The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-04-16
n.HtorIIl e,rr e.,rI.aoc.

Z AFHJfA A3E ~.
MALT af.er three d@,r ~c"i ~ '.
id,.i place for e %gifhe-in@ HA.t
'thc ocjlI and oDf"t conference ar
almost ~ 1csI..3t'e 2 ia- emit
! a,~cciiu2e. ifc:c cre te.cgaf" ras 2 t-
I dr. orc roof and the auditorium ".t-
~ part Or th ~ giant Carolira hutci.
the largest AMI finest hotel in this
state ana ~ the very best in Amer 81
Where the delegates ar. donlicilel -
/ half a dozen hotels ana come togethc'
only IN the formal meetings thcr" -
Httlc opportunity for tina acquairt-
| arceehip and Informal exchange Of
views that aIe the very life of z ga Il
ering where men and women CONS
to swap ideas. exchange cXp.rtsnc.
ana plan FOR better results The sss
sion this Wear. therefore. was pleas
antcr ana more delightful because al
the delegates Nero in the SAM sraei-
Gus halls ana parIors ana dining rooHl-
! and the serious business in hand Vsts
; relieved pv the social amenities.
Every conference or convention mas
some distinguishing characteristic 2.
course many topics were discussed
and the main purpose WAS 70 increase
the agitation for deeper interest
! among al the PARENTS in the South
J for better cn~ducational facilities That
can be obtained by local taxation ai'd
wise expenditure Of the money thsi5
raised. but the Distinguishing" tlliE2
i that was stressed and emphasized N9s
how cducation could BE- made to touch
,;1,,I,,,, 49, - ,o1,,S r4fifuj,iA
ana bring into agricultural life the
best that can be had in any realm of
living. There i q distinct trend in
tho cities Of back to the farm PEG
pie arc firing of the artificial life in
the great cities. with its sancness AMI
its hustle ond its growing cInisisll.
When agriculture offers good Financial
returns and the farmers family gus
the best comforts on the farm this
| present mental tendency viii be actu-
ally carried out and we Will see men
fEiAing. up- the strenuous city life tor
the simple life. possible in its best
sense only in a country home. The
rural need was the dominating note
of the conference and the most notable
speeches We're o agricultural e0u-
cation ana how to reach the rurai
homes with the best instruction. Tel
years ago the programme would rot
have given agricultural needs-the first
place. Rather we would haze hcard
most about literature and art. Tiv
years ago the need Of normal training
in the city schools would have been
stressed. Those are not forgotten now.
nor their value deprecated. but there
is realization that the real chief need
particularly in the South. IS to train
the youth along lines that viii revo-
lutionize rural life. This ought to be
50. In his practical address-full o.
the marrow Of common sense ana
keen appreciation Of the duty of pub
lie men in the South-Capt. Richmou1
Pearson Hobson said that out Of i
population of ~10.G0O.O0O in the Soutn
Atlantic states. 100000 live outside
of towns of 5000 population and n
the South Central States out of IL pop
ulat:on Of 100000 people. only l.
o9c, 600 live in towns With a popula-
ton Of over 5000. Eighty sever and 4
half per cent. of the Southern peopin
therefore are strictly rural or 50 closely
in contact with the soil as to make the
South's problem chiefly &. rural on.
He showed that the school term IN
the rural district was seventy days per
year less than in the towns n tina;
the average attendance IS MY G1 per
cent. III the %country whereas it is :.
per cont in tho towns. The problem"
declared capt. Hobson. "of first i'm
port is how 10 get education to Tho
farmers-those far out in the hills
and valleys and sWanps-in MANY
cases utterly forgotten by Educational
Progress in its onward march. aud
yet the best blood in the land. stroug.
brave men With the greatest posi-
pilities who when educated have al
ways recruited and must always in thu
future recruit the ranks Of our states
men. otlr educators. our manufacture
e1S. our bankers. our business men.
our patriots tor the country'S defense
whether it is Il question of ballots or
bullets" He touched upon the ways to
help The. farmers in the. struggle they
are making against the burden III
poverty and isolation and said If we
can arouse taa farmers, all the res.
VIII. follow Capt. Hohson propose
not merely to draw his SALARY and
send out garden seed. but to make he
cause of the farmer his own.
and 10 lead in arousing interest il,
pubic schools IL the rural
districts. To this end. accompanle3
by Z soil expert. q good roads ex-
pert. and an educational expert from
the department at Washington. Capt
Hobson Will hold Il great meeting in
every county in his district. to which
al farmers hay beer invited. By
this means. as 4 Congressman ana
public servant. he hopes TO do in his
district on Z large scale what Was be-
sun nearly twenty years ago by D..
McIVer and DR.. alderman III educ:l-
ton rallies in North Carolina. After
hearing Iiobson outline his plan and
discuss with practical Judgment the
neeGs Of agricultural life. have no
doubt that the campaign for educa-
ton and good roads AID better farm
ing VIII meet great interest in his DIS
/ trlct and that the service he will reI-
l dor thapalz ,-ill so# - 1870 -