CHANGE IN FORESTRY SCHOOL

A radical change has been made in the work of the Harvard Forestry School at Petersham which will take effect next fall. This change will mean the practical abandonment of the course in lumbering at the Forestry School, and in its stead a new course in lumbering will be conducted under the Graduate School of Business Administration. From investigation carried on by the Petersham School it was found that there are approximately 85 forestry schools in the country, all of which give instruction that is practically the same. The lack of instruction in lumbering, the efficiency side of forestry, is openly neglected and it is for this purpose that Harvard has secured the services of Mr. J. M. Gries of the United States Bureau of Corporations.

The course will be divided into two parts. The first half will be under the Business School and the second half, complementary to it, will be under the Bussey Institution, the practical instruction to be given by former instructors of the Forestry School who will be transferred to the Bussey Institution.

Mr. Gries who will supervise the whole course is probably one of the best equipped men in the country to deal with this subject. The whole work under him will not only deal with the methods of turning forest trees into lumber profitably but will also take up the necessary details of finance and manufacturing. The lack of efficiency and economy in the lumber industry of today is lamentably noticeable. Much timber is made into lumber at a distinct loss. The whole manufacturing and marketing end of the lumber industry is in need of just such scientific study as this new course affords.

The other great advantage of this division will be derived by the Forestry School itself as it can give all of its time and energy to scientific research of the study of forestry and wood technology. The student will take up the regular course in lumbering the first half year under Mr. Gries and the second half-year he will devote his time to field work at the Bussey Institute. In this way, with the two divisions of the course clearly separated and thoroughly treated, greater efficiency in the whole subject will be achieved and the school will maintain a position far in advance of similar institutions.