The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1888-08-07
RALEIGH, N. c., AUGUST 7, 1888

that farmers do need Education and a
heap of it. In looking over the above
sciences, would you not think he needs
education to master them I have
heard the expression for years back
"Only a farmer" and have never
heard it from any intelligent man ex-
cept farmer himself. Sensible men
in other professions know that it re-
quires skill and intelligence to farm
successfully, and look upon the sue
cessful farmer as the peer of any. The
farmers have underrated their calling
and they seem to act as though they
felt that if it is not a disgrace to be a
farmer, it is the next thing to it.
All other professions prepare them
selves for their work, but the boy who
is going to be farmer gets the fag
ends of an education. He goes to
school long enough to learn a lit
tie spelling, reading, writing and
arithmetic through simple English
grammar, is not necessary; to study
geography would be to throw away
time, when, the truth Isl. he needs
more education for success in his call
ing than any one else. l know that
it has been objected that ignorant
men have made successful farmers;
that may be the case, but doubt the
fact. Men without school training
have made successful farmers, but
they were not without self-culture.
Seeing their defects, they educated
themselves and deplored the fact that
they did not know more. Farmers
who have blessed the calling were
educated men. ..t
2. The farmers lifeyis more seclu-
sive than any other, and he should be
prepared to appreciate good books and
without education he cannot. The
human mind is active and always
reaching out for something to crafty
its -yearnings have frequently
heard men say that their children
would not read; the unbroken horse
will not work to the plow either; he
has to be learned. Your child has
not only to be learned the mechanical
part of reading at school, but also has
to be led on by the precept and ex
ample of the parent at home. Should
the parent be educated he will keep
good books and papers around him,
and by little coaxing his child will
gradually acquire a fondness for read
ing. 1 heard a farmer not long ago
say that he did not even take his
county paper, much less any other.
Now can this farmer be justifable in
complaining that his child will not
read !? Now I repeat that man who
was properly educated would supply
his children with books and papers,
and when the long winter nights come
or the lulls in farm work, they would
be gaining useful knowledge, and
they would gradually lose sight of
their unrest and would think the farm
the happiest place on earth.
3. Education is necessary to enable
men to communicate intelligently their
thoughts and experience. In reading
the communications of Jeff. Welborne
and other writer's in the Cultavator
and other agricultural papers, who
would doubt their being educated ?
Bill Arp is educated, and by this edu-
cation is power in the land. He
seems to understand the whole econ
omy of farmers life, yet I under
stand he is, or was, lawyer. Be that
as it may, these lawyer farmers and
doctor farmers, and, if l wasn't an ex-
ception, I might say teacher farmers,
when they devote themselves to farm
ing, are the best in the land. Their
success only proves that education is
necessary for the farmer All the
other professions require education,
and when these professional charac-
ters decide to become farmers, they
use their education on the farm and
are successful.
Parish Furman left the law and the
halls of Georgia to COM
to revolutionize farming over
the South when he was cut short by
death David Dixon was certainly an
educated man. don't know whether
he had a diploma or not, but no illit-
crate man could have written on the
subject of agriculture as he did. [
might mention many others, but we
all know that education is necessary
to enable us to communicate intelli-
gently what we want.