The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-04-28
HOW BAD BUTTER sPOILs FREE
SCHOOLS

TEXAS has normal school, from
which some excellent teachers are
being graduated. The state gives
them free tuition and expects them
TO devote two years 10 fteaching
after they have received the normal
diploma. The theory IS, that we
need trained school teachers and
plenty of them, and the Governor
and strong element in the legisla-
ture were i'm favor of more schools
like the one at Huntsville. Butthey
were not created, il being urged by
many that the supply of teachers, as
in some o.. the older states, would
soon become too great. The
graduating girls will get married
and go to raising families,
and the young men will go to study
ing law or medicine or politics, and
thus, it appears, the supply OF
teachers might be kept down, but
constant evolution in business
does keep the supply up, and so it
was decided to keep the. schools
down. But while paying attention
to the training of teachers, might it
not be well to encourage schools cal
culated to develop the material
greatness of Texas. Texas is noted
for it's vast herds of cows, and at the
same time for a scarcity of milk and
butter, and for villainous
stuff, bearing the latter signifi-
cation, which would often in
suit the dignity of oleomargarine.
We need milk and honey and but
ter as well as normal school teach
ers, and therefore the STATESMAN is
in favor of inaugurating schools for
dairy maids, such as are in success
full operation in Finland, in which
the art o. dairying is taught the
women. most thoroughly, at govern
ment expense. In 1868 travelling
dairy maids were appointed
throughout the country, and, being
paid from the public treasures, every
inhabitant had = right to claim in
struction or assistance. The next
step was the founding of seven
teen dairy schools, of which
ten were established by own
crs of private dairics. Each school
had a teacher at its head, who gave
theoretical instruction, and female
teacher, who taught the principal
part of the work. Each school is
calculated for eight pupils, who are
admitted by the teacher, and re-
quired to be able to read and write.
After II course of two years they
have to pass final examination in
the presence of members of the agri-
cultural society. The instruction
given them during the first year
comprises animal physiology, tend
ing of animals in general, the most
common diseases of cattle and their
treatment, the use of the thermome-
ter, the different methods of COOL
ing milk and their effect as to the
formation of cream, the treatment
of the cream and the making of but
ter, the manufacture of cheese from
skinned and unskimmed milk, and,
finally, bookkeeping by single entry.
Now, if there is anything that Texas
needs more than all other..things, it
is dissemination of knowledge as to
making butter and cheese. The con-
sumption of good butter alone
would so advance the refinement
and moral standing of our people as
to make such public investmentpay.
Texas has more grass and more good
cows than ten thousand Finlands,
and if these schools pay there they
would pay a thousand fold in Texas.
Good butter would bring more i'm
migration to Texas than good public
free schools. In the old states no
one never hears any reference made
to the free schools of Texas, but
when you meet a man who has look
ell at Texas to see what there is in
il. he has more doleful tale..to tell
abouta desperate hunt after good
butter than Haroun AL Richid took
in search of happiness. i'' 80