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There is no adequate general description of "the typical" short course student. The Short Course Catalog of 1913 spoke of the cross section of students as follows: Among these numbers, side by side, have been found the sixteen year old boy and the gray-haired man, the boy from the district school and the university graduate beside the humble laboring man and the millionaire (4-1913:6). This fairly well describes the variety of students who came to Michigan Agricultural College for short courses. Since World War II, the students enrolled in the longer programs have tended to be a fairly homogenous group of high school graduates. However, predominantly adults have enrolled in the courses one to two weeks in length. Some courses were organized for specialists who required periodic seminars on new scientific research and development. Others such as the popular horse shoeing course enrolled mature men interested in learning a different vocation. This course was discontinued primarily because of the retirement of the instructor, J. M. MacAllen. Renewed interest has been evident with the increasing number of riding stables and similar enterprises, and it may be feasible to offer the course at some future date even thought he age of horse power has passed. Whatever interests or purposes motivated students to attend short courses, there seems to be a dedication and seriousness about them that is obvious to those associated with them. As C. D. Smith put it in 1903, "It would be hard to find a class of students more genuinely enthusiastic than these young men of the Short Courses" (5-V42:61). Estimates of the number of students who have attended the conferences and programs sponsored by the Short Course Department range well over 50,000. Those who have enrolled in courses two weeks or longer number of 25,000. The Short Course Alumni Association, formed in 1917, attempts to keep in contact with former students but is only moderately successful. Innumerable graduated have contributed leadership to agricultural organizations, trade associations, local and state government, boards of education, and religious organizations. A Short Course Department publication of 1955 pictured many graduated who have assumed positions of leadership. For some, the Short Course experience sparked their interest to complete a college education. President of the College Kenyon L. Butterfield, summed up the dilemma of tracing and evaluating Short Course alumni when he said: I wish there were some way of computing the value of the work of these thousands to the community in which they live and to the state at large. There is no way of doing this. We can only be sure that this influence is tremendous in quantity and of the greatest significance in quality" (4-1926:6). Whether short courses have "saved" some boys from he city as Professor Smith predicted in 1904 or have trained every student to the maximum of his abilities is debatable, but their influence has been considerable. The students, coming from all walks of life, have developed a loyalty toward the University. The Alumni Association is only on manifestation of this loyalty. Support of the agricultural programs and welfare of the whole university permeate continuous alumni contact with their alma mater. Back To The Top DIRECTORS WHO SERVED The efforts of a great number of people have gone into the development of short courses. Professor C. D. Smith, who originated the first course, was officially the Directory of Special Course from 1905 until 1917. Professor Ashley M. Berridge succeeded Smith and served from 1917 until 1924. Professor Elton B. Hill, serving as Assistant Dean of Agriculture, was officially Director of Short Courses, even though Mr. Berridge was in charge in 1922 and 1923.
Mr. Berridge was a part time farmer at that time and came to the campus only during the winter months. The position of Director of Short Courses was a part time job until 1924. Dean of Agriculture Shaw, who as a farm boy from Guelph, Ontario, had experienced the hardships and frustrations of farming, felt very strongly that short courses should be made available to farm youth who could not afford a regular college program. When Berridge indicated he would no longer be available, because of this own farming commitments. Dean Shaw decided to stimulate the program by hiring a full time director and staff. Mr. Ralph W. Tenny was appointed Director of Short Courses on December 1, 1924, and served until his retirement in 1959. Dr. Harold A. Henneman, the present Director, replaced Tenny in 1959. Back To The Top MANY HAVE CONTRIBUTED It would be erroneous to conclude that these men were alone in their efforts. The Presidents of the University, Lewis G. Gorton, Jonathan L. Snyder, Frank S. Kedzie, David Friday, Kenyon L. Butterfield, Rovert S. Shaw, and John A. Hannah, have vigorously supported and promoted short courses. The Deans of the College, R. S. Shaw, J. F. Cox, Ernest L. Anthony, Clifford M. Hardin, and Thomas K. Cowden, have been enthusiastic promoters of the programs. A list of faculty members who have taught and influenced countless short course students would include several hundred persons from all the academic areas of the University. The enthusiasm and responsiveness of the students have made teaching short courses a personally and professionally satisfying experience and resulted in admirable cooperation among all University personnel. This has been true, not only in the on-campus courses but in the out state programs as well. Director Tenney's 35-year tenure (1924-1959) encompasses the greatest growth period in short courses. Modern transportation and communication, together with a wider acceptance for college training and appreciation of agricultural research, contributed to the development and importance of short courses during his term as Director. Conferences and institutes, on almost all types of Michigan occupations and hobbies, proliferated to the extent that over 20,000 persons participated in the twelve year period, 1930 to 1942. The ever increasing conference program created a burden on the limited facilities available at the college. The interest of the Kellogg Foundation in the Young Farmer and Home economics courses ultimately led to a commitment to provide more accommodations for these students and the conference programs. The differences between the academic instructional programs on campus and the conference programs led to a realignment of the Short Course Department responsibilities. In 1948 the Continuing Education Department assumed responsibility for the conference and general extension programs. The Kellogg Center for Continuing Education, opened in September, 1951, has resulted in a tremendous increase in University activity with all aspects of adult education. The success or failure of any educational program depends heavily on the inspiration and work of the people involved. Groups such as the Vocational Agriculture Teachers Association, the State of Michigan Vocational Agriculture Department, numerous farmer and industry organizations, and interested individuals should be mentioned in addition to the College's administration, faculty and research staffs, in accounting for the success of short courses. Mr. Donald H. Shepard, a 1923 short course graduate and 1929 College of Agriculture graduate, has been associated with the Department since 1940. As secretary of the Alumni Association and a member of many local and state agricultural groups, he has worked tirelessly to promote short courses throughout Michigan. Mr. Shepard is Chairman of the General Agriculture Program and works closely with the Young Farmer course. Back To The Top CONCLUSION The services and structure of the Short Course Department have changed and are changing as the needs of Michigan agriculture and the goals of the University change. Most of the one day to one week conferences and seminars are now managed by the Continuing Education Department, organized in 1948. The major work of the Short Course Department today centers on the Young Farmer General Agruculture Program and the agricultural industry programs in Commercial Floriculture, Elevator and Farm Supply, Farm Equipment Service and Sales, Nursery and Landscape Management, and the Soil Technician program. These programs attract about 400 students each year. The theme of service to the state of Michigan has permeated Michigan State University since its inception. The philosophy of the Land-Grant College as expressed by the services rendered through short courses can best be summarized by the remarks of past presidents of the University. President J. S. Snyder said in 1914:Through the short courses the College opens its doors to every citizen of the state. There is not a man or woman young or old, in Michigan who cannot enroll in this institution and receive thorough and practical instruction along the lines to which the institution is primarily devoted. This institution does recognize the fact that it can and should render a great service to the people of the state by offering practical instruction to those who do not care for the higher training. It shall now and more in the future emphasize the short course work and open its doors wider and wider to the great class of people who work with their hands for a living, yet who have an ambition to bring to their assistance all the benefits possible received from higher training and more scientific application (5-V53:37). President Kenyon L. Butterfield in 1927 said: . . . It is very doubtful whether any short course student, no matter if he stays only a few weeks, could fail to get some stimulus as well as some added knowledge out of his experience here. I am sure the College has been of real service to these many individuals and through them to the state at large in this long continued short course work. Personally, I believe that the future of short courses is to be even more important than its past. We are doing everything possible to encourage the management to develop this work and to encourage students who can not take full courses to take these winter courses. I am sure that they have a very large place in our service to Michigan (94-1926:6). 
As agriculture has changed form general farming, where farmers raised a little of everything in order to hedge on marketing trends and stabilize their incomes, to specialized agriculture, where expertness in one or two types of enterprises is becoming essential, so has agricultural education changed. A college education has increased the mobility of young people. In the past, college graduated have not generally elected careers in farming. Future requirements and opportunities in modern scientific agriculture will reverse the vocational directions of graduates. Farming, although requiring less people, will require more college training for successful farmers of the future. Farming, closely related vocations, and agricultural service businesses, which appear reasonably well automated and mechanized will become auto-mechanized in the future. Chemically testing and management of soils will increase land use efficiency. Controlled environments and genetics will increase plant and animal production. Processing, packaging, and direct selling from farm sources will provide better products and increased service to consumers. Electronic machinery and computerized management will decrease manual labor and increase the demand for expert personnel at all agriculture levels. Short Courses, rather than becoming obsolete, will evolve to increasingly more complex and specialized technical programs to help meet the needs of the future, just as they have met the needs in the past. The future of short courses is brighter today than it was in President Butterfield's time. Back To The Top |
