The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-08-20

number of boys and girls VINO IL bhey
we're able, would take the courses of
the colleges, yet they have to be de-.
MED. There should be united action
by all the colleges to lessen this
number as far as they can. They
are brothers united in one common
cause, and not enemies TO procure or
rejoice at the injury of each other.
THE AGRICULTURAL N MECHANICAL
COLLEGE.
There has been much disappoint-
ment at the number of students tax
ing the agricultural course, and that
it has constantly diminished until not
one-tenth of the students pursue it.
The mechanical departments r
crowded with students, and oonsid-
ering it's age and the funds available,
no college in the country has made
greater progress in the advantages
afforded. His Excellency the Cover
nor recommended to the Legislature
to place the institution in the car of
a body of practical farmers, to-wit,
the Board of Agriculture, with'a
view to remedying this not, how
ever, with a view to reduce the
number taking the mechanical
courses or in any way to retard that
branch, but to increase the number
in agriculture. Professors eminent
in their schools have been elected,
aid and encouragement offered to
the agricultural students and we
hope to see their number largely in
creased. The cause of the larger
number of students in mechanics
than in agriculture is evident to any
one who studies the question, viz,
the higher wages and less onerous
duties which is it's reward. Besides
this many parents encourage their
sons who will not farm to prepare
themselves for their professions
while the farmer boy is only thought
to need a vigorous constitution and
Heroulean musclei that he will be
more benefited by the athletic than
literary curriculum if he were to go
to college. The lesser emoluments
with more irksome duties is causing
most of the boys on the farm who
can to leave it for other avocations,
and generally by the advice and with
the sanction of the parents and
these parents sympathize greatly
with the daughter who chooses a
farmer as her partner for life. This
condition can only result in the re
moval from the country to the town
of a most desirable population and
the destruction of that greatest
product of Anglo. Saxon civilization
the old Southern country home
stead. The strength of a country is
a happy, ~contented yeomanry, coun
try population Of home-owners. Pro
duce a condition where no one re-
mains on a farm unless tied TO it by
debt or mortgage, and that State is
beginning to decay. How shall this
Re prevented? By the farmer fol
lowing the example of those in other
callings, using his mind as we'll as
his muscle, avoiding that which ex-
perience shows to be unre munera-
tive and. pursuing that which re-
munerates and endeavoring to make
it more so. The weaver does not ex-
poet his loom to complete but one
web of Uloth, but it is handled to
finish many others, and when a
machine or arrangement of machin-
cry is offered to increase the yield Mt
the same or less expense he avail4
himself of it. The farmer must do
the same. The college is intended
to aid him along this course of &C
ton. The Alliance should give the
trustees and faculty earnest support,
take the time and trouble to examine
what is being offered, send your son
to avail himself of it and tell your
neighbours son about is. Let the
brethren give the college aid and an
"couragement in it's effort to occupy
the highest plane of any institution
in the country in providing practical
scientific agricultural knowledge,
and let US tender u worthy Cover
nor our appreciation and thanks for
his efforts to advance the condition
of the farmers.
THE NORMAL M INDUSTRIAL COLLEGE
FOR GIRLS
This to the farmers is an import
ant institution. 1t prepares u
girls for CrPater AMI better usrfstt