The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-12-14

time has come when the principles of
agriculture can be profitably taught in
our rural schools; that the teachers, both
men and women, now employed in our
rural schools can be fitted for this work:
that our country boys and girls will re-
ceive such instruction eagerly, intelli-
gently. and profitably; and that the best
interests of our people, moral, intellec-
tual physical, and material will be
wonderfully promoted by the instructing
even of one generation of youth along
these practical lines.
For fully fifty years there has been
constant migration to cities and towns
from our country districts. In some re-
spects good has been accomplished by
this migration. 1t has drawn off the
floating population much of which was
idle and untintelligent from the country
and given it profitable and constant en-
ployment in mills and factories. Much
wealth has been created thereby, and
many local markets made for farm pro-
ducts. But the stream of humanity con-
stantly flowing from country to city has
taken with it not only the idle and
ignorant not only those. needing to be
guided and stimulated and urged by
managers and bosses, but also the most
talented. the most energetic, and the
most ambitious OF our rural youth.
There has been a steady decline of rural
influence, rural power, and rural attrac-
tiveness, until now very few of our
prominent, influential. and wealthy men
live upon and get their living from
farms This is the evil that needs TO be
remedied, and the remedy lies in our sys
TEN of education.
Thank Heaven the undesirable surplus
Of population is now pretty well drained
off from our rural districts at least in
the Piedmont country and the field is
open for excellent educa tional work upon
excellent educational material. The
problem of education, so far as material
for teaching goes. is really far less COM
plicated and difficult in the country
than in the manufacturing towns and
cities. Rural Science for Rural Schools"
is the keynote to the problem. Let the
country boys and girls be shown that
there is a real science underlying agricul-
ture, a science worthy. of study by the
greatest intellects and capable of compre
hension and application by the average
mind q science whose practical appllca-
ton in farm life will certainly produce
health strength happiness reverence and
true nobility of soul, as well as wealth;
let them get a peep into the mysteries
and beauties of nature and natures crea-
lures which they have so often been
taught to despise or not love to see; let
them learn that the great men of all
countries and all professions and all
generations have been born and reared
on farms and that where the great men
are born and reared is the best place to
live; that agriculture is the oldest of
the arts and the most recent of the
sciences and that perfect agriculture
Is the true foundation of trade and in
dustry-the foundation of the richest of
States" let them read and study and
learn about nature and natures children,
about country life, and country people,
instead of cities and politics and liter
airy professions; and revolution will
have begun in rural life and agriculture
in the Old North State which will ac-
complish wonders in one or at most two
generations.
A Summer School for Teachers has
just been organized and will be con-
Quoted next June at the A. and NJ Col
lege in Raleigh for teaching Agriculture
the State. The methods to be employed
will indicate what is meant by agricul-
tural instruction. These methods are
Cd BY Experiments, CD by Book Study.
Let us look briefly at each
l. Experiments-Take for example the
testing of seeds. little study under
proper guidance will enable even an
ordinary observer to distinguish the
.a1<Nx an
other plants with which they are often
mixed. Then the terminating power of
seeds dan easily be tested by using an
ordinary plate and little moist paper
and heat In this way valuable tests
can easily and quickly and cheaply be
applied before planting to all the SEEDS
used on the farm. Easy experiments can
similarly be made in regard to plant dis
cases. insects, soils, plant varieties,
seed selection, ETC., etc. How few farm
boys know that cedar balls contain apple
rust bacteria! How few know anything
of Decentralization of plant breeding,
of seed selection, etc, etc. Experiments
once begun will lead to other expert
ments, the mind will be interested, slim
ulated, and put to work upon all the
problems of the farm; will love to work
out natures problems; problems or SOIL,
of plant, of animal, of weather, of earth
and sky and air; will expand into full
realization of the glory and grandeur OF
nature, and natures works
2 Book Study.-The experience of the
world is in books. No single life can
live by itself and learn by itself the
knowledge gained by millions of other
lives. So books tell us what we could
never learn alone. Some things relating
to agriculture must be learned from
books. 1t would take too long and waste
too much labor and wealth to work out
oil agricultural problems and truths,
each man or himself. But there is not
need of a great deal of education nor
great deal of intellect to understand the
best books on agriculture. / have re-
Gently read Practical Agriculture" by
Prof. C. C. James, most clear, compre-
hensive and charming little book. If
such a book could be put in the hands
of every boy and girl in the world, lit
would accomplish more good for mankind
than even the great writings of Herbert
Spencer. Its charm is its clearness and
simplicity.