The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-08-25
GreculatiOn III Education.

..l-~.,a the farm and the workshop Will
~ -r, leaders Of the next generation,
,. .- those oi the present generation
for the most part, OF similar origin
The way toward success is long
- r.,t our strides are greater Special
..n IS an inviolable law of nature, to
,.r..h nam is no exception. * How
t.u ne recognize this in education p
p.,t S ". WilIitson, University of Chi
..g. ina lecture at Ohio University.
r.aH ines Of human effort the special
.. F.. the leader of men Men who arc
,..+ merely educated III the lore of the
.....-t. and scholars in the old accepta-
rio, af the term but men who have de
voted their energies to the investigation
atone pursuit and who are thorough in
,-h. they have learned The lawyer has
hnr.ac specialist in some particular
branch of law and makes his reputation
b,. rla-uu IF his ability in that particular
Fne He no longer, merely graduates
ro,a Il lawyers office, but takes special
course af study in the line to which he in
-4.fs - devote his life The doctor no
longer reads medicine and then takes brief
lectures, but takes up a speciality in med
irre ut surgery and prepares himself for
that n which his talents viii enable him
ra excel. aud in place OF the old family
ao.ta. We have the specialist who gives
rs whole time to certain diseases that af-
HIet humanity In every line OF human
effort men are deVoting themselves to
some special part of their profession. The
same tendency Is seen IN the study of the
broad field OF agriculture. The agricul-
tu training at our colleges of agricu-
twc is rapidly leading to specialization.
4 student finds that his special adaptation
is nar to general soIl culture but to some
r.ti.uIar branch. The chemical labora-
tory attracts him. and he devotes the
greater part Of his time in the latter part
u his course to this. and becomes an ag-
0utuwI chemist, ami some short sighted
meu think that because he does not go
back ro the farm that the education is Il
failure Eut agriculture has gained in
the making Of real specialist in Il science
u which agriculture so much depends.
Another man may find that veterinary
>icaga rs his forte and specializes ac-
yed.ugN. and the farm is a gamer there
by. In ike manner the daIryman IS made
a re.ah>t. the farmer a specialist in the
Improvement of the soil. and the gardener
becomes Il specialist in plant life, and each
i'm h~ special pursuit takes the place
where he becomes the best fitted to be Il
leader 81 men. The mere getting of Il
smttsrug Of knowledge Of general ma
tJre may make the jack Of all trades but
never The leader. Agriculture is such d
broad profession and so many roads lead
through It that the student must become
"a specialist in some one of them if he is
TO rtgh the highest success. Education
-or mans lie work is what Is making
this nation the leader IN industrial pur-
suits Even in colleges of agriculture the
chair s0 long dcnominatCd the Professor
d Agriculture no longer attempts the
whole round OF agricultural instruction,
but specialists are at hand IN the labora-
tory of chemistry, of biology, OF yeteri-
l'rE science, OF live stock husbandry, and
%. the great laboratory. the farm, and the
roads to success open out from each one
OF these attracting the men who are fitted
i"r each. And the further this speciali-
zlton Is carried the more effective the
work Of the college becomes. The col
Lese Of agriculture is rapidly becoming a
7.'|. university, where men can work at
their ~ne.iaity and become experts in some
one line, all aiding thus in a more thor
'u2h manner to uplift the work of the
f"lm. The work of the college, then
must moi be measured by the number who
60 back to cultivation of the soil, but by
inc numbers who have become experts il
some particular line that tends to the de
Ee'1ment OF the whole 1t is important
.t.A. that the young men who are study
"- agriculture should, early in theil
COURSE find out the particular branch il
."'"6 they can excel, and then devote
.he'r energies - becoming an adept III it
'a Tins "ay only viii the farmer be ;
.a''""@h farmer the dairymen a thor
'osA .'#'ryman and the stockman an'
gardener experts IN their work.