The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1904-09-01
AGRICULTURE IN OUR SCHOOLS

| Bertha +. Hlllman, superintendent
of schools for the town of Troy, writes
to the Maine Farmer as follows:
The editor of the Farmer in the issue
! of August 4th, advanced an idea in the
| right direction when he said: "Why not
| establish at Pressure Isle department
for agricultural education, that the
| teachers may be correctly trained to a
prepared to take up Nature studies
in earnest and in an intelligent man
ner?" Why not 60 a step farther, and
say, let us have an agricultural teacher
| in all Of our Normal Schools?
Our school laws require that teachers
in our common and free high schools
shall teach the elements of the natural
science as applied to agriculture, but no
way has been provided to fit teachers
for this line of work, therefore thev
| are handicapped in the beginning when
| they attempt to teach even the ele
ments of this great science. The ma
jOrity have no knowledge of the sub
Ject themselves, SO are unable to in
struct the children who are looking to
them for guidance.
AS our common schools are at the
foundation of educational system so
agriculture is at the foundation of all
business.
a knowledge of the soil, rocks,
plants, animals and birds should have
place in the education of every boy
and girl whel her they live in the city
or the country. To educate child rem
along these lines is to create in them
love of nature and a desire to learn
more and more of her ways as the years
go by. They will thus become so at
tached to her that the glitter of the
city will have no attraction for them
and home on farm will be the goal
of their ambition. If the children are
educated to love agriculture we shall
find not only the solution of an agricul-
tural college but the solution of the
problem of abandoned farms and tum-
bled down farm buildings also.
The children of today are the men
and women of the future. On the men
and women of today rests the RESPONSE
bility of moulding the character and
educating the children who are to be
our future citizens. Then let us see to
it that we teach them no wrong ideas
of right and wrong. Let US see to it
that the foundation of their education
is along lines that lead in the right
direction. Let us see to it that our
school children learn the elements of
the common school branches before
they go to college. Let us see to it
that our boys and girls learn as thor
oughly the principles which underlie
agriculture as they do the principles
which underlie the common school
branches. Let us see to it that our
rural schools and homes are made SO
attractive and interesting that our
boys and girls will never have desire
for any life except a life in the country
If we do these things we shall have
done our share to help on the cause of
agriculture.
Progress in agriculture means pro-
gress in every direction. If we promote
the cause of agriculture we shall pro-
mote the cause of civilization and be-
come stronger and happier ourselves
for the help we have given to others,
likewise be better prepared to enter the
home in the great beyond" where we
shall hear the welcome plaudit, "well
done thou good and faithful servant"