The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-01-22
Farm Thoughts for
Farm Readers
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE.
The Institution That Makes the Parm.
ers Of North Dakota Out Of
the Boys.

No state educational institution
more closely touches the interests of
our people than does the agricultural
college. The type of education it re-
presents is for the uplifting and indie
pendence of the toilers In field and
shop. Instead of educating few to
guide the many, it would train the
many to do their own thinking and
to dignity the sphere of activity
wherein the great majority of our cit
liens employ their energies.
The $50 students now enrolled at
the agricultural college come from all
sections of the state and represent
our future producers of wealth and
the builders of North Dakota homes
They come mostly from the rural
districts and are pursuing subjects of
educational value both for culture of
the mind and for acquiring skill of
the hand; subjects that will give
them breadth of vision as citizens as
we'll as mastery of natures forces for
the development of the latent wealth
of the state.
Upon the success and energy of our
farmers will depend the prosperity of
the commonwealth. These students
cannot make intellectual improve
ment and acquire skill in mechanical
or agricultural pursuits for their own
selfish ends. The state will share in
their ACHIEVEMENTS. Every business
and professional interest in North Da-
kota also will be effected favorably
If the farmer prospers. If he loses
they suffer with him.
The soil is the primary source of
all our wealth production, and the
80 hot ,1,roa
physics. farm mechanics, plant
growth and plant diseases, animal
husbandry, dairying and agricultural
chemistry, as we'll as language, math-
ematics and history, connects direct
ly with industrial life and helps the
citizen both to make a living and to
enjoy 1t. The subjects just enumer-
ated are cultural as we'll as practical.
They embrace the laws of God and
the forces He created to serve the
highest interests of man. To under
stand them and to cooperate with
them is the highest function the stu
dent can aspire to. 1t enables him to
enjoy the bounties of nature and the
advantages of cultivated mind. So
ciety may have decreed otherwise. but
nature always has and always will
afford the best-the chief-source of
investigation and study that will en-
noble and benefit mankind.
The educational mission of the agri-
cultural college is to those who toll.
1t would raise their standard of
intelligence. 1t would prepare them
for their work. 1t would professional
lie agriculture. 1t would do more.
The agricultural college recognizes
the fact that farmers are invested
with large civic responsibilities. as
citizens. and would place them on an
even intellectual plane with those
whom the law bars from public SER
vice unless specially educated for the
calling they wish to follow. BY force
of numbers the farmers of North Da-
kOta must bear the responsibility of
whatever there is of local law or gov
eminent. whether good or bad. This
responsibility cannot be shifted from
the majority. The majority must not,
therefore. be rendered helpless for lack
of education or training. whether
such education and training relates
to the production of wealth, the scince
of government, or the regulation of
values and distribution of products.
Other schools will prepare men and
women for other spheres of useful
nCoOb UuI Ill oOll duI llS plUplltIOIS
must not be overlooked in our state.
Education having special reference
to this dominant industry should be
accorded place proportionate to the
Importance of agriculture as related
to other interests. This, however, is
not done.
For the past three years the A. G..
has been EMBARRASSED for lack of facil-
tiles to accommodate students desiring
to enter it's special courses of study.
From 200 to 300 applicants are
turned away every winter. Can the
state afford it? Is it just to the farm
ers of the state that this condition
exists? These questions are not ask
ed In patronizing spirit, but in the
interests of those sturdy boys who
must work overtime on the farm sew
en- or eight months of the year but
who yet have keen desire to COM
plete some one Of the shorter courses
OF study outlined in the A. C.. .cata-
logue-courses of study crowded with
practical information for young farm
ers. AT all events the boys desire the
work, but many are turned away ev-
cry winter for want of proper facili-
ties. This is especially true in the
division of steam engineering.
type of education bearing thus
upon the foundation of the states par
amount industry, that stands for pre-
sent material development and OF the
same time alone can conserve the
states chief source of wealth, that
operates the engines and prolongs the
life of farm machinery, and what is
vastly more important and in addi-
ton, that equips the farmer for every
duty social or political, so far as edu-
cation gives equipment, should not be
the only type of education that is de-
MED our young people-for want of
buildings and equipment.
The Morrill, law provides for in
struction In agriculture and the mech
anic arts, or those subjects having
direct bearing on them, together with
such other academic subjects as may
be necessary to afford the student the
means of obtaining liberal educa-
ton" This type Of education has
grown immensely popular within re-
cent years and it is little wonder that
our state so peculiarly agricultural in
character, should find the provisions
1T has hitherto made for the agricult-
i ural college wholly inadequate to
meet the demands made upon it..
Farmer.
SOIL HUMUS.
Some Pertinent Observations rs to Its
Nature and Use.