Red River prospector. (Red River, Taos County, N.M.) 1900-190?, 1906-07-26

tural schools. The states can 40 no
nobier work for civilization than to es-
tablish schools, where real farming
mot drudgery) as a business is taught
Il is dificult to be e~xtravagant In edu-
cation; but, Notwithstanding our great
liberality in educational matters, we
are woefully deficient in the number
OF our agricultural schools.
Better farms would make better peo-
pie. not only better farming people, not
only better country people, but better
city people. In the days of the dvili-
cation to come, city GENERALIZATION will
bave stopped, and equitable and proper
distribution will be one of the orders
Of the day. The tendency win not be
from outdoors into indoors, but will
be the migration OF both mind and
body out into the great and glorious
open air, and Gods country will be-
come the arena of u greatest con
tests.
What Schools Might Teach.
l wish the country school, yes, even
the city school, would instruct the
boy in the elements of agriculture.
theoretically, if necessary, but in some
way instill into his mind the truth
about planting and its resulting har-
vest. We are teaching almost every
thing in our public schools, both in
the city and in the country, save the
one fundamental science of all, the
science on which depends u health
and wealth-that of agriculture.
i would not ask the farmers boy to
remain on his fathers farm, if it is
improperly cultivated and is a mere
place of drudgery; nor would l ask
him to remain upon a barren farm,
where every product is literally forced
from an unwilling soil. | would sim
ply say, because you are a farmers
boy, give the farm the preference. If
your fathers farm is not suitable to
Jour ambition and to your capacity, go
to some larger and better farm. Con-
slider your fathers farm first. If there
be evidence that this is not best for
you, then consider some other farm.
Give the farm the first choice, consider
IT. from every standpoint and without
prejudice, even though your farm ex-
periences may have been unfortunate
and disagreeable.
Advantages and Disadvantages.
After you have placed all the adj
vantages Of farming in one column,
and all the objections in another, study
r each advantage and disadvantage by
r itself and collectively; then, if the dis
advantages greatly outweigh the ad-
v%antages, you have every sensible,
I moral and business right to forsake
I the farm, either for a mercantile life
n IN the city or in the country. But do
o not leave the country, or the country
h town, even if you leave the farm, un-
a I'll you have intelligently exhausted
its opportunities. The country needs
|, JOu; the city may not want you. DO
not make a radical change without a
high motive, and be sure that your
a ~lnotive is not a mistaken preference.
Il What kind, and how much, school
n education can the farmer use to ad-
d vantage? To specify is well nigh I'M
POSSIBLE. Upon general principles,
IONENOA IL may UG odAu inc -ADAG II
little likelihood of the farmer, or the
would-be farmer, acquiring too much
book knowledge. In this country there
are many successful farmers who are
graduates of classical colleges, and this
n broad education has not injured them
although it nay not, in every case
have been of financial benefit. If
were forced to answer this question
specifically, l would advise the boy
IS who intends to follow agriculture tC
obtain, at least, a high school educa-
lie ton. l would not advise against g
classical college course, but find il
ID impossible to consider higher education
10 essential. l advise most emphatically
Id ana enthusiastically the boy to attend
ID and graduate from, an agricultural col
is lege.
t, II the boy and his parents are no
familiar with the location, scope ant
to requirements of these agricultural in
situations, information can be obtained
III from the editor of the local newspaper
er the minister, the lawyer, the doctor, o.
the teacher, or a letter addressed Il
the secretary of state, of any state, a
~ the state capitol, would either brinl
full information or would inform thu
Of writer where he can obtain it.
re
Prof. John F. Duggar, M. s., directo
" OF the experimental station, at Auburn
III Ala, and professor OF agriculture at tn
10 Alabama Polytechnic Institute, in
u letter to the author, says:
Il am thoroughly convinced tina
nioEy a country boy overlooks rich op
q portunities for a useful and %prosperou
~ life in the country. The country ha
been made u%nattractive to the farmer
children on account Of isolation, on &C
w count Oh tne lurner uncoMpl'nehlar