Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-09-25

N-SOAatSAy dcPCIuo VII e'AAS
emigration from the country, for We
are told that the city population if left
TO itself would die out in a few gen.
erations. With the coming of rural
mail delivery, circulating libraries,
trolley lines, telephone lines, better
roads and increased church and school
privileges there no longer exists this
excuse for the dullness of country life.
Daniel Webster, if he lived, today.
would not say that New Hampshire
was a good state to emigrate FROM"
put would join with Charles Dudley
warner i'll saying that Everyone
should be born in a little red farm
house with stone wall around it," and
with Josiah Strong who could stand it
II the house We're not painted red, but
says II he were to enter the world
again he would ask Divine Providence
for the privilege of being born on
farm in the United States
do not doubt but what many of
/ the fathers and mothers present, today,
are battling with that ever present
problem, What shall / encourage my
son or daughter to do for Il life wOrk?"
along what lines shall l direct their
thoughtS?"
l do not mean that the same line of
work will do for every child. 1t would
be almost a crime to insist on boy
| who shows marked ability in any line,
| taking any others line than the one for
which he seems best fitted. But pa
| rents can do much toward moulding the
child's life and character into chan
nels that will bring future happiness
into their lives.
The constantly increasing dangers
in the struggle between capital and la
| Dor makes the more thoughtful pause
and consider this question even more
carefully than before. | am not here
! to discuss either side of this question
No matter whether you favor the one
| idea or the other, the labor problem is
with us. We were forcibly brought in
| to contact with it last winter 1t
| reaches to the remotest districts. Not
a person lives in this country but what
is more or less affected by it, sooner or
later a young man cannot work at
any OF the trades today without sign
ing away his freedom and indepen-
dence. The labor problem is with us,
today, greater than ever before, and
must be solved now, and by us. Look
everything squarely in the face and
believe you will agree with me that the
arguments in favor of young men and
Women choosing some form of work In
the country will far outweigh those in
favor of the possibilities in the life OF
sham, shame and deception which sur
| rounds much of our city society.
i have said that a great change is
ing. This change is being aided by
several agencies. In the first place
our common school system is receiving
'Or is about to receive Il thorough reno
walton. There are many who believe
that this system, of which we are so
justly proud has been wandering away
from the useful things and teaching
many that We're. in most cases, not es-
sential, and that greatest of all teach
ers, Mother Nature" and bring the
boys and girls into intimate knowledge
of her laws which are the most perfect
in the universe as a foundation for
their future work. Personally l hope
the time is not far distant when a
crop of teachers will be travelling
about this State, if no better method
can be devised and bringing into the
common schools of the State some les
sons drawn from the things surround
ing the child in it's every day life. 1t is
bound to come, because places where
this is being tried show that children
are literally hungry for this kind of
thing.
Another organization the benefits of
which are almost unreasonable is the
Grange. Since its organization, it has
always stood for all that was noble and
good. One of its primary works has
been Education. To be sure, mistakes
have been made, but where the Grange
| has failed, the failure can generally be
traced to the selfishness of IL few ndl-
tiduals who were afraid some brother
was getting a little advantage over
them, or who would not combine in an
, united effort which would benefit tn.
community at large.
A third factor which is responsible
for this change i'm feeling, is the agri-
| cultural college. Its existence is large
| ly due to combined effort on the part of
the Grange to bring about a line of
education not offered before Yours
| in connection with your State universe
ty is but a type of some larger and
Solilc SIlHilIeF, winch are ma lntalneQ by
each state in connection with the gen.
cral government. 1t is first to last, the
| farmers college. l am not here to es-
pecially boom the agricultural college,
yet | would not be fulfilling my mis-
| sion if l did not say few words re-
| gardnS the future policy of the agri-
| cultural department of your noted State
| institution. Reorganization and added
force makes it possible to give instruc-
| ton which we hope will prove salts
| factory to the agricultural interests of
| the State. 1t is our desire to carry on
| Il model farm, along business lines,
only doing such things as are possible
and profitable under similar conditions
on every farm in Maine. The various
lines of agriculture are not open to
men alone. Fruit growing, green
house work, vegetable gardening and
| poultry raising. each offers the young
woman opportunities whereby she can
| stand shoulder to shoulder with her
brother in the making of a pleasant.
profitable and independent living. To
keep, if possible, the coming genera
I &c So,