Oklahoma A&M College initiated a series of short courses to offer specialized instruction to Oklahomans, starting in 1898 with a two-week program. Later courses lasted eight weeks and cost about $3 per week, which included room and meals. Each covered several subjects from livestock to machinery to insects and the college’s staff taught all. The individuals pictured are attending a short course at the campus horse barn to learn the fine points of caring for draft horses, which served as the tractors and luxury cars of their day.