Arizona silver belt., 1888-07-14
WHAT IS THE MATTER?
WHY DO AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE STUDENTS LEAVE THE FARM2

They Study Law or Medicine, or Engage
 in Mercantile Pursuits-Some of the
 Reasons Why They Learn to Dislike
 Farming.
 A gentleman who had been invited to de- liver Q commencement address at an agri- cultural college, ill which he had once held professors chair, recently told the writer of this article that he found it impossible to select a subject. We suggested several topics more or less connected with farmers and their calling, but the ex-professor shook his head. 'It is useless to talk to the young men about agriculture, !" he said, "the fact is, when the students leave the college none of them go to farming"
 Seeing our bewildered look, the ex-profes- sor went on to say that although the students went from the farm to the college and took an agricultural course, they all left the insti- tuition to study law or medicine, or to en- gage in mercantile pursuits.
 THEY GET HIGH NOTIONS.
 q don't know how it is," he said, "but they all get high notions in their heads, and they think that farming is too slow and un- profitable to suit them. During the whole time was at the college, I never knew one out of the hundreds of students to return to the farm"
 All this was said in deliberate, matter of fact way, and we at once jumped to the con clusion that if our agricultural schools were simply used to turn young farmers into law yers, doctors and merchants, there YVES some thing wrong somewhere.
 If these facts have not been unconsciously overstated, the advocates of agricultural ed ucation will very naturally feel inclined to ask few questions. Are the teachers, as a rule, men who have fancy for the learned professional Do the students in their debates discuss literary and political subjects9 Are they allowed to devote much time to reading novels, poetry, history and the newspapers! An affirmative answer to these questions will explain much that is now mysterious.
 THOUGHTS WHICH LEAD AsTRAY.
 The young agricultural student who finds his professors always talking about great lawyers, writers, and successful business men, will fall into their way of thinking Political debates will fire him with the ambi- tion to distinguish himself at the bar or in public life Too much time devoted to belles lettres will make him think of everything in the world except diversified farming.
 But it may be that none of the points men, 5ioned can be urged against the agricultural schools and their teachers. What, then, is the matter9 Do our youngsters naturally take dislike to farm life? Do their fathers tell them that there is no meney in it and that the farmers are growing poorer every year9
 There is something in this way of putting !t. When farmers take @ gloomy, hopeless view of their occupation, they cannot ex- pect their sons to look on the bright side of things. And yet, in spite of all that can be ;aid the fact remains that the young and industrious farmer who goes to work with the advantage of scientific education, has t in his power so make himself happy, in lependent, prosperous and distinguished. But, after all, success does not depend so much upon the education, or the land, as it ioes upon the eman.-Atlanta Constitution.