Educational Responsibilities of the Lumber and Building Materials Merchandising Industry

After some 21 years, Michigan State . University's four.year program in Lumber :, & Building Materials Merchandising has '.,;. sent approximately 500 graduates out into : the construction and building materials 1. marketing fields. Theee graduates have i" taken positions in the retail, wholesale and commission phases of the lumber and building materials field, inclusive of o-pportunities in the sash and door industry, lumber trade associations and the construction industry.

This four-year program of study leading to the Bachelor of Science Degree was inaugurated just prior to \forld War II when it was recognized that a dire need for : educated personnel in the light construction and building materials marketing fields \ existed. The firgt few years of ite exictence i were uncertain ones as World War II encompassed the nation. However, with the return of the GI to the University campus, enrollment increased very rapidly. During the boom days for construction and building materials, satisfactory enrollments were maintained. However, during the past four years, in phase with the declining prosperity of the industry, enrollments have been steadily declining with present figures much below a representative level.

Today industry figures throughout the country reflect the inadequate job being done by the distribution or marketing segment oI the building materials industry. As evidence this industry is presently Iosing markets to the booming auto and recreation industries.

The Lumber and Building Materials Merchandising program at Michigan State is devoted to three specific phases; namely, general education, construction & building materials and general business fundamentals. The Departmerrt of Forest Products, the administrator of this curriculum, contende that the marriage of these three phases tends to educate the.student in the basic fundamentals of this dynamic industry'

The seriousness of the decline in enrollment in this four.year program of study is manifested by the complaints of the purchaser of today's building materials. At a recent rneeting of nation.wide manufac;turers of building materials, leadirrg home ibuilders pleaded with them to employ more ,technically trained college people who eould iintelligently assess their building material needs and oome up with the righl an.w*r..

The non-technically trained sales personnel was guiltyo in their eyes, of wasting their valuable time and contributing nothing to the venture. The lS-day wonder or suede shoe individual was not conducive to a competitive industry. In all, their pleas were directed toward such a curriculum where promising individuals could receive such fundamental training.

The lumber industry, along with allied building materials, is becoming a "hard sell" to _the young high *hool graduate of today. Industry, both residential building and building materials, must direct its efforts toward recruiting this individual. The industries of this country are literally camp- ing on the doorsteps rif the Universitils of the Nation in order to grab up their promieing graduates. Further, their efiorts are being extended to the high school level where young people are being .,indoctrinated" in the Career possibilities of their industries. The residential building and lumber and building materials industries must follow suit and vie for this essential personnel. They must sell their career possibilities and direct these young people to the institutions of higher learning where such education may be obtained. Lures inthe form of scholarships and grants must be offered in order to assist the recruited student in his four-year quest for this education.

The residential building, lumbero and building materials industries of this countrv could well afford to counsel with this country's educational institutions that offer such training regarding this problem of student enrollment and career image. A combined effort on the part of the above 3 phases of this important construction industry to sell the career possibilities of it could jo -uch to put it on a more competitive basis with the other industries of thi Nation. Few in- dustries of this country relegate to the universities the industry training that these universities accomplish for this construction industry. However, time can run out and should these Universities continue to experience such so-so enrollments in view of the high oost of present day education, it is doubtful whether these programs will be continued. Such a deletion would be oI serious consequence to this industry.

Industry must face up to the educational responsibilities of its future leaders. Michigan State's four-year Lumber & Building Materials Merchandising Curriculum has for some 20 years extended the faeilities of its great institution to the industry. Should such an invitation continue to be disregarded, industry will have lost a valuable treining ground for its futur€ leedere.

Chemiool Fire Retordqnt

Monsanto Chemical Company has announced that it is now marketing PhosChek, a chemical retardant especially designed for aerial application to forest and brush fires.

Phos-Chek is a dry mix, which, when added to water, produces a viscoug noncorrosive slurry which is dropped by aircraft as a chemical barrier against advancing ground or forest fires.

The material clings to trees and brush, according to Monsanto, and only heavy rains can wash it away. An added advantage to the product is that it is a fertilizer, and is not chemically harmful to plant growth.

Monsanto has cooperated with a number of state and federal agencies in conducting laboratory and field research on chemical fire fighting for the past four years. PhosChek has proved its efficiency in tests on actual forest fires on the West Coast. the company said.

To My Hoo-Hoo FRTENDS: December r3' re62

In sending you my best wishes for the New year, I wish also to thank-you for the generous co-operation you have extended during the past year. in helping make our Hoo-Hoo Organization so successful in its accomplishments.

I do hope you have had a good year and may the New year bring you an abundance of the good things in life.

Sincerely,

run{fty K. KoL[, 4ryrl16 Choirmon