The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1905-09-01

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parents see any need Of them going on with the
les. or business men. any one of which callings
now requires q special education for which q
lifetime is too short. The marvellous growth Of
applied science. mechanics, and the growing com
plexiiy OF our commercial life has reached such a
point that shall be forced TO recognize agricul-
tural. technical and commercial subjects in our
schools for we cannot ignore the TACT that most
of the boys in the public schools will be practical
workers along these lines and We should raise the
standards of these occupations and raise the oc-
equations themselves in the estimation Of those
who should enter them by giving them place in
our schools as soon as we can do SO.
The advantage of introducing these subjects
would not alone be on the side of the boy who
was to enter practical life early for it will be OF
service to the boy who is to enter profession to
have generated in him wholesome respect for
skilled labor which will come to him when he
puts on overalls and jumper and attempts to do
with awkwardness and difficulty what his fellow
pupil whose everyday clothes he IL tempted to
ridicule does with such ease and skill.
The whole aim of the public school system
should be first. to develop in each man and
woman that knowledge and Skill in the line of
work for which he is best adapted. which will
secure the means of happiness. good living with
sufficient leisure. and at the same time make him
a good citizen adding to the wealth of the com
munity. Secondly. it should develop in every
man q sympathy with and wholesome respect for
every other man In his chosen work and sense
of mutual dependence; and thirdly. there should
be constantly held before his mind high ideals of
citizenship and careful Instructions in civic
duties.
In some way it ought to be possible for the
public school especially in rural districts to be of
continuous service to the individual. If we
could have buildings properly constructed and
equipped with apparatus and libraries they could
be of service to the adult community as educa.
tional centers. meeting places and clubs for
mutual advancement.
OF course to all progress along these lines there
is the objection OF the expense. but an approach
to an ideal system could gradually be made. This
farmers club is ttep in the right direction since
it brings into the county lecturers agriculture
and allied topics and furnishes the proper kind
of leaven to keep progressive ideas alive. 1t
might be possible to have certain months in the
year more specific instruction on agricultural
topics which would be more in the nature of a
school. Above all things men should be encour-
aged to think along these lines and our wealthy
citizens should be interested and encouraged for
the founding of lectureships and schools in the
counties for practical as we'll as theoretical edu
cation. There is great crying need for more
practical. industrial aud commercial education
and it is for the lack of this. that so many boys
leave school and make failure of life.
I have friend in New York State who has for
years taken great interest in the advancement
of agriculture. He has done this because he be
lieves that the life of the farmer is the normal
natural life. producing all that is sound and sane
and pure in the state. and that life in the city is
artificial. cramped, and conducive in every re-
spect to decentralization and degeneration. We
know that this is true for civilizations in the
past have decayed because of the abnormal
growth of the great cities. toward which the
nth from the country focked there to be soften
ed by luxury. made effeminate by confinement in
close quarters. AMI weakened by vice until not
enough Of the clear brain and Drawn and bone
aud red blood of the ye0manry was left in the
green hills and valleys of the country to overcome
the vicious and pernicious. destructive urban in.
huence History proves that strong. vigorous,
national life is best preserved by having the
smallest possible minority of>the population in
the city.
Now the man OF whom have spoken In order
to make possible better educational SYSTEM
better roads and better rural conditions generally
in order that young men might be Kept IN the
country. founded farmers club which grew TO
membership OF 800 who agreed to WORK togetner
for the improvement in the conditions Of rural
life and they have already accomplished much
In the way Of roads, telephones rural deliveries.
etc, and recently they secured an appropriation
for an agricultural high school and 1t 10 very
likely that In short time BY state aid they will
have transformed comparatively useless rural
school system into an efficient. modern edu.
oational soheme. They have already demon.
strated the value Of the education which ia based
upon the needs and problems of everyday life.
In the system which they are introducing. arith
metic is based on calculations which arise In
every day lite, and geography begins with study
~. .s.onas tr.n.m s - svsr w,dsn;n.
fields In short they would have fewer books and
ons ~ ,o~ ~. own msmna,. has soms s.cs,,sn.