Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-05-05
From the Vermont Farmer.
The University OF Vermont and State Asrleultu-
raj College.
PRESIDENT BuCgHAM on EDUCATION FOR
FARMERS SON"

FARMERS SONS
| frequently read in your columns and
hear in farmers meetings this objection TO
a liberal education, viz, that II l. almost
sure to withdraw Young men from farming
to other pursuits. - intend, says one
holding thI- opinion. " that my boy shall
be a farmer | know that II | send him to
college, mis- tastes will become alenated
from farming. | am determined, therefore.
that he shall not go.
Now. in the frst place, no parent has
any right to say that his son shall be u lar
mer, or merchant, or lawyer. or any
thing else In countries where caste pre-
walls, every boy mast follow his father Oc-
cupati0n. but from the variety Of pursuits
open to all in this free land. each man
chooses his own calling We mean by
this term not that his father calls him to
this or that pursuit, but God. by the talents,
tastes, opportunities, lie gives him. There
Is only one way in which father can com
pei his boy to be a farmer, and that Is by
denying him every chance to be anything
else But this is tn detraud him out OF his
natural right to have chance to make the
most of himself, whether as farmer or IN
some other calling.
But does the world lose or gain BY having
AdILuGI~ EolN III AA1 llhNto Va hOhNN ohN
power? | might ask, "ls it possible tO
prevent this? Is it not a fixed and inevita-
ble fact that the professional order must
recruit itself from the agricultural y But
| will put this question instead Is 1t
not desirable that It should be so? l. 1t not
well that the vIgor, the enterprise. the
freshness. the simplicity. which are born OF
the soil. should, from time to time, sup
plant the feebleness and artifciality which
would otherwise tasten themselves ON all
the professions ?' If all those who are
born on the farm should stay on the farm,
as mary claim they should, whence would
come the supply OF new BRAIN power needed
to keep the professions and industries from
running out? Ii is certainly good for law
and medicine and religion and learning
that some Of the farmers sons are educa-
ted away from the farm. No man knows
when he refuses to educate his son lest he
should lose him from his farm, whether he
may not be denying TO the world the man 1t
needs most Of all. some pure statesman,
some profound Jurist, some powerful preach
| er Of righteousness.
Farmers sons do, however. in goodly
numbers come to college (though it would
| not be true, in most cases. that they were
! sent) and but few of them, comparatively.
/ become farmers themselves. Why Is this
| q" Because YOU educate them away from the
! farm" Yet IN other countries, notably In
| England, graduates of universities betake
themselves to agriculture of choice and
with enthusiasm. There young man
studies profession or engages IN trade.
| If he must, but hewho can live on his pa
| ternal acres is accounted and accounts him
self the lucky man. How does 1t happen
that college education. more scholastic
! than ours, does not educate these young
| Englishmen away from the love at their
bullocks and their turnip fields The an
swer Is conclusive OF this whole matter.
Their agriculture Is pursued IN such way
that it Is lucrative and hOnored profession.
Intelligent men engage IN It, They put
into il their utmost of brains, science. and
skill. The highest born and iairest in the
land. peers OF parliament, millionaires.
take pleasure and pride III its processes.
The mind and heart of England 20 into Its
country life. Now young man S choice vi
a profession is determined very much by
the estimate in which this or that profess
| sion is held and holds itself. Farmers in
this country DO not sufficiently respect
themselves They do not, for instance, re-
auire OF themselves to be educated and IN
tellicent because hey are farmers. 1t Is ABB
sard to suppose that colleges have any Je-
suitical power of working over young men :
minds in favor of this OF that profession, OF
Of " educating them away" from one OF
another calling Young men whose minds
are walked up by education will 70 into The
professions which seem to them most lacra-
tive aud most cougenial to their tastes
When agriculture is developed 10 this coun-
try into the systematic and respected pro
iession it is elsewhere. educated young men