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Excerpt from "A Sense of Time: The Encyclopedia of Northern Michigan University" (1999)
Pages 100-102
Russell M. Magnaghi

As early as 1905, courses in Agriculture were taught through the Biology Department and as special courses.  Samuel D. Magers, Dr. Elliott Downing's successor in the Biology Department, was given the responsibility for developing a course that would teach Northern students to assist their pupils in planting and cultivating school gardens and beautifying the areas around their homes.  Members of his agriculture classes planted gardens with regular and experimental crops and supervised the children in the training school in planting flowers and vegetables.  He told The Quill reporter in November 1914, that "I shall refuse to pass any girl who fails to develop blisters on her hands."  The school garden at this time was located to the southwest of Cohodas in the vicinity of Kaye Avenue.  It was removed in 1922 with the construction of John D. Pierce School.

In 1912, the State Board of Education, in an attempt to improve education in the rural schools, required that all applicants for certification as rural school teachers complete a course in Agriculture.  By 1914, courses in Practical Agriculture were added to the Rural and Graded School courses.  Every student had to become proficient in the use of the Babcock milk tester, the testing of seeds, work in the school gardens and regular textbook work.

The Department of Conservation and Agriculture was organized to fill requirements for teaching in rural schools, obtaining a major or minor for the purpose of teaching in a high school, and gaining experience so students could assist in the program of integrating conservation activities in a school system or go into professional training.

The short course in agriculture was canceled by the State Board of Education in 1924 because enrollment was low.  But Michigan's rural school teachers were required to take agriculture, and the federal government paid the salaries of teachers of agriculture whose training met the requirements of the Smith-Hughes Act.

George Butler, Superintendent of Schools and Grand Marais who met the requirements with his degree from Michigan State University, joined Northern's summer faculty for several years before making the move to Marquette as a permanent member of the staff in January 1935.  He was convinced that the Upper Peninsula was good country for potatoes, apples and dairying and took his students on trips to the Chatham Agricultural Experimental Station and local dairy farms to prove his point.  He taught forestry, botany, soils, animal husbandry, field agriculture and agricultural economics.  He also trained teachers of agriculture who qualified for employment under the Smith-Hughes Act.  His courses were approved for transfer credit by Michigan State University.

In 1938, Butler worked on a project of his own, improving the supply of low-bush blueberries.  Two years later, visiting professors from Michigan State and Western complimented him on his courses.

Over the years, various location in the Peter White Hall of Science served as growing rooms and a greenhouse.  In 1910, the growing room was located on the second floor.  During a renovation of Longyear Hall in 1929, a room was provided for soils and a plant laboratory.  In 1941, a greenhouse was added to the west end of the Peter White Hall of Science.

In 1956, the Department of Conservation and Agriculture was housed in new quarters in the Peter White Hall of Science.  The quarters consisted of two labs, a classroom and some new pieces of equipment.  Nine courses were taught; credits could be transferred to other universities such as Michigan State.

Over the years, Butler encouraged Northern students interested in agriculture to attend the Conservation Training School at Higgins Lake sponsored by the Michigan State College Department of Conservation and the four Colleges of Education.  It was Butler who encouraged President [Henry] Tape to obtain the State Camp on Munuscong Bay in the eastern Upper Peninsula in 1948.

Northern had much to offer students who wished to get pre-professional training in the field of Conservation and Agriculture.  The department carried on soil testing programs for farmers and other interested people in the Upper Peninsula.  Students helped carry out these programs.

After Butler, the head of the department retired in 1959, Roger Norden and Alfred Niemi, both Ph.D.s in agriculture, taught in the combined Department of Geography, Earth Science and Conservation.  The agricultural portion was discontinued in March 1963.