The Feliciana Democrat. (Clinton, La.) 1855-186?, 1857-08-01
From tho Southern Cnltivator
EDUCATION IN RURAL DISTRICTS

In m able and interesting report made by
the President of the Virginia State Agricultu
raj Society, Philip st. George Cooke, Esor
we find the following earnest appeal in behalf
Of popular education.
1T is n very remarkable fact that amongst
all the numerous and varied pursuits of man,
the very one OF those pursuits which has the
most intimate, the most extended, and often
the most reconcile connection with all the laws
Of physical nature, with all science, with all art,
in short, with the whole range of knowledge
a pursuit, too, upon which depends the subsist-
encc and tho very existence of the human spc-
cics-n upon which is based the well being, the
happiness, the progress and prosperity Of ndi-
vidiuals, of states, and of nations II is re-.
remarkable, say, that the pursuit of agricul-
turc should be the last and the haa to be ben
Gifted and advanced by all the vast progress
that has been made in other departments of
skill, knowledge, and industry. And why is
this? First, the science and art of agriculture
having their infinite connections, near and re-
mote, with all knowledge the general subject
is more difficult to be understood and fully
known as it is one Of the most extensive and
recondtc that can engage the human mind :;
and, in the next place, because throughout all
history, and in every country, the very men
who are most interested and engaged in agr-
culture, have been precisely those who have
been least cultivated and improved by means
OF scholastic exercises and education suited to
their pursuits
The last remark above quoted hits the nail
square on the head. 1t is no rcproach to far
mcrs to lack mental culture, when they had no
fair opportunity to attend school SO as to ac-
quirc q good education. This fact, however, is
no good reason why they should not vote for
giving all coming generations better chance
to improve the noble faculties of our common
nature than they enjoyed Without some ma
terial increase of knowledge, our future pro-
gress must be in dcsolating the land we cult
yatc, not in making it more fruitful. But hear
Mr.. Cooke:
" In Our southern states, the entire class of
proprictors or cultivators of small landed cs-
tates, the managers or oversecrs having in q
great measure the more immediate supervision
and control of the landed estates of wealthy
proprictors are universally and utterly ignor-
rant of every principle of physical or natural
science.
:" And it is reasonable to believe that the
loss to southern agriculture each year, in con
sequence of this lamentable state of ignorance
if such loss could be prevented and could the
amount SO saved for single year be appropr-
ated and applied to educational purposes, that
it would itself be sufficient richly to cndow as
many agricultural schools aod colleges us are
required by our southern states. When we
contemplate the vast amount of ignorance, the
total want Of education existing amongst the
mass of the agricultural population of our state,
we shall be at no loss to conjecture that the
pecnniary loss to Virginia from this cause is
immense indeed"
The writer of tho above proposes to add
three Agricultural professorships to the Uni
ycrsity Of the State; which would be valua
BILE addition to its educational force, although,
in our humble. opinion, to teach the profession
OF agriculture properly, it should be divided
among not less than six professors, or the least
number employed to teach the profession Of
medicine in colleges Some of the Agricultu-
raj Schools in Europe have thirteen professors
but six in this country would do the work, if
duly qualified, in worthy and effective man
Iner. Public opinion is growing up to demand
the advantages which schools devoted to the
elevation Of tillage and husbandry as IN enlight.
cd calling may readily afford and place within
the means of ALL Every friend of Improvement
in agriculture and in those with whom il is o