The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1895-08-08
FOR THE SCHOOLS.
AGRICULTURE IN TIE COMMON
SCHOOLS.
Let the Boys Learn it.
atlanta Constitution.

farm and living by the farm. and TWEEN
ty more years Of close official relation
to the farmers OF Georgia, have given
abundant opportunity to consider the
educational needs Of the farmers. and
have suggested some conclusions as to
the best means Of supplying these
needs. Very few really intelligent and
well-informed men will deny at this
late date that it is matter of very
great importance to supply to farmers
sons and others sons, who expect to
follow the business Of farming. the ne
cessary education which VIII enable
them to succeed in their vocation. The
public school system Is now the estab-
lished policy of the State and of most
countries 1t may not be many years
before a compulsory system Will lie
adopted. 1t is fact, often noted, that
science has been tardy in coming to the
the various occupations of life farming
has been among the last to realize any
benefit from scientific researches and
experiments 1t Is also a fact, wei!
known to those who are engaged IN
scientific agricultural investigation,
that it is no easy matter to effectively
ditfuse among Farmers the results and
deductions of agricultural Investigations
and experiments 1t is not even so
easy to convey to them the results OF
mere field eXperiments-the most pop
ular method of approaching the farm
er and commanding his attention. And
vet this method of instruction must be
the chief reliance so far as the present
generation of adult farmers is concern
ed. Farmers Institutes, university ex-
tension methods, the essays and discus
sions at annual meetings of agricultur
al associations. the exhibition of live
stock. machinery and products at state
,,1acn 0nd th0Ir
value as educators of the active, adult
farmer. Wedo not seek to underestimate
their value, nor to impeach the SINGER
lty OF purpose of their promoters. We
would not discourage any effort, by
whatever system, which has for its aim
the instruction of farmers and the de-
velOpment and improvement of our
farming interests. We have in every
state one or more colleges of agriculture
and mechanic arts. In our own GeOr
ola we have at Athens a well-equipped
institution, headed by man who Is
enlisted heart and soul in the cause OF
agricultural education. He is aided by
competent and capable men In every
department. all eager to do their part
in educating the young men who at
tend that institution. But, alas, the
bows who intend to become farmers
the vounp men who intend to make a
living bv the farm-the men whose
ambition is to devote their energies to
the first and greatest of all arts-dO
NOT. as 4 rule. attend the agricultural
college. Doubtless there are many
sons Of farmers attending the agrlcul-
tural colleges indeed, such is an un-
Questioned fact. But what proportion
IF these sons of farmers who are attend
mo these colleges go there with the
eypectatiOn of returning to the farm
after completing their education? A
very small fraction-so we are inform
oil And of this small fraction of the
whole what proportion actually return
TO the farm and adopt the vocation Of
their fathers? Another very small
minoritv-not enough to .'leaven the
| lumD." 1t would be interesting to In
| ouire whv this is SO. We would not
search very far nor very closely to find
the reason for this state Ofaffalrs- But
it is not within the purpose OF this
short editorial. If we were to under
take such an inquiry it might lead
us into the domain of politics through
the door of socialism.
What are we going to do about 1t.
Some Of our boys are being educated
for lawyers, for doctors Cd. Ds. IL. Ds-
VI. Ds., Ph. Ds, NJ. As, and what nOD
for merchants, engineers, bankers, IN
surance men and so on IN the land
while the great majority OF then