I enjoyed reading the story of Jocelyn Martin as it showed how careers have changed through the years.
Basically for many graduates of agriculture at Melbourne University the reference point is the second year which was spent at Dookie Agricultural College — which in my day was a part of the Department of Agriculture and I believe the change to being part of the university did not happen until the 1990s.
In the story about Jocelyn she says “it is less common for people from non-farming backgrounds to pursue studies and careers in agriculture”.
Not so in the ’50s, ’60s. In my cohort I would guess that maybe 15 per cent [of 44 students] actually came from farms. But interestingly, several of the city raised people went on to become farmers.
As for the females, the careers of some have been the subject of a book Breaking New Ground: Biographies of women agricultural science students, University of Melbourne 1942–1965.
The book follows the lives and careers of 14 of the first female agricultural scientists to spend a residential year at Dookie Agricultural College.
Sadly, the November 29 issue of Country News carried the headline ‘Uni scraps ag and veterinary faculty’.
The city-based mandarins of Melbourne University just don’t understand the importance of a faculty of agriculture and veterinary science.
According to the article, the decision was aimed at lifting the scale and impact of research. She obviously has no concept of the contributions to scientific research, not just in Australia but in the world, that have been made by alumni of the university’s Faculty of Agriculture [and veterinary science].
Their achievements were often based not just on a single subject area but the ability to integrate knowledge in the way we were taught in our undergraduate days.
In my humble opinion agricultural production and hence food security does not need research as an academic pursuit. Rather what is needed is the application of research at the farm gate and the innovations that have come through farmers themselves.
When I meet up with my octogenarian cohort of 1960 on December 7 to have lunch and reminisce, they will not be pleased — I would suggest it is our time as students in the ‘Ag faculty’ that binds us together and suddenly that focal point is to go.
Norman Welsh
Yarrawonga
10°C