The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1901-08-16
FARMER ANDPLANTER.
LAYING A FOUNDATION.
The NnIue of Agricultural Tenchiag
in the Public schools Cnn Not
be Overesttmated.

Agricultural teaching in the public
schools is not a new thing. 1t has been
in operation for many years in Ger
nrany, France and elsewhere in Eu-
rope. 1t is an innovation that can not
toe completely accomplished in this
country 1T once. The necessary pre-
liminary steps have not been taken.
First, there are needed text books,
competent teachers and experimental
grounds. All these will come in time
But shall we lose precious years wait
ing for whit we need, and refuse to
take what we can get? Any compe-
tent teacher can. in a weeks time,
qualify himself to teach the principles
OF plant growth, plant breeding, crop
growing and harvesting, and the
economical uses to which agricultural
and horticultural products are devot-
ed. Any system of education, prepar-
atory Or collegiate, that omits these
branches is defective. 1t is impossi-
bic to conceive such an anomaly as an
educated person ignorant of these
things. Such knowledge is not only
necessary that person may avoid the
stigma of gross ignorance. but neces-
sary for the very purpose of all school
education 10 broaden the intellect,
enabling it 10 think intelligently on
subjects in relation to which action
may be required. Such knowledge
should be general, not confined to
farmers. 70 withhold such knowl-
edge from the prospective lawyer,
physician or merchant, would be as
wise as to restrict the study of his
tory to those who are TO become his
torians, or mathematics to those who
are to be civil engineers, or language
to those who are to become leNicog-
raphers. As agriculture is the most
important industry of our country,
tor any other country, for that mat
terD and one that directly concerns
every man, woman and child. certain
" IL knowledge OF its principles
should be part of the life equipment
OF every child in the country Farmers
and fruit growers are not the only
ones requiring such knowledge Every
home owner, in town or country, must
plant and grow for sustenance, profit
or pleasure, and if he knows how, so
much the better. To begin with, the
fundamental principles should be
taught now, ana measures should be
taken to prepare text books and
teachers competent to teach this
braI.eh more thoroughly. 1t should
be taught in every public school, and
once introduced, the growth of aeri-
cultural education in the public
schools is assured. II IS not intended,
of course, to make farmers or fruit
growers of every pupil, for we will
have lawyers, physicians, teachers,
bankers, merchants and many callings
we could very well dispense with, and
they will all be the better qualified by
having weli-grounded knowledge of
natures plans and requirements. as
set forth in vegetable life. In the
course of time we hope to see every
public school in possession of an eN-
perimental plot, where the lessons of
the classroom may be illustrated in
actual practice. The durability and
usefulness of every structure depends
on its foundation. The business of all
public schools is to lay a foundation
for the superstructure of life and
character. The soil and the subsoil,
its physical features and productive
powers form the best foundation on
which to build superstructure of flu
ture knowledge and usefulness.-Tex-
as Farm and Ranch.