The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-07-19
The Farm,
Farmers, GudnerS, HorticuItuists,
Dairy and StocAmen are requested to
unite for this Department.
President Alvord Among the Teach
ers at the Blue Mountain House.

ers at the Blue Mountain House.
The Maryland and Delaware Teach
ers Association was in session last week
at the Blue Mountain House. At the
afternoon meeting On the second day
Pres. Alvord read the following paper
ON AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.
The principal paper of the afternoon
was that of Major Henry +. Alvord,
president Of the Maryland Agricultural
College, on Agricultural Education
for Old and Young" The subject
was treated fully and in an instructive
manner. Among other things he said:
application of scientific knowledge
and exact methods to the business Of
agriculture will never generally prevail
until we have, first, class Of men
thoroughly educated in the theory and
practice of agriculture, who will carry
into the processes of the farm the teach
ings of the school; and second, men
who, being fitted by education and
training for business or professional
life, yield to the superior inducements
of agriculture, and take into that field
their methodical and intelligent habits.
and suppleme nting these by reading,
study and practice, devote their talents
to the furtherance of its development.
It is manifest that all reared upon
farms cannot remain engaged in agri-
culture; there is not room for all. The
surplus of farmers boys and girls 90
everywhere, and the beginning made
in minds and morals at the farmhouse is
found to be the best foundation on
which to build successful career in
every department Of Industry. An EN-.
inent clergyman in New England city
not long ago made up long list Of
prominent citizens and successful pro-
fessional and business men and traced
them to the home of their childhood,
and found that nearly all began life
upon the farm. Then tracing the same
number Of sons of wealthy and prosper
Gus men in cities and towns. in the
same generation, he found that very
small per centage of these ever reached
positions Of eminence. One reason
why farming has been held in low esti-
nation and has reached its present de-
lressed condition is the idea which had
so largely prevailed, that any one can
lie farmer, The boy with an inclina
ton for study and taste for knowledge,
instead of being provided with an ed
ueation to render him peculiarly useful
on the farm. not only by applying
S, fence to Its operations, but also by
onlightening his father and brothers in
I'll and other branches of useful learn.
ing, is at oace exiled from the home
stead and put in training for one of
hat are called feared professions, an
despite the fact that all Of these are
,vercrowded; or if not born student,
but yet of superior address and enter
Prise, the boy goes to commercial col
Icee and to the city to be trained as
merchant or perhaps an artisan and SO
it is, that the boys kept at home for
supposed lack OF talents are doomed to
work on the farm. The children in
cur country schools should be taught
the elements of natural science, which
they and their parents have to deal
with every day, and whereby many val
liable and instructive subjects could be
introduced. 1t is the height of folly to
object to agricultural colleges and
school because among their graduates
arc found some who never engage in
farming. This is a direct benefit to
agriculture in scattering through all
the varied pursuits of life men who
know what agriculture is and what it
needs. Do all graduates of the medical
schools practice medicine? The State
of Maryland should be proud of having
been among the first to provide
technical agricultural instruction. That
it has done much good work, its former
students scattered throughout the state
we'll testify. A great deal of misappre-
hcnsion exists as to the Maryland Ag-
ricultural College, and how matters are
conducted there. About one.half Of the
people think that the students are
worked too hard at blowing, gardening,
etc., and that they don't study enough;
and the other half that the student life
is too free from labor, too heightened
for farmers. 1t is neither the one nor
the other, but upon investigation it will