The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1882-01-11
rHK EDuoArroN or FARNERs.

american quite a spirited discussion
of the Importance of the education
of the farmers, or of agricultural
education. First, there appeared a
communication, on thssubject, from
the pen of an able and intelligent
correspondent and this was followed
up by one or two incisive and effec-
tive editorials. We noted this with
pleasure as indicating somewhat
new departure in SO far as it relates
to the mental development of very
large and influential class of our fell
low-citizens. 1t must be confessed
that the political press of the coun-
try has not, as a rule, given the at
tention to the matter its Importance
demands. It has been almost who'll
ly relegated to the agricultural press
which has had to fight the battle sol
itary and alone. When, therefore,
we see such journals as the Ameri-
can taking hold of the question,
there is strong and buoyant hope of
a mighty change for the better in
the no distant future. The fact is,
every American citizen, whether
rich or poor, learned or unlearned,
is profoundly and vitality interested
in the intellectual elevation of the
tillers of the soil and, therefore,
should contribute his influence, little
or much, to this grand result. There
is no business-no profession, de-
handing higher culture than that of
farming, a fact, we are gratified to
say.,becoming more and more appa-
rent as the days come and so.
Both the correspondent alluded
to and the american make striking
mention of the factthat a very large
number of the sons of farmers, In
stead of remaining on farms with
their fathers and joining them IN the
cultivation of the soil and breeding
a better class of animals, are leaving
the rural districts and rushing into
the towns seeking positions in stores.
This is true. 1t is painfully true.
We have been aware of it for these
years and have done what we could
to check it and to induce our farm
eris sons to remain where they are
and to work, away on the farms on
which they were raised. Others
have done the same but impotent in
preventing it. They still go in large
numbers. The exodus is by no means
decreasing.
There is cause for this which
we shall endeavor to unfold. 1t will
not do to lay all the blame at the
door Of the young men. Of course
they must come in for their share of
censure. They are old enough to
have some judgment of their own
and, consequently, to know better.
Still they are not imperious to GER
tain influences and to certain preju-
dices which their surroundings are
calculated to engender. The gist
then of the matter is simply this
the lack of an elevated system of
farming, the absence of culture and
cultivated taste and the dredriReSS
which hangs around so many coun-
try homes, have the tendency to SUI
perinduce in the minds of farmers
sons diStaSte to agricultural life.
We might also mention another fact
Of equal stubborness-the sickening
drudgery which too many farmers
drag into their operations. We do
not mean by this, labor. That is
from the work of the
farm. We mean that sort of drudg- |
cry consequent upon the system of
farming now in vogue and which is |
necessarily the offspring of an un-
skillful system of farming. There |
S far more physical effort, as a gen
sral thing, in the way farming is
in East Tennessee, than
effort. The forces of |
science are not brought to bear upon |
t and hence physical forces take
heir place in a great measure.
Whenever our farmers learn the |
lrt of identifying their homes, of |
them attractive and encour-
age social gatherings, having vocal |
md instrumental music and a free
Intercourse between their own sons
md daughters and others in the /
same community, they will find that
heir boys will be less inclined to
cave their homes for homes in our
owns. Education for farm work
will obviate all this to a great extent.
t will heighten the profession and
make it more becoming and digni-
led, as we'll as more entertaining
nd profitable. x
THE AIR LINE.
As was stated some time since. a