Principal Present Day Agencies.— Of the many institutions conducting university exten sion courses at the present time among the most notable ones are the University of Wis consin, University of Michigan and Columbia University. .
1. Wisconsin.— The University of Wisconsin offers several plans of extension work for the benefit of persons who desire to study any subject as members of a club, class or study group and provides special guided outlines. Such co-operative study makes possible per sonal visits and class instruction from university professors and specialists. These plans are adapted to the needs of teachers' groups, women's clubs, labor unions, farmers, business men's associations, etc. The outlines which are provided carry the privilege of a lecture or series of lectures and of direction, guidance and assistance by the person who outlined the work Because of this provision the studies are much more effective and interesting. There is a nominal charge for outlines with the at tendant privileges and the cost of lectures varies somewhat with the lecturer. Much work is done in supplying material for debates. The department of debating and public discussion has approximately 10,000 packages of material available for distribution and there is an in creasing demand for this service: Recently a Chautauqua circuit has been established in the State for the purpose of providing instruction, inspiration and recreation.
Community institutes are held in various parts of the State to assist local communities to solve certain definite problems. These in stitutes are in charge of men specially trained in the economic and social problems common to small country communities.
The university in its extension work has free access to the Legislative Reference Depart ment, the State Historical Library, the Uni versity Library and the City Library. The Wisconsin Free Library Commission and those in charge of the different libraries co-operate generously in this work Bulletins are issued. bibliographies and study outlines are prepared and publications are supplied gratis in the State. The Wisconsin Civil Service Commission has co-operated with the university in educational work among State employees by means of con ferences, talks, lectures and circulars.
2. New York City.— In New York city a plan is being followed of training persons already in the city public service through the co-operation of the College of the City of New York and the city government. In 1917 a thousand city employees were studying 1,300 courses in the evening classes. The College of the City of New York in co-operation with the board of education offers free extension courses in sev eral centres to the teachers of the New York City schools.
3. Columbia University.— The extension teaching department of Columbia University offers many courses in subjects which form a part of the curriculum of Columbia College and in the more advanced branches of these sub jects shares in the work for the higher de grees. Subordinate and subsidiary to this are the courses of secondary school grade for mature students who cannot return to ordinary schools of this type. The professional schools are represented in an increasing number of courses so that students may pursue their studies in many special branches. In addition to the regular courses of the extension teach ing department extramural courses in New York and in outlying cities are offered.
4. Other Agencies.—One that is attempting to reach working people along educational lines is the Young Men's Christian Association. The subjects pursued in the Y. M. C. A. classes may be approximately grouped under six head.s: (1) Commercial; (2) political; (3) industrial; (4) scientific; (5) language and miscellaneous — music, first aid to the injured, etc ; (6) special schools, such as law, art, automobile, etc.
The Young Women's Christian Association also has educational classes but comparatively little instruction is given in the regular high school subjects. The main effort is to help women who are self-supporting to become more efficient and to put within the reach of those who are not self-supporting the training which will enable them to become so.