The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1881-02-24
RAPTDAN.

What is the best education for a farmer.
I would like to sec this subject discussed
by the many correspondents Of the FREE
Press The best education is none too
good sows poor wheat if he can
ret the best What is the best cduca-
ton farmer can have Truly that
which will best fit him for successfully
tilling the soil, for business intercourse ;
for taking creditablc position in society
for serving best his fellow-mcn. To
help us to decide what course Of mental
culturc-for that is what We generally
mean by education--will best accomplish
This end, let us see what men are the best
farmers, and what their education has
been. AS general thing, we believe
that those farmers who are proprietors
of estates, who may or may not person
ally manage them, and who are not bred
70 their vocation, are the most successful.
Many OF our farmers were born on the
farm, and many others took to farming
after having been in other business.
Then, is the education which the farmer
boy picks UP while at work in the
machine shop, showing the jack plane,
or hehiad the counter, the best he can
have ; No. indeed but in those occu
pations lie gains information which is OF
value. and makes him Il better farmer
than his neighbor. Promising that he
would not have returned to farming, OF
taken it up if he had no love for it, he
has probably gained in the shop or store
irst, . just estimate OF the value Of &C
curate accounts, Of knowing the pecuni-
airy success or failure Of the simplcs,
ventures second, high estimation OF
the value Of knowledge, which inspires
him 10 read and think, as well as work
third, liberality in regard to the opinions
and views of others. 1t has made him
quick wiltcd also, and not set in his own
way. Besides, contact with men has
given him confidence in himself Such
man, think, succeeds as farmer. HI
may be dreadfully green" for time
but he gradually becomes seasoned,
and in time beats the old farmer out and
out. If your readers will testify, they
will confirm what I say, and point &c
neighbors whom they once laughed al
for their blunders and criticised, but
who are now fan from being ridiculed--
for " the laugh" is now, perhaps, on the
other side. These men gained thcil
education by hard work.-Farmers boys
should have better chance. At school
is where the boy gets his first principles
and notions, and they will have their
effect upon him, whether it be academy
college or university. College is sup
posed 10 bring the young man forward
to the threshold of natures life, with
knowledge enough to enable him tc
Hiahc Soou start, anu Will suCH hooA'S
of thought and study that he will always
value knowledge and seek it.
Finally, there is the school Of expert.
ence, in which we are all pupils, and
always have been from the time we first
learned we could not reach the moon,
and that the fame from candle was
too hot for our fingers. 1t is in the school
of experience that men educate them
selves in judgment of probabilities, in
the estimation Of men for what they are
worth, and in many other things which
have great influence on their success
or failure in business H.