Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1850-11-04

| teaimagine, becaus our ancestors have left
US the fruits Of their labor. enabling Us ia
| dress richly, pass through college, enter
some profession. that our, noblesl propen.
sites are fully developed. and tha, we are
in fact, geBllen'en and genriewomen. .'a.'a
5 But how mistaken we are! True no.
bility does not consist in fine coats, and
bonneis; nor in being able To- gabble French
orLatin; nor in talking learnedly or Law,
Medicine, or Theology. II consists in a
| perfectly developed mental and physical Of. u.
gan'zdfion.a And where will we find a
more perfect mental and physical Organism
than among The producers, Of our land. -
The brightest geniuses Of the world were
bred 10 the plough and bench. There, is
where they get the strength and har1ihood
se bear them up in their nrduous struggles
IN Science, Philosophy, Rel gion. ), en-
.. You take the mass Of our city popula.
ton, and you cannot make geniuses Of
them. They have not the r.m and endu.
rance necessary to intense mental and
physical labor. And besides, reared as
they are, amidst .he ot-beds Of luxury, or
dissipation, they are totally unfit for IN,
truly noble purpose. do NOT say il is
impossible TO" raise up great mind under
these influences. for God has his anoma-
lies in every circle; still the chances are
greatly against it. The whirl oi fashion
able life, or pangs Of grim necessity, vi.
cious amuse ments and the like, oil coIspire
10 render imbecle the whole man-so that
robust man or wo man are the veiriest ex-
ceptions. i@2s 7ftS A-" >''al% Eaa -
No. SO, with those who lead rustic life.
There, childhood has the fresh green hills
and meadows and groves, free from the
smoke and minsma of pent up Streets
There, youth inhales, instead Of the poi.
sened atmosphere of close rooms, the pure
healihiul breezes of Nature. There, man
and womanhood are developed, secure
from the Infections Of pride and arrogance
strong in body-Rure comparatively in
mind. This is the soil 10 produce grent
minds-the kingdom Of true nobility. And
he that spurns The honest farmer. because
OF his business, spurns one Of God'sseal no.
llf this science is SO useful and important.
;ben--one of genuine no5leaess, with what
care and preparation should've enter upon
its duties! Men think to become farmers.
without ii knowledge Of farming; or il any
knowledge at all, some maxims, and say
SOS handed down 10 them from some cru.
dite grandsire! But what would they say.
il a man were 10 attempt 10 practice medi-
cine, without being versed in anatomy, or
ho af ,.,L.
ever having mastered Blackstone and
Chitty? What, if an individual should
presume 10 preach, without ever having
learned more Of theology. Than the story OF
the Fall. Deluge, Crucifxion. or Refor-
matioh2 Would you, would /. be satisfied
with such? We would not. Still il is Iust
as necessary for the farmer to be well
posted in the sci ence Of agriculture, us for
them 10 be versed in their various profess
sions. Why, every farmers boy should bs
young professor Of agriculture! So ear.
ly should he be taught the science. Not
:ba: he should neglect his other lilerary
studies; but this should be a part Of his
common school and college instruction.
The3, il viii be comlhon thing 10 hear
in the school room: ''ihe class in the sci.
enee Of cultiva,ing potatoes, barley, or
turnips, may attend the recitation!" say
it will be common thing, when matters
assume more of practical turn. Would
not such studies be Of far more utility, 10 a
farmers son than astrc nomy, geology, or
aigebra2 Not lhatI would dispense with
these higher branches entirely, but / would
use, them as tie last polishing agents, to
beautify and elevate the mind.
To have agriculture then, taught as
part of normal education, would be one OF
the most important advancements in the
common school system. ! know they
would be novel questions 10 ask teacher
in his examination: show many bushels Of
clover or grass seed. should be used to the
acre? or wha, kind Of soil is best adapted
to the growth of Rye, Buckwheat or Bar
ley? or how many pounds of pork, fifty,
seventy. five or a hundred bushels of corn
will make?" but believe these, and SINH.
lar questions are as necessary, as "What
is the difference between the nphelion and
peritelion of ,plauet-when IS verb
nemer, when aciire, and when passire-
in wha, latitude is London, Paris or Gil
bral.er situatedl" so essential 10 system.
attic examinatian now: at least the farming
portion Of the community. should so con.
slider them. = fsrier,Is.Er g.:f -.s3sasfgis
Our farmers do not theorizs enoxgh.-
They are too apt to depend upon the ira
ditions Of their ancestors, instead Of reason.
ngthings out, from cause to effect. Why,
how many hundreds, yea, thousands there
are, who will no. plant. sow, build fence
nor. set u post, only in a certain stage Of
the moon! Now, what the moon has to
do with planting fence posts and sowing
turnip seed, is not for me 10 decide; 5ut
for you who engage in these matters. But
why is it that such freaks get into the
minds of men--some OF them comparative,
ly Of intelligence and erudition2 merely
because we do not theorize enough. If
the moon has such an influence Upon the
permancncy of fence, or gate post; or
termination Of plants and grain. ii be-.
hooves those that have an interest in such
things, to search into the modus operandi
nf the nnaffor -A-E -s .E .eEST-s8IC : Ss sst.