I N T E A C H I N G T H E SUBJECT OF M E A T S

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1 6. E F F E C T I V E METHODS, 7 E C H N l Q U E S A N D A I D S I N T E A C H I N G T H E SUBJECT OF M E A T S UTLER, JR. L TEXAS A. & M. COLLEGE V I " O n l y a l i t e r a r y genius can paint a p i c t u r e w i t h words. Those of us with l e s s s k i l l must convey ideas by supplementing words. Textbooks, though good, must be supplemented, interpreted, and demonstrated i f t h e Orally administered, smallinoculation of information from them "takes" pox vaccine i s ineffective, but a high percentage of s u c c e ~ si s obtained when an expert applies t h e vaccine through t h e skin. The textbook, then, may be compared t o t h e vaccine, I f it i s good and "administered" by an expert, a high percentage of "takes" r e s u l t s. It must be admitted, however, t h a t some students a r e immune. It i s t h e supplementation, emphasizing, and i n t e r p r e t a t i o n t h a t I wish t o deal with.. Teaching involves imparting information. Abstract facta can be taught by requiring t h e student t o commit them t o memory. Unlees he has t h e background, t h e d e s i r e t o learn, and confidence i n t h e f a c t s, he w i l l derive no more meaning from them than memorizing car l i c e n s e numbers. Permanent and e f f e c t i v e learning i s best a t t a i n e d when the studsnt has proper motivation, c l e a r l y presented information, and when he applied o r checks the information personally eo as t o dispel h i s l a s t l i n g e r i n g doubt. We should have no trouble with proper motivation a t Texas A. & M., a8 a l l meat couraes a r e elective. The student presumably has t h e d e s i r e t o l e a r n about meat when he r e g i s t e r s f o r a course. Our reeponsibility i s to present t h e information accurately and clearly, and provide opportunity f o r i t a application. An ounce of experience i s worth a ton o f theory. All our meat courees a r e divided into a theory section and a laboratory section. I n theory we t r y t o present information t o assignments i n texts and supplementary books outside class, and by i n t e r p r e t ing, emphasizing, and supplementing assigned work a t c l a s s meetings. Small sections d l o w e f f e c t i v e discussion and exchange of ideas, but l a r g e ones require closely controlled discussions, i f any, e l s e a l a r g e percentage o f t h e c l a s s l o s e s i n t e r e e t. For l a r g e sections l e c t u r e s supplemented by t h e blackboard, by charts, by color slides, by demonstrations, o r by movies are most e f f e c t i v e. A t the completion of t h e introductory meat course thisspring, I asked t h e students i n two sections of about f i f t y each t o rank those methods i n order of effectiveneaa. Lecture plus demonstration ranked f i r & with a w o r e of 490, l e c t u r e plus color slide6 second with 331, l e c t u r e plus movies t h i r d with 258, while l e c t u r e plus blackboard and l e c t u r e plus charts t i e d with 209 f o r l a s t place i n effectiveness, Demonstrations were given on c u t t i n g of beef, pork and lamb, and on slaughtering sheep. Once a year a meat cooking demonstration i s given f o r us by t h e National Live Stock and Meat Board. Students a r e pleased with t h e c l a r i t y and chronology of demonstrations.

2 7. "A p i c t u r e i s worth a thousand words", says Edgar Dale i n "AudioVisual Methods of Teaching". We believe h i m, and have prepared 2" x 2" color pictures for use i n a slide projector on slaughtering c a t t l e, on c u t t i n g beef, and on slaughtering sheep. A t Texas A. & M. we have a photographic and visual a i d s laboratory t o prepare such materials. They i n s i s t that moving picture8 a r e preferable t o s l i d e s f o r presenting "how t o do it" information. Since only one movie "curing pork country style", a USDA f i l m, was used, the comparison of s l i d e s and movies may not be r e l i a b l e, A s far as l e c t u r e s supplemented by charts o r blackboard a r e concerned, they w i l l compare poorly with t h e other methods unless something f r e s h and acutely i n t e r e s t i n g i s presented w i t h the precision and animation of a top ranking actor. The average l e c t u r e may be l i s t e d among t h e cures f o r insomnia unless it i s properly supplemented and i l l u s t r a t e d. The laboratory i n a l l our courses i s emphasized. Information from l e c t u r e s atld textbooks, when applied and proved by t h e student, i s t r u l y learned. Laboratory sections a r e s t r i c t l y limited t o sixteen students per i n s t r u c t o r so t h a t personal a t t e n t i o n may be given. I n our introductory course, a laboratory schedule i s prepared i n advance and placed i n t h e hands of each student. Seldom i s there any deviation from t h e schedule. This course has a threehour laboratory, and t h e usual section meets sixteen times. The f i r s t meeting i s devoted t o orientation and familiarization w i t h equipment and f a c i l i t i e s plus sharpening knives and caring for equipment. We have found t h a t p u t t i n g a fine, smooth, properly beveled edge on a knife i s about the most d i f f i c u l t thing t o teach beginners. I n teaching this operation we employ models of properly sharpened knives, p i c t u r e s showing how t o do it, a microscope f o r examination o f t h e edge, plus demons t r a t i o n and individual guidance. It i s d i f f i c u l t t o impress a student with t h e importance of a sharp knife i n t h e beginning, however, and frequently we have t o review knife sharpening and maintaining of the edge a f t e r a few periods of slaughtering and cutting. Slaughtering hogs and cutting and curing pork occupy t h e next s i x periods. We begin w i t h hogs because w e f e e l t h a t less knife s k i l l i s required than w i t h c a t t l e. Students k i l l t h r e e times and cut and cure t h r e e times. New operations a r e always demonstrated a few steps a t t h e time followed by having t h e students do t h e same steps. We slaughter, cut and cure i n various ways a minimum o f twelve hogs per sixteen students, and usually we handle sixteen hogs. It must be emphasized t h a t we a r e not attempting t o develop great skill i n our laboratory work, but we do demand passable s k i l l, Emphasis i s placed on the f a c t o r s which contribute t o the value o f each animal k i l l e d, and students a r e required t o record weights, yields, and prices. A record f o r each animal o r carcass used in a laboratory i s kept on blackboards mounted on t h e wall on t h e k i l l i n g floor and i n the cutting room. P r i o r estimation of weights, yields, and comparative values i s encouraged..

3 Demonstration of a method i s f e l t t o be incomplete without the e continually i n s i s t t h a t t h e stureasons f o r doing the Job i n t h a t way. W dents u t i l i z e laboratory material t o best advantage f o r learning, and d i s courage t h e usual tendency t o get through and get out. Students are required t o clean t h e p a r t of the laboratory they use. This i s p a r t of t h e teaching, as sanitation i s best emphasized a t t h a t time. Bacterial counts are sometimes made t o allow estimation of t h e effectiveness of the cleaning job. Six periods are a l l o t t e d t o cattlethree f o r slaughtering and three f o r cutting, A minimum of twelve c a t t l e are used per section. I n cutting, wholesale cute are prepared, and boneless cuts a r e made from the wholesale cuts where feasible. Sheep a r e slaughtered once and cut once, always a t the close o f t h e semester. A minimum of one sheep per two students i s used. One laboratory period i s reserved f o r a f i e l d t r i p t o t h e Houston Packing Company, which i s o u r nearest packing house of adequate s i z e. Fortunately, the general superintendent t h e r e formerly taught meats a t Texas A. % M., so he knows what t h e students need t o see. This t r i p a l ways comee i n t h e l a t t e r p a r t of the semester so that operations w i l l not be e n t i r e l y new, and so t h a t the students will be properly impressed with t h e shill o f professional workmen. A prmpnet discuseing the highlights of each department i n t h e packing plant i s given the student about a week p r i o r t o the t r i p, and discussed a t one theory period. H e take8 t h a t pamphlet along, thus focusing h i s a t t e n t i o n on the irtqortant things t o be seen. Answers t o a questionnaire covering the laboratory work revealed A l l w a n t t o own t h e knives and small equipment required, and most would l i k e t o handle more animals i n laboratory. The majority feels that less than sixteen students per i n s t r u c t o r would allow more e f f e c t i v e learning. t h a t all students approve the f i e l d t r i p. I n our advanced courses great emphasis i s placed on t h e individ u a l student. Here sections a r e small and course8 a r e more f l e x i b l e. Our a i m i s t o prepare students t o be locker plant managers and f o r other jobs i n t h e meats f i e l d. Operations i n laboratory a r e intended t o leave a student with a feeling of personal and individual accomplishment. IA one course a student i s required t o s e l e c t, slaughter, cut and cure a hog i n any way he desires, as well a s make t h e sausage and render t h e l a r d. He i s encouraged t o s e l l t h e products. Last semester we held a ham show among t h e students i n t h a t course, with t h e winner receiving one of the hams he produced as a prize. A report i n d e t a i l i s required on costs and p r o f i t o r lose realized, We have a small locker p l a n t operated commercially f o r instruct i o n a l purposea. Each student taking laboratory work i n locker plant operation i s required t o s e l e c t f i v e patrons using our services. H e must inventory t h e i r boxes and t r y t o influence h i s patrons t o use them most e f f e c t i v e l y f o r t h e individual and locker p l a n t. This i s downtoearth

4 9. selling and catering and introduces the student to coldblooded business. report on each customer is required at the end of the semester. A A new sausage kitchen will be used to try to give students a more complete idea of meat operations. We feel that an operation utilizing such a large percentage of the meat produced in this country should be given appropriate emphasis in teaching meats. It is not our aim to produce finished sausage makers, but we hope to familiarize our men with the operation enough so that it will not be strange to them. Finally, we attempt to find out how much we are putting across by quizzes in laboratory and theory. The major quizzes are announced, but daily quizzes are not. Results on these usually serve to deflate the ego of the instructor. We hope to expand our meats curriculum. It is our aim to send out a graduate who will have a distinct advantage in almost any occupation in the field of meats. In summarizing, effective learning involves motivation, access to information, and application. Information is best presented by use of text books and reference booke, demonstrations, color slides, moving pictures, charta, models, and blackboard illustrations, Application is best accomplished by effective use of a meats laboratory with a minimum number of students per instructor. CHAIRMAN ANDERSON: Thank you, Mr. Butler. The diecussion leader on this paper is N. W. Hilston of the University of Wyoming. Mr. Hilston, please. methods. PROF. HILSTON: You have heard an excellent paper on teaching Does anyone have a queetion on this paper? PROF. J. W. COLE: There is one phase in meat instruction that has always troubled me and that is the best and faireet way of scoring laboratory work, I know a practical examination is good, such a8 a cutting demonstration, but it generally takes too long. You have to allow each student ten or fifteen minutes, and if you have sixty studente, it takes too much time. What is the most practical way of gradlng laboratory work in courses in meats? PROF. EILSTON: Do you have an answer for that, Prof. Butler? PROF. BIJTIZR: Well, that is also one of our big problems. I must admit that personal opinion is the main basis that we use for scoring students in the laboratory. With only sixteen men, we can become fairly well acquainted with them. We more them on skill to some extent, but more on application, the way they try to learn the subject, and in addition we have practical quizzes covering what they have done, and a quiz for identification of the cuts that they produce during the semester.

5 10. This business of grading is, I believe, one of the greatest challenges in teaching meats. Personally, I l i k e t o teach, but I d i s l i k e t o grade. I always ponder whether i t i s a fair grade o r not when I give it t o a student. PROF. BUSTON: I s t h e r e any other question? PROF. D. L. MACKINTOSH: I would l i k e t o comment on two items that were mentioned: One i s that of new blood. I think all of us who can be though none of us a r e old welcome new blood f o r two c l a s s i f i e d as o l d reasons. The f i r s t reason is that we need help because we cannot do it alone; t h e other i s that new blood i s always stimulating and every new man t h a t we get contributes a feu ideas. It i s not a case of the young man being converted t o o l d methods. I think the young rnan more frequently contributes more with new thoughts than he does anything e l s e possibly, as far as teaching i e concerned. Everyone has new ideas. The other question i s w i t h reference t o t h e suspicious student. I always consider the suspicious student a8 an asset t o t h e class, because he helps keep the instructor on h i s toes. PROF. HILSTON: Thank you, M r. Mackintosh. l i k e t o defend t h a t f i l m of h i s. P. MR. KEN WARNER: blackboard when I t a l k. PROF. HILSTON: Maybe Ken Warner would You how, my worry now i s that I a m going t o me Are there any other comments on t h e paper? I would l i k e t o ask Mr. Butler a question. You mentioned that you do not use t h e laboratory f o r over sixteen students. What would be your preference i n the number of students i n t h e laboratory? PROF. BUTLER: Well, I would prefer one, a s f a r a8 e f f e c t i v e teaching i s concerned, but 1 think i n order f o r the college t o u t i l i z e our services t o t h e best advantage and not be unfair t o t h e students, t h a t twelve i s about the number I would l i k e t o see i n the laboratory section. Twelve students with knives can do a l o t of damage before you get around t o seeing them, PROF. HILSTON: Are there any further questions? PROF. V. IC. JOBNSON: I j u s t wondered i f a oneday f i e l d t r i p t o t h e packing house is adequate, I think the idea o f making t h e f i e l d t r i p a t t h e end of the semester has i t s d e f i n i t e advantages i n that the student knows more about what he sees when he goes there, but it i s my experience that i f you make a f i e l d t r i p a t t h e beginning of the semester, it makes your teaching eaaier and more e f f e c t i v e t h e rest o f the semester. PROF. HILSTON: T h a t i s, you would r a t h e r take your f i e l d t r i p t o the packing house t h e f i r s t of the semester r a t h e r than the l a s t? PROF. JOHNSON: It seems t o me t h e students understand a whole l o t more about w h a t i s happening t o t h e meat and eo f o r t h if you take it i n such a manner. That i s j u s t another angle t o throw on it.

6 11. PROF. BILSTON: I s there any f'urther discussion on t h e subject of whether students should go the first o r t h e l a s t of the semester t o t h e packing house? I would l i k e t o ask M r. Butler w h a t type of a sales force he uses t o dispose of a l l of t h e carcasses he slaughters. Some of us a r e not quite so fortunate i n having an o u t l e t such a s he evidently has, and a r e l i m i t e d i n the number of animals which we can slaughter. I know i n my p a r t i c u l m case, i f I can dispose of f i v e hog carcasses through the period of a quarter for each section, I f e e l I have done quite well. He slaughters no less than twelve p e r each section of oixteen. PROF. PIERCE: PROF. BUTLER: W e slaughter about a thousand head of livestock a year, but we are fortunate i n having a system t h a t will take everything we want t o s e l l a t a p r i c e. We must s e l l it t o them a t t h e lowest bid they get from any packing house, f o r a comparable piece of meat. That makes it unp r o f i t a b l e i n a l o t of cases, but a t l e a s t we a r e never worried about having anything s p o i l o r get old. Then we do s e l l a good deal of t h e meat we produce t o o u r locker plant. We have 220 boxes there. PROF. MACMNTOS3: I would l i k e t o have your reaction, M r. Butler, t o t h e u t i l i z a t i o n of mechanical equipment i n replacing hand labor in t h e classroom. PROF. BUTLER: Thank you, M r. Mackintosh. We have p r e t t y modern slaughtering f a c i l i t i e s In o u r meat laboratory, and I c e r t a i n l y want t o defend those f a c i l i t i e s. We t h i n k t h a t i f a student l e a r n s the operations necessary t o slaughter hogs, f o r instance, and i f we can run a few more hogs through i n t h e time that we have and get him introduced t o a l l t h e operations i n slaughtering hogs, t h a t i f he has any i n i t i a t i v e a% a l l, he w i l l be able t o adapt t h e equipment t h a t he has t o t h e job. Now, we do t e l l him about c e r t a i n a i d s t h a t might not be evident on t h e face of it i n slaughtering hogs. For instance, one of Roy Snyder's f a v o r i t e s t u n t s i S t o t e l l them how t o carry a hog "back up", and drive a hog with a rope on h i s front foot, and a l o t of things l i k e that, but I certainly want t o defend t h e uoe of modern equipment and f a c i l i t i e s. Farm slaughtering has decreased i n importance a great deal i n Texas. I h o w it has a l l over the country, and we no longer call our introductory course "Farm Meats." We c a l l it simply "Meats", and we have a l i t t l e d i f f e r e n t objective i n view i n teaching students. We hope t o place a good many of them i n t h e meat industry. m i l e we do cover farm slaughtering operations, we do not emphasize it as much as we d i d formerly. PROF. BILSTON: Thank you. I believe our time has expired, so w i l l t u r n t h e meeting back t o t h e Chairman. CHAIRMAN ANDERSON: Thank you, M r. Hilston. The next paper i s by our good friend, Profeseor Kunkle, o f Ohio S t a t e University, on t h e subject "Required Meat Courses f o r Students Majoring i n Food Technology, Animal Husbandry and HotelRestaurant Management. " M r. Kunkle. ###