St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-07-11
A GRANGER STANDPOINT.

Upon by Various Professors.
The attendance of teachers last even
ing at the Peoples church was in
marked contrast to that the night pre-
vious. Wednesday evening there was
not even standing room before the pro-
ceedings were timed to begin. Last
evening the building was merely three
parts full. There was really nothing in
the programme which was likely to at
tract the teachers. who, after the morn
ing session, the department meetings of
the afternoon, were inclined to take
rest and little recreation.
A paper was read by State Superin-
tendent Kiehle, OF Minnesota, the sub
ject of which was ''The Place and
Function of the Agricultural College,"
Prof. Kiehle stated that the success of
the Minnesota Agricultural college had
been thoroughly established. The prob
lem had been to provide practical ag
ricultural education for the intelligent
and progressive farmer citizen. Re-
Gently agriculture had made it's de-
mands upon education, and the order of
the solution had been the historic
one, from the university plane down,
from the center OH the literary curri-
culum out toward the industrial. The
first schools of agriculture were col
leges, and the first government grants
for agriculture were for colleges. This
stage provided education in agricult-
ural lines, but for the few who by rea-
son Of their special training were pro-
NOTED to the select class of agricultural
leaders. This was so far both natural
and useful. For reasons apparent, the
intelligence of other Industries was
most inclined to appropriate the Oppor-
tunities afforded by the agricultural
college. Hence the feeling of distrust
and jealousy on the part of farmers that
the farming class was not reached by
agricultural education. The conditions
to be observed in an agricultural school
were:
The school must be conducted in close re-
lations with agricultural life. long re-
moval from the farm, even for an agricul-
tural course, may divert from the farm, even
though it fits for something equally good.
1t must be economical as to the the time
required, and within the means OF those for
whom it is intended
1t must include in its curriculum the SUBJ
jects necessary for the practical farmer as
business citizen and in dealing with the af-
fairs of his farm.
And this must be after method objective
subordinating text book study and recitation
to the study of the things themselves.
1t must be helpful to those who with talent
ana amD1t1On, aspire TO QlSQeT select ana
professional lines in the university course.
The term should continue six months
from October Is to April 20. This, from the
economic standpoint, allows boys to labor on
their farms during the busy season. From
the educational they continue the cultiva-
ton of their taste for farm life by returning
to it after short intervals.
The gain in the term chosen is in that the
time is the least valuable for labor, and most
valuable for study. AS will be shown, the
only part Of farm industry that cannot be
studied effectively is what pertains imme-
diately to sowing and reaplng. But when it
is noted that boys bring with them the com
mon experiences of .plowing, sowing and
reaping. and that the theory of these can be
profitably discussed by those who have had
experience, and that even then whatever
pertains to the analysis of soils and grains
and to fertilizers may be studied effectively
in the winter quite as well as in the summer
In the curriculum OF a two years course
should be:
1. Arithmetic and bookkeeping applied to
farm accounts and business transactions
2. Lectures on legal obligations, and
methods and forms applied to the farmer.
8. Carpentry and forge work III the use of
common tools.
4. Elements of physics and chemistry,
with laboratory practice.
5. Elements of animal physiology and
veterinary, studied especially from charts,
models and animals.
6. Study Of stock, its breeding. feeding and
care.
2. Dairying, the analysis of milk, and the
manufacture of butter.
8. Cropping and fertilizing.
Under this plan, the farmers son gets his
education at this school at an expense of not
to exceed $75 for the year of six months in
cluding charges for fuel, washing, etc.
In this department of secondary education
progress has been made in the adaptation Of
education to the demands of agriculture. The
solution Of the problem will be complete
when, in the common schools of the country
the methods of instruction. the material of
study and observation shall be adapted to
conveying information in the different lines
of natural science and botany.
President Lewis McLouth, of Brook
ingS, S. D., read a second pader on the
same subject. He urged a general dis
ciplinary course made up of those
studies that bear most directly upon ag-
riculture and the allied Industries.
Technical and professional studies and
occupations should include:
History and agriculture.
General agricultural economy.
Stock breeding.
Feeding, care and management of domestic
animals.
Veterinary science and art
Dairying.
Agricultural chemistry.
Horticulture.
Forestry.
Landscape gardening.
Shop pracJice in wood and Iron.
Shop work in wood and metals, mechan-
ical drawing, blue printing, etc., were
suggested for the benefit of young men
| who had aptneSs and tendencies toward
| the mechanical industries. A course
| for young women was proposed, the
technical studies of which should be in
the direction of the home-making arts
and accomplishments, household econ
omy and sanitation, care of the sick,
cooking and sewing, Horticulture, rural
architecture, landscape gardening, etc.
President M. G. Fernald, of Orono
Agricultural college, Me-, said the in
stitution that was training students for
scientific Investigation and the princi-