, 1877-06-22

Although 1t has been Salu that
there is little sense in trying to make
scientiGcmeu and women of all our
boys and girls; and that there is no
need Of studyinggeoIogy, chemistry,
theology, law or physics unless one
wishes to enter a profession where
the knowledge will be brought into
direct requisition, there is still little
doubt that all useful information,
and the more exact and extensive
the better, has a tendency, if made
use of at all, to advance the interests
of not only the individual acquiring
it, but all those with whom he comes
in contact.
1t has been wisely said that there
is no employment to which educated
labor may not be advantageously ap-
piled. The old idea that farmers
and mechanics do not need any more
school education than will enable
them to cleverly read and write, is
fast giving way to enlightened sem
timents to the contrary, based upon
the practical experience of those to
whose educated talents are due the
many improvements and advances
made in the different professions re-
quiring manual labor. Heald's "Col-
ledge Journal" " in speaking of farm
ers, very aptly remarks, "Whatever
other opinions may be entertained,
all will agree that one of the most
essential branches of their education
shall be thorough training in busi-
ness affairs" Yes, a few more items
may be urged. Every cultivator of
the sol, if he desires to gather, at
small expense, and with as little det-
riment as possible to the land, large
crops of produce, must be familiar
with the general principles in the
various departments of his profess
sion, and understand what is now
getting to be the SCIENCE of farm
ing. He must understand the nat
ure of soils; their difference, &c.
The old saying, so often repeated
and little needed, that knowledge
is power" is becoming more keenly
felt to be truthful and significant
sentence as the world advances.
knowledge is, to the intelligent
mind of today, power to control the
hand, the tongue, the heart; power
influence others; power to perceive
causes, draw conclusions, and to
harness all the natural forces in the
most effective way to any task that
lies ahead. The steam in its expan.
sive force contains all the power nee
essary to perform herculean tasks,
but without the engine to guide,
direct and utilize this force, it were
indeed dissipated in the surrounding
atmosphere, becoming simply no
force at all. "But," says one, "a
thorough practical farmer would
laugh at the blunders made by one
of your theoretical, book farmers"
This is all very true; but the theo
retical training is an indispensable e
foundation for the practical expe-
rience, if you would succeed in any
business, mechanical or otherwise.
1t is a well known fact that our
common, district schools, while they
measurably answer the purpose 0
giving the younger portion of the
rising generation kno Wedge of the
rudiments of an ordinary English
education, still fail to supply a want
long felt by parents who are unable
to send their children away to COL
leges, and yet are dissatisfied with
their home training. In many in
stances incompetent and unsuitable
teachers are employed by superin-
tendents and directors, solely be-
cause they are cheap, or because no
others are available. In no instance
is there so glaring an example where
the cheap article is the dearest. To
obviate the many disadvantages in
separable from the district school
system, graded schools occupying
an intermediate position between
the district schools and colleges, are
being established throughout the
country wherever advantageous To-
calities insure their success.
After canEassing the subject, there
seems to be no reason why an acad
emy might not be established at
Port Townsend, embracing all the
improvements known to State Uni
.versities, as we'll as the practicable
ty of maintaining district schools.
A growing institution of this kind
has been established at Olympia; let
L. o-.lo hn fnllnund hu this