Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-12-03

lll0 W lllt, lluSiuldl lllll'tDIhtO 10 "Ah''i'
shed and all the functions are restored to
their normal condition, until another sleep
becomes necessary.
For the Freeman.
Education.
MIR. EDIToR:-Your request in the
FREEMAN of November 18th, wishing me
to cnumerate the branches OF study !
would have taught in our common schools
and what more properly came under the
head of home tuition" has been duly
considered. In my first article upon the
subject, copied into the FREEMAN of Au-
gust 9th, | said that what the farmers
desired were text books II portion of whose
lessons gave instruction in reading and
study pertaining to the science of farm
and household economy. First Of all, let
the lessons in our reading books from the
primary to the highest reader be such us
to direct the pupils to the beauty and hap
pness and the Importance of farm and
rural life. Let them include familiar
treallses upon the cultivation of fruits
and flowers and the various crops of the
farm, also those pertaining to the house.
hold, so that while the pupils are learning
to read they will be learning something
that will be of practical value to them in
after life. A prominent farmer of the
state says he has examined the various
text books offered by the trade to the peo-
Pile of the state and not one of them con-
tains lessons calculated to inculcate in the
pupils love of farm and rural life, but
their tendency is TO create II dislike for
those pursuits and hankering for pro
fessional life. The result is that farming
despised and avoided, if possible, by the
sons and daughters of the state; brought
about largely by that system of education
that the state pays so literally to sustain.
My idea is that the instruction in our
common schools should be helps to "home
tuition" Let the theory be taught in the
school. The interest inspired there will
90 to the home and the two will work
tremendously together. The son will tell
his father what he reads in his school
books about planting and c1ltivating
corn, potatoes and beans, and the growing
of wheat, oats and barley, the best time to
cut hay, ETC.; the father will compare
them with his methods and will adopt the
book methods if he sees they are better
than his own. So of the theory of house
hold economy. The girl will tell at home
what her book says about raising Jrc7d
and other articles of food, and the mother
will adopt the best methods consistent
with her circumstances. A iudicious Sc.
lection of practical papers from the Yer.
mont agricultural reports and a selection
from the best cook 60ob now published
placed in our common schools for reading
and study would be worth q hundredfol,
the text books now in use. All that car
be learned from the text books now in usC
could be learned equally well from til,
books | have named and large amour
of useful information could be obtained II
the same time that would tell upon thu
future welfare of the pupils and the gen
eral prosperity of the state To the tel
thousand children and youth of the stat
who never have or can have any othe
than a common school education the cours
have pointed out would be of untolt
advantage as citizens of the state, stimu
; lating them in the important occupation
OH which the success and prosperity of tn
state depends. 1t is for this class of on
ISlIutlCl llIaU w 1911 luuluClllo vi IL
agricultural education to be introduce,
3 into our common schools.
The state has assumed the task of G lu
eating its citizens. 1t has institution
9 where it gives practical instruction to it
< wards-the reform school, the house @
correction and the state prison. 1t is onl
: after the citizen of the state has become
V criminal that he is taught some useGu
occupation. Would it not be far bette
that the theory of Il practical educatio
should be taught in our common school
. rs far rs circumstances would permi
l giving the youth to understand that farl
I work and farm life is honorable and il
study ennobling, rather than treatin
= labor as punishment for crime?
$ Now few words upon the frendl
VI criticism of an almost indignant Farmer
IL Wife in the same number o. the FREEMAl
= She asks where the fault lies, with II
school or mother, that the girl cann
make good loaf of bread whether goC
or bad, meant just this, that system
education that fails to teach the theory
farm and household economy is defectiv,
that the the theory of bread-making III
other farm and household duties should
taught in our common schools, and Il
father and mother should see that Il
theory acquired at the schools should
n carried into practice on the farm and
in the house? A Farmers Wife talks abo
d sending her daughters to other schools
e learn what they cannot learn at HON
II But how is it with those who are unab
d to do so, and the common school is the
e only means of Instruction. 1t seems
II me clearly the duty of the state to cduca
II its chldren-thc poor as well as the rio
It in the theory, at least of an industri
v education, and do it, too, before they b
is come criminals and receive the instrucliC
is in the penal institutions of the state.
f. 4 Farmers Wife thinks good, sol
is work is better than tretting, vet she a
G mits that the way our schools are manag,
d does make her fret l fully agree wi
e her that parents should choose their chi
); dren's studies. TO illustrate this poin
n A farmer sending his only son TO scho
for the last term wished him to stut
p bookkeeping. The teacher, educated
IS the " largest academy in the country
1t recommended by the principal, said th
j. bookkeeping was not common scho
If study and she should not teach it.. The
e is independence for you! That farm,
e Indignantly asked where the fault Law th
d Il simple treatise of bookkeeping cou
j. not be taught in our common school
o viii Bro. lTnkham tell the farmers ,
J. Vermont where they should send the
d sons to learn this important branch of @,
It ucation? Whose fanIt is it that it is not
1t common school studyP Have the Ieadn
/, educators recommended it to the legisli
tors and they refused to place it anon