities in agriculture are larger than the conditions of the last few years would seem to indicate.

Enrollments in forestry in the land-grant colleges and universities were first reported with accuracy in 1902-1903. The trend was steadily upward until 1913-14. (See Table 12.) The decline that then set in was especially marked during the first year of the war. With the close of the war forestry enrollment again increased and in 1927-28 there were 1,076 students enrolled in the professional forestry curricula of the land-grant colleges. In addition, many agricultural students were taking such courses as farm forestry, general forestry, and range management as electives.

TABLE 12.-Enrollment of students in forestry in land-grant institutions

The rapid trend upward in forestry enrollment in recent years has become a matter of concern to leaders in forestry education. It is thought that it may lead to an oversupply in this professional group. A national inquiry on forestry education, under the leadership of Dean H. S. Graves of the school of forestry of Yale University, is under way which will give more light on this question.

The high degree of specialization in agricultural curricula combined with a gradual decrease in the number of students enrolled in agriculture from 1920-21 to 1927-28 has had one result that has been the cause of much worry to teachers and administrators, namely, a gradual decrease in the size of classes. Of 6,641 classes in 42 institutions in 1927-28, 3,320, or 50 per cent, had fewer than 10 students,

and 964, or 14.5 per cent, had between 10 and 14 students per class, a total of 64.5 per cent of all classes in 4-year curricula in undergraduate agriculture with fewer than 15 students per class. This condition was not peculiar to any one group of institutions or to institutions with comparatively small enrollments. One of the larger institutions, for instance, with an undergraduate agricultural enrollment in 4-year curricula of between 450 and 500 students had 304 classes of which 167, or about 55 per cent, had an enrollment of fewer than 10 students per class. Another institution with a total enrollment of 350 to 400 had 200 classes of which 114, or approximately 57 per cent, had an enrollment of fewer than 10 per class. On the other hand, in the 42 institutions reporting there were 502 classes with more than 50 students and 142 with more than 100 so that while classes were small in many instances, there also are examples of very large class groups. Table 13 shows the number and size of classes in 4-year curricula in agriculture in 42 land-grant colleges and universities in 1928.

TABLE 13.—Number and size of classes in 4-year curricula in agriculture in 42 land-grant colleges and universities in 1927-28

Small classes often are advantageous because of the close personal relations of students and teachers and because of the opportunity given every member in the class to express himself and to discuss the subject in hand. Such classes adapt themselves to the conference method of teaching where student and faculty member meet on common ground and the latter serves as the informed leader of discussion rather than as a platform lecturer. On the other hand, in many instances the classes have been too small to provide the interest and spirit that come from numbers and the opportunity for friendly rivalry and emulation. Moreover, the cost of instruction per student mounts as the size of the class decreases. Salary costs remain the same whether the class numbers 5 or 25. The same amount of classroom space and the same equipment often is used for a class with a few students as for one, two, or three times as many. The cost feature, therefore, must be considered.

No institution of established reputation willingly lowers its standards by refusing to give certain work that is required in a curriculum. or major grouping in order that the teaching staff may be reduced. Nor is it an easy matter for a department head, dean, or president of an institution to say to someone who has been on the teaching staff for many years and who has rendered splendid service that his services are no longer needed. For many institutions it has been fortunate that during the period of decreasing enrollment of agricultural students, funds for research and experimental work have been increasing so that as student numbers have decreased it has been possible to devote more time to research and to retain the staff practically intact. Institutions have done their utmost to keep a competent staff so that work of as high a grade as possible might be given in the classroom and conducted in the research field. In the meanwhile a change in the tide of enrollments has been looked for which again would increase the size of classes and reduce the cost per student. While this has been delayed beyond the anticipation of many, enrollments in agriculture again are on the increase and an increase in the number of students in the various classes is to be expected. Institutions need to be on their guard, however, against overspecialization in undergraduate instruction if the economies to be expected from increased enrollment are to be realized.

Where small classes are inevitable because of limited enrollment and considerable specialization is demanded because of the specialized agricultural industries of the State, certain methods may be used which will help appreciably in avoiding excessive costs of instruction. One of these is to offer certain work in alternative years, making the curriculum sufficiently elastic to permit students who desire such courses to take them, or to excuse certain students from certain courses heretofore required for graduation. This can often be done without lowering the standard of work or measurably reducing the opportunity for any considerable number of students.

Small classes also may be handled frequently through the conference or project study method or a combination of both. Instead of meeting such classes three times a week it is sometimes possible to assign specific work or subject matter to be covered in library study and in the laboratory and to meet such students for help and advice once a week. The same or even better results may thus be obtained without reduction of credit allowed and with less strain upon instructors. Then again it is sometimes possible for one teacher to conduct two small laboratory classes simultaneously. This requires a certain degree of ingenuity and willingness on the part of the teacher to adapt himself to this method of teaching in order both to serve the students and reduce the costs per hour of student instruction. Further studies of overemphasis upon laboratory periods and