River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1889-01-03
Wisconsin Farmers, Institutes.

ed principally to the proceedings of
the closing institute at Madison,
March 27-29, 1888. This institute was
the roundup. of series of eighty
one meetings held during the winter
of 1878.
The volume before us covers wide
tield-farming, horticulture, ensilage,
cattle, horses, dairying, sheep, swine
and other matters relating to progress
sive agriculture. 1t is a most valu-
able work.
There is an increasing demand for
institutes in Wisconsin, are, in
fact, becoming almost a necessity to
its agriculture. There has been such
a great change, in the past few years,
in the methods of conducting farming
operations; so much improvement in
country social life; such a call for
knowledge in every department of
husbandry that some such force as
that which tile Institutes WELD, ap-
PNhAo " 10 ICNuCo W luAi9 uCNOlOD
her vast agricultural resources. No
better plan for disseminating useful
knowledge on farm topics has ever
been presented than that of holding
farmers Institutes. They travel from
place to place, frequently reaching
sections of country not traversed by
railroads; carrying with them workers
skilled in the theory and practice of
agriculture, and with the ability to
tell what they know. They scatter
broadcast information worth thou
sands of dollars; they awaken enthusi-
asm; they incite farmers to discuss
their business; to campare methods of
work, to improve their homes and lift
themselves out of the ruts into which
they have fallen.
We make the following extract
from the preface of this valuable
work, which describes the scope of
the Wisconsin Farmers Istitutes:
Organized and carried on to in
crease the agricultural wealth of the
State, they have had a phenomenal
success. The money making and
economical methods of the farm have
been plainly pictured before tens of
thousands. In every nelghbOrhOod,
and in almost every farm home, these
methods and practices have been dis
cussed. They have brought not only
material advantages, but mental slim
illus; they have had a tendency to
make not only workers but thinkers;
not only successful farmers, but
broad minded men. Incidentally they
have taught the lessons of good citi.
zenship, duties to children, to neigh
bors, to other classes, co the State.
1.-The institute work in Wisconsin
has obtained reputation not limited
to it's own boundaries. / am in re-
ceipt of hundreds of letters from al
most every section of the Union ask
ing for the reason of our success.
One prime cause, and one apt to be
| overlooked, has been the fact that the
farmers of the State have accepted it
with broad and generous judgment.
They have brought into it mOdesty,
practical knowledge, desire to learn.
| loyalty to their business, an earnest
and charitable spirit of helpfulness
| toward the institute management.
| A great work has been done, but the
| agricultural revolution that is to take
| place in Wisconsin, has only just be-
gun. The knowledge contained in
this volume, utilized on every farm in
the State, would double the average
| of every farm product.
The State Board of Supervision hav-
ing in control the State Prison, two
Hospitals for the Insane, Industrial
School for Boys, State Schools for the
Deaf and Dumb, and the State School
for Orphans, made its third biennial
report TO the governor for the fiscal
period from Sept. 80, 1885, to Oct. /,
1888. The board says that the seven
institutions in its care are in equip
ment, discipline, moral tone, and Elf
cheney, among the best of the country,
and the people of the state may rea-
sonably regard them and their work
with pride and satisfaction. The av-
erage population of the state hospital
for the insane is 479. The board la
ments the fact that counties decline
to remove the worst cases from the
state institution and these remain an
obstacle TO the institution attaining
the highest remedial condition. The
removal CT all physical restraint two
years ago has proven quite as success
ful as anticipated.
The average attendance at the
northern hospita! was 634. In this in
stitution physical restraints of all
kinds have also been abandoned with
gratifying results. The change in
medical staff has not interfered with
hospital work.
The past two years attendance at
the school for the deaf averaged 20l,
being the largest in its history. The
board speaks enthusiastically of the
benehcence of this school.
The average attendance at the
school for the blind the past two
years was IS. The manufacture of
socks is now the only recourse the
board has to employ boys and it is in
timated that the state ought to make
the institution an industrial training
school in the full meaning of the
term, where boys shall be instructed
in trades regardless of the value of
the products of the shops. The total
commitments at the school during the
past two years was 262, and releases
IFS; average attendance for 1888. $50.
The board gives full details of the
establishment of the state public
school at Sparta and believes 1t will
be a prolific source of good. The
children admitted from the time the
school opened to October l, 1888, is
sol; of these SO have been indentured
to families, 10 are in families on trial,
and have been retained to counties
as improper subjects for school, five
died. two escaped and four boys were
sent to the industrial school. APP
pearances indicate that in less than