The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1871-06-01
Gyorrespondqnte,
(For the STARK Co. Demoerat.)


ter, what would be the result2
This: that our children growing up,
would all have the advantages of being
educated at home to degree of efficiency
almost incredible, as compared to the at
tainments of the past
Our common schools would then be
equal to the best academies in the Union,
and IN them a thorough preparatory course
would be the consequence, so that our boys
would then be prepared to enter upon and
complete their collegiate course, either in
our universities, or IN the agricultural col
leges, now also established according to
our supposition before We would then
rank with the empire of Prussia in the
means for the diffusion of the knowledge
of the science of agriculture and its kindred
branches. This supposition is far from
the reality, and it may be long time till
We realize this degree of advancement, un-
less we develope much faster in the future
than in the past. 1t Is now about eighty
years, since the first step was made by
such patriots as Washington and others in
this country in the advancement in agri-
cultural knowledge, for be it remembered
that we are yet far behind in this respect,
our boasting to the contrary nowithstEnd=
ing, for Prussia during the last fifty years
tural colleges and experimental farms, so
that now, that great empire has in all
about one hundred agricultural colleges
and schools, and those too of the highest
grade, as we will hereafter show byi their
course OF studies and exercises. But we
have this advantage over the Prussian
system which IS intended for the education
of the landholder, while we educate the
great mass of the people, the laborer as
well as the owner of real estate, and it IS
educated labor we want 1t is skilled
laborers and mechanics that we stand in
great need of. 1t is to be lamented that
the need is so great
There are plenty of mechanics and Ia
borers, if they possessed the requisite skill,
but any one, with the least experience in
such matters, is well aware that jack of all
trades, so common IN this country, is mas
ter of none. This is owing to defect in
our system or custom in this country,
where every person is allowed TO engage
in any business or trade whether he has
| been apprenticed to it or not This is a
deleterous system, and millions of dollars,
1t is estimated, are lost every year IN the
Gnited States from the unskillful manner
in which these laborers and mechanics per-
form their work. This is a question well
1
In England, Prussia and other countries
where the best mechanics are found, there
are quite different customs. The trade is
acquired by an apprenticeship of seven
years, a term of subiection to which young
America could scarcely submit, though for
his own and the advantage of his country.
The same great want of skill Is, every
where apparent to the most casual obserV-
er, among the farmers of this country
and there is no class of people IN greater
need of additional stock of knowledge, and
skill, though great Improvement has been
made within the last fifty years. This
great need was well understood by the
| leading minds of the republic, among whom
was the Great Father of his country. On
the 20th of July 1874, George Washington.
then President of the United States, wrote
| to Sir John st. Clair, as follows:
at will be some time, fear, before an
agricultural society, with congressional
aid, will be established in this country.
1 We must walk, as other countries have
before we can run smaller societies must
prepare the Way for greater; but, with the
| lights before US, hope we shall not be SC
slow in maturation as older nations have
BEEN. An attempt, as you will perceive
by the enclosed outlines of plan, is max
ing to establish State Society in Penn.
sylvania for agricultural improvements
If it succeeds, it viii be step in the lad
der; at present, it is too much in embryo
to decide upon the result"
In his annual address on the 9TH o
December 1896, when he met, for the last
time, the two houses of Congress, he said
at will not be doubted that, with refer
ence to either individual or national wei
0f
In proportion as nations advance In popu
lation, and other circumstances of matur-
ity, this truth becomes more apparent, anC
renders the cultivation of the soil NOR
and more an object of public patronage
Institutions for promoting 1t grow up
supported by the public purse; and t
what object can it be dedicated with great
er proprietY? Among the means which
have been employed to this end, none hav
been attended with greater success thai
the establishment of boards, composed @
proper characters, charged with ollectins
and diffusing information, and enabled b,
premiums, and procuring aids, to encour
age and assist spirit of discovery an
+ improvement.
This species Of establishment contribute
doubly to the increase aseofimprovement, of b.
; stimulating to enterprise and experiment
and by drawing to common centre tn
results, everywhere of individual skill an
observation, and spreading them theme
over the whole nation. Experience &C
cordingly, has shown that they are yer
cheap instruments of immense nahona
benefit"
/ But even before this date, there weI
those who had felt the necessity for som
such action, as would lead to the develop
ment of the agricultural resources of th
country. The South Carolina AgricultuI
Society was established as early as 178-
The Philadelphia Society for the improve
ment of agriculture was formed the sam
year.
A similar association was formed in Ne
York in 1871 and incorporated in l79
And IN 1892, the Society for promotin
agriculture was incorporated in MassachI
setts, and commenced the publication
e a series of papers known as the Agricu
tCral Repository. 1t should be remen
bered that the prime movers in the form
alton of these societies were not men actI
e ally engaged in farming, though many
n them were owners of estates. The greS
r, mass offarmers were then not prepared fC
!. this progressive step. Many years elapse
before the habit of reading became suff
GENTLY general among farmers, to justii
g of these societies. -
g There was little or no disposition in. Il
s people to examine the subject, and the in
. provements proposed were not appreciates
while Hbook farming was rejected by tt
: masses, and they plodded on in the way
their fathers. 1t took nearly quarter
d century to effect any change in this n
+ spect The first national society estal
h lIshed, was the Columbian Agricultur,
: Society for the promotion of rural an
: domestic economy, organized by CONVEX
: ton in Georgetown, D.. c., Nov. %, $50
s This society was probably the first to hol
public exhibition in this country, the fir
4 of which was held in Georgetown, Ma
10th 1910 In October of the same yea
o Elkanah Watson exhibited three Merin
sheep under the great Elm Tree in Pit
d field, Mass, from which sprung the Berl
shire County Agricultural Society, whiC
began to hold regular exhibitions the 70
lowing year. which are supposed to be tt
; first County exhibitions ever held in Il
, United States But such was the igno
is ance of the masses then in that communit
: that the founder of that society eR2ounte