Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1884-01-17

most compile chemical combinations
he will rear droVes of horses and herds
cattle, sheep and swine, which can only
bs proftably raised by one famil-
lar with the characteristics of
breeds and their requirements, and the
laws of HEREDITARY transmission; he will
plant orchards and forests, bat he will
not enjoy the fruit Of the one or the
shade of the other if he does not know
the sorts best suited to the climate, the
soil in which they thrive best, and the
habits of the insects which prsy upon
them. In short, these farmers win con-
stantly deal with things that can be
tasted, seen, felt, heardP while theories,
systems, and those things which
merely stand for other things, will
have only a roundabout interest for
him.
WHERE THE SCHOOLS FAIL.
Do the common schools give to the
pupil that instruction and discipline
which are calculated to assist him most
in the solution of those problems which
he will certainly encounter every day Of
his business lifeP I answer emphstically
they do not. Without wishing to pro-
long the argument, will say here, that
very much of the rule of grammar taught
beyond the parts of speech and their
simplest relations, will never. be of much
use 10 the pupil outside the schOolroOm.
The system is an exotic which will perish
miserably at the touch of a prairie breeze
The same may be said with even greater
emphasis of arithmetic and algebra.
venture to say that not once in two
years will farmer have occasion to ap-
ply his knowledge OF ''stOcks and bro
kCrage,'' ''alligatiOn,' ''partial pay
ments," ''arithmetrical and geometrical
progression, square and cube root,
and equations of any ''degree - The
whole system is stereotyped, conven-
tional, of the schools schoolish, having
its root in the obsolete idea that the
student will be a thinker" or pro-
fessional man, but certainly be will
never ba a worker with his hands.
THE UNwoREDLY TEACHER.
In further proof of this position, 1
name few facts: First, the methods of
the schoolrOom, and equally the. sub
jects taught, are practically never dis
cussed or considered outside of teachers
and The publication of teach
ers. The teacher lives and thinks in a
little world of his own, which is meas
urably distinct from the great world IN
which the plants and trees and animals
and men live. In this respect he differs
from all other professional men: the at
tOrney's services are constantly in re-
quest by all classes, and his sympathies
are whetted by constant exercise; the
same may be said of the physician; and
with even greater emphasis Of the MN
lister.
If You examine any of the public
prints, whether devoted to science or
art. or to the discussion of current
events, you can not fail to notice what
is conspicuous in every column, namely,
an earnest desire to satisfy the popular
craving of knowledge. Take almost
any agricultural paper, its columns are
filed with questions from an ''anxious
inquirer and his numerous relatives.
They wish to know about the composit-
ion and best treatment Of different
soils, the habits of certain plants and
insects, the value of particular breeds,
or the usefulness of certain grains as
food stuffs. Does any one consult the
in such matters? No! He is
anticipating the curiosity of general
ion Of ''anxious enquirers," by teaching
them out Of grammar which incuI-
Gates the far-reaching truth that verbs
in the infinitive mode are the object of |
.he proposition TO, expressed or under
stood" and that ''after bid, dare, let,
make, need, see, feel. hear, may, can,
AuSOS WASASS OONhNS "OO4OS SAO04A oAO
do, the verb in the infnitive mode is
:sed without the proposition to- Dur
ng the past three years, have attend
I'd and taken part in some thirty differ
snt meetings of farmers in widely diff
ierent sections of the State. These
have been called Tor the ex-
press purpose of discussing certain
questions of interest to farmers and
heir families. The subjects discussed
covered wide ranges embracing edu-
cation, exchange aud distribution,
stOck-breeding and general and special
farming; indeed ali matters not pOliti-
cal or religious IN the partisan sense.
Yet Of all these really educational meet