The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-07-24

Talks With Farmers.

ing the curriculum which made schol-
ars in the past and the many taking
the new courses and the so-called
special course, provided for the lei
lows who want only to go to college
and nothing more. They remind me OF
the farm negro who SAID tnat he htd
been to college-he BACKED shoes
there. Yes, today multitudes are go
ing to college, but not many are be-
coming scholars. They are learning
ease and extravaganza. They are at
tending banquets, they are smoking
and drinking.
Your boy must have money to keep
pace with the other fellows. You
don't want your boy to be stingy. lie
must join the fraternity that has the
best social class in it. In theory this
sounds well. But your boy is learning,
to crafty every want and wants more
The mortal has never lived who gra-
tilted every want and did not want
more. Read Rasseias if you have
forgotten that story and it's sequel.
Again the law of nature must assert
itself and reaction follow. Your boy
spends the money you accumulated
and his children in turn must toll and
labor and rise to the top in their old
age. And so the mill grinds on. Only
a few Well-balanced families escape
such yicissitudes.
Our legislators demand of our State
institutions numbers in proportion to
the dollars appropriated, and by the
law of political economy the demand
creates the Supply-the institutions
are filed with pupils whether prepar-
ed or unprepared to enter; and over
loaded with material that c2nnQt be
digested, the whole body suffers.
When the demand comes for better
ply it. But the question of the hour
is, how are we going to create this
demand. The masses are now being
educated, indeed they are about to
skip high schools and colleges and go
to the university. TO be Il leader in
your community, you must then Sc
cure a better scholarship than the
masses. You must put aside ease
and extravaganza and grind and grub,
if you will attain learning. 1t is
harder today to do this than ever be-
fore in our history, because it is hard
to find a place where one can grind
and grub, free from the allurements
of ease and extravaganza. Then, too,
endowed institutions and gifts of the
wealthy are making DauperS of the
masses. Education is now in reach of
all at a small cost. Free tuition and
cheap board is offered to nearly every
one, rich and poor. The dollars OF
the boys are spent in learning extra
vagance. When tuition costs the boy
nothing, tn opportunities offered by
it have no value to him.
The amount of Improvement q boy
gets is directly in proportion to the
amount of mental work he does. Every
facility provided to relieve him from
work does its part in lessening his
Improvement. Every dollar spent in
extravaganza is more than wasted 1t
develops new wants. it furnishes di
version, it pervertS the taste. This
evil of extravaganza is a~difiicuIt one
to overcome. / once heard q talented
and very devout preacher say that he
sent three fourths of his salary TO his
son at college, and supported his
family on the other fourth. That col
lege son turned out Il failure and tie
other son never went tc college, ut
has kecome more successful than his
brother. Both went TO school to me
and the college boy WAS far more tai
entcd.
What is TIL leSso1 to be learned?
Give your son Il rIloil - FIR an cducd-
ton. but restrain his extravaganza.
Let him know that II costs you some
thing and that he must not waste his
opportunities; that he must meet ana
overcome difficulties not shirk them:
that he should seek scnolarship and
not simply 10 90 to college; that the
difficult curriCuium dettSops the mind,
anti the course which requires litt:c
work gives but little Improvement:
that ms weak facu t.es should not lie
idle and waste away. Urge your son
to study and apply himself with zeal.
If he fails to do this, support the
teacher in his efforts 10 require It.
With boys the most popular course
of study and as for that the most
popular schools ara hose that require
little study, and make poor scholars.
Systematic study, systematic exercise
and a nutritious diet ara rs essential
fer yot.r .,>ln as q vel; .balarcer ratl'
is for your COW. You experiment and
consult scientific authorities for the
development of your COW; why not use
the same care in selecting the best
curriculum for the development OF
your sons mind? The average par
cnt leaves the choice to his darling
boy who is without experience. fore
sight, or wisdom or corEcientious con
Germ.
J. C. HORNER.
Oxford. N. C.