Macon beacon., 1905-07-22
FARMER AND PLANTER.
THE FARMER AND EDUCATION
The Great Book of Nature IN Ever
Open and Material For strudy
Always at Hand.

very lew hluutHlS VI sOclhl SCleHNc
have given attention to the possibili-
ties Of education In the country The
relative station Of the farmer, feeble
and undignified as II may be regarded
In reference to the subject of mental
development is one, nevertheless. which
Is attended with opportunities of in
telectual effort and Of high moral cul-
ture accorded TO but few classes Of
men In the same degree. The position
we assume Is that the farmer is des-
tined to become a man of cultivated
tastes and habits-of highly improved
moral sense and discernment. And
when this shall be the case, the stand
ard Of improvement and excellency
with him Will greatly exceed that OF all
other classen of society around him.
One Of the great defects of our best
modes OF teaching, at present, is that
they are not sufficiently plain and prac-
teal, especially with all scholars up
to, and including the high school, Our
youth are placed in schools that they
may make themselves familiar with the
scienCes-which Is but another name
for everyday occurrences around them,
but in reality they have no more as
sistance than the naked book affords
them in which their lessons are print
ed. There is 10 opportunity of examin-
ing into the rudiments of things, There
Is no provision for practical illustra-
tion. They are left entirely ignorant
Of the connection between cause and
effect, and their whole vocabulary of
knowledge consists of an acquaintance
with barren facts and incidents, rather
than with the causes and consequences
with which these facts and incidents
are intimately combined. Hence 1t is
that the memory, FOR the most part,
is much more actively engaged in the
acquisition of knowledge at the present
time than any other faculty of the
mind. There is no application Of prin-
ciples and inferences to the ordinary
occurrences of life. There is no par
ticular inquiry after the uses TO which
knowledge of any particular science
may lead, and though the student may
be hard worker, constant and atten-
tive, he is operating with barren ma
terlals, which in after life bring neither
blossom nor fruit The the science
Of physics or natural philosophy, sci
ence which treats of objects in which
we find but little change. 1t Is nc
doubt true that this science can be more
fully explained and comprehended un-
der the broad eXpanse Of Heaven and
in the light Of an unobstructed atmos-
phere, than it could be in the murky
chambers or the dense, crowded streets
of city. If the subject of natural
philosophy can be more favorably pro-
NOTED and studied by farmers located
in agricultural districts, how much
more would this be the case in regard
to every other branch of natural sci
ence The study of these departments
Of knowledge would receive most i'm
portant aid by being prosecuted in
gardens, In fields, in woods and in
mountains, in places where the struc-
ture and constituent qualities of OBJ
jects could be eXpeUmentally tested.
Thus, in relation to the science of min
erology, every facility would be afford
ed for its investigation which could
be desired, and its difficulties would be
overcome with more ease and pleasure
than could be expected to result from
the ordinary manner of engaging in
this study in our schools The student
would be gathering knowledge while
he was occupied in improving and pre-
pairing his grounds. In making him
self acquainted with constituent prop
critics necessary to the nourishmcnt and
growth of plants, he would be extend
ing the bounds of his chemical knowl-
edge by actual experiment, and while
engaged in restoring gas or property
of the soil in which 1t was deficient
he could be supplying his own mental
wants in more than one important par
ticular. 1t would be pleasant to see the
farmer while occupied in his labor,
pausing in the midst of it, as some do,
for the purpose of fortifying his mind
in some scientific principle, storing
away in his memory the fruits of
knowledge at the same time that he is
Soring up the fruits Of his husbandry
and making both contribute to his fu-
ture growth, not only in physical, but
In mental and spiritual improvement.
The book of nature is one vast record
Of facts, phenomena auG rriHoipieS,
stretched in interminable extent around
us and lying open for the perusal of
all who may choose TO study and OBJ
serve It, 1t bears witness 10 wonders
in the heavens above, on the earth be-
meath, and in the regions under the
earth. Ii can be read mere plainly
| away from the artificial attractions of
crowded communities and where its
pages are not hidden by the artificial
contrivances of man The country
then, is the proper place to cultivate
the sciences. Geology may busy itself
by examining the rocks; botany may
there penetrate the shades of impend-
ing forests, may study the organiza-
tion of plants and trees. Zoology may
delight in contemplating the animal
and insect Kingdom, and even astron-
omy may there gaze on the wide ex-
panse Of the heavens, and measure and
count the stars that overhang the firm
ament. Another advantage of studying
in the country is in always having the
materials of study before us The farm
Or needs no extra capital, no extra
books to study nature, and thus to
educate himself.-Agricultural Epito-
mist
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THE FARM WORKSHOP.