The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1882-01-14
The National Grange.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEES ON
EDUCATION

sent the following report:
Worthy Master and Members of
the National Grange: The Worthy
Master has very distinctly enunci-
ated in his able address the purpose
of our Order in this direction. and
very clearly indicated the means
that must be relied upon to accom-
plish it.
The demand for the specific edu-
cation of tho American farmer, the
basic principle of our Order, is be-
ing intensified by the rapid pro-
gress in other departments of in
dustry-in the arts and manufac-
lures, in the growth of corporations,
of commerce, in the wider compre-
hension of the relations between
the government and the governed,
and, 10 fact, in a more just rccogni-
ton of the several interests and
classes upon each other. But in the
grand panorama of bristling activ-
tiles which go to make up the sum
total of our industrial, commercial
and social progress, the agricul-
tural, the most important of all,
lags behind for the want of that
unity Of action, directness of pur-
pose and educational training that
has given more rapid development
to other interests, and has enabled
them to outstrip the agricultural in
the march of progress, to monopo.
lize, to a greater extent than is
consistent with it's proper interests,
the legislative functions of the gov
ernment and to exercise powers
which are both dangerous and OPP
pressive.
The Grange, growing out of the
exigencies of this great interest,
seeks to preserve the just equiIib-
rum between the agricultural and
other interests, to secure for it the
protection it requires through legis-
ation, and to elevate those who
pursue it to a higher plane in our
social order.
In the pursuance of this end, the
practical education or training Of
the farmer is precedent to tho other
steps which legitimately follow.
For the accomplishment Of which
the Order early adopted practical
and efficient plans, with which the
Patrons Of the country are already
familiar, and which have now been
in operation for several years, and
which have produced results most
encouraging to the Order. Already,
either through the prosecution of
these plans or through the neces-
sity, from the nature of our insti-
tutions, for higher qualification
for the duties of citizenship or from
the demand for an intelligent devel-
opment of the grand potentiaIities
of American agriculture and com
merce, more largely in the hands
Of farmers than any other class, an
impetus has been given to the de-
mand for practical or special edu-
cation, which has made its impress
upon the age. This is evidenced
by growing interest in our agri-
cultural colleges, which have been
established in almost every State
in the Union, and in the effort these
are making in some States to diff
fuse more widely all proper facili-
ties for the advancement Of agricul-
tural education amongst the masses.
The proper recognition of the i'm
portant fact that such education
should be brought within the reach
of every farmer by the colleges
would surely expedite the work of
the Order, and should be urged by
Patrons in every State.
In this connection we must be
allowed to express our regret that
the agricultural interests are too
frequently merged in these colleges
into the ordinary college course,
The usefulness of the agricultural
college is too often dwarfed, per-
haps however by no fault of its
own, and yet these colleges are ag-
ricultural only in name.
The public or common schools
established by public authority for
definite purpose should be, under
the auspices of the college estab-
lished by the same authority, con-
Quoted with special reference to the
end of all public education. The
college is the complement of the
common school, and should foster
in it such methods as are best cal
culated to advance the interests at
stake. Thus these schools will be-
come the invaluable auxiliaries of
the Grange aud its ultimate pur-
poses promoted.
The Grange organized for the
promotion of higher agriculture
and for the elevation of the farmer,
has, we reiteraCe, adopted plans for
his practical education which are
excellently adapted to the end in
view. We most emphatically urge
the vigorous prosecution of these
plans. They consist not only in
those exercises which are prescribed
for the Subordinate Grange but
also in the diffusion, as already en-
phasized by this body, of agricul~
tural literature through periodicals,
agricultural reports and books. In
the present status OF agricultural
education only very small part of
the vast fund of information con-
tanned in these sources are available
to the masses. We should seek to
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