The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1901-04-06
FARMER AND PLANTER.
CAN FARMING BE TAUGHT ?
A Tennesseean Gives His Ideas o.
the Necessity of Proper and
Thorough Agricultral Education,

the Necessity of Proper and
Thorough AgricultraI Education,
have just read an exhaustive and
convincing article that "our youth
should have practical education
along the line they are to follow. Say
engineering, electricity in all its new
applications, medicine, the law, or any
of the professions requiring training
of either the mind of hand to follow
them successfully. This writer dwelt
on the need of early trained men in
all the learned and skilled avocations
of life; that the meridian of life is
often reached before men settle down
to their life work. Many never find
any place and DRIFT through life a
failure simply because they had not
been trained in early life and fitted
for some vocation"
Now all this I steadfastly believe.
Then why not educate some to be
farmers? 1t is claimed by our best
thinkers shat our lands, as a whole
Chat in cultivation), only produces
one-fifth the yield they are capable
Of" This comforts well with my own
observation, and take it, it is true.
Then why this discrepancy between
capacity and product? Simply want
of knowledge. When want of knowl-
edge costs us four-fifths of our prod
ucts it is certainly time to give the
matter serious thought. 1t is con-
coded that here in Tennessee, and
Kentucky, three-fourths of all the
wealth comes from the farm; this
overshadows and dominates all other
occupations. Then if the other propo-
sition is true, that we get only one
fifth the capacity of our agricultural
resources, that it is not question of
industry, but lack of knowledge,
surely this, then, is of momentous i'm
portance to all the people. There are
a few men in our state who have real
lied something of the Importance Of
teaching agriculture in our schools.
These procured the passage of law
requiring the teaching of elementary
agriculture in the free schools of the
state of Tennessee, and specitl text
books were prepared.
have just attended the state Farm
er's Institute held in our capital. 1t
was stated as a fact in that institute
that this book, elementary agricul-
ture," was taught in but one school
in the 1000 schools in Tennessee.
That teacher came forward in that in
stitute and told us that his entire
school took to the study with an en-
thusiasm that was perfectly wonder
fui; that the study had a fascination
that no other science could approach.
He said it was delight to teach cnil-
dren science applicable to the every
day duties of life. Why this law is
utterly ignored by all schools and
school officers is mystery. / can
never understand why our agricul-
tural journals and farmers generally
do not raise a protest that can not
de disregarded. The only explana-
ton have heard given is, that our
educators are profoundly ignorant on
this all important subject. This ex-
think, is untenable. / fear
it lies in the more lamentable fact
that the patrons do not demand it.
But if we can show them dollars and
cents in it, which is apparent to any
thinking man, then they will awaken
to its Importance. When every teacher
is compelled to teach every student
these elements of agriculture and
they grow into men and women then
will agriculture take the place it is
justly entitled to.
was led to write this article from
the examination of lot of students
that are attending high school. They
were well up on the sciences, but to-
tally ignorant of everything pertain
ing to agriculture, and every one of
them aspired to some profession. Not
one of the lot wanted to be a farmer.
What wonder that farming should not
hold its proper place in the profess
'ions if all our some are to be edu-
lated away from the farm and not
Tor the farm, as is proper and right.
This, we think, should be all changed.
Is it can readily be done by teach
ng agriculture in the common
schools.
hope the agriculture journals will
AXE up this matter and urge the i'm
'ortance of teaching agriculture in
,ur schools all over the country. 1t Is |
he remedy, as 1 see it, for many OF |
he ills and dangers that threaten our
'ountry.7J. B. H., Lynnville, Tenn,
n Farmers Home journal.
TWO VALUABLE IMPLEMENTS. |