The Republican journal., 1907-09-12
PRACTICAL EDUCATION.
A PLEA FOR THE WALDO AGRICUL-
TURAL SCHOOL.

pTOIeSSlOn OF 1dTmlnS-Ol SclenCl1c
Agriculture if you please-the quota
lions before given bring us to the nub
of this discussion.
Farming as calling, vocation for
life, has been shamefully DETAINED in
the past, and perhaps this may be due
TO the down and out" appearance
that so many farmers, even prosperous
ones, affect. From their unkempt ap-
pearance and rude ways, their lack of
interest-and even scorn of things in
tellectual-they came to be regarded
with something of contempt by their
polished city brothers. Today, however,
the calling Of Agriculture ranks with
the so called learned professions and in
the depth and breadth of training
necessary for it's most successful prac-
tice it outranks them all. The dis
covery has been and is being made by
farmers that their calling is founded in
science, and now agriculture is march
ing to its coronation.
In the past the boy OF the farm was
mere pack-animal working unintelli-
gently. An endless monotony of ever
returning days of toll drove him to the
city and as result manufacturing and
commerce at present are in the full
tide of popularity as life occupations.
But farming now in our day has grown
to become fascinating occupation
founded IN science, and labor-saving
machinery has relieved it of its drudg-
cry. With the right kind of an educa-
ton the boy born on the farm will hold
himself fortunate because of love for
his environment and the wonderful
possibilities it has for his combined
physical, intellectual and financial
satisfaction.
The migration cityward,so noticeable
in the past generation, has been due
partly to two other causes: Education,
informal and formal, in the families
and public schools of the east as COM
pared with those of the middle west,
has in some manner taught the youth
TO become scornful of farming as an
occupation. All too often, in rural
communities even, the father of a
family has in his conversations before
his children spoken in a moment Of
thoughtless discomfort contemptuously
of his occupation, and naturally the
sons have not respected the vocation of
farming the more fer that
Then, also, to help turn the faces of
the country's brightest sons away from
the soil and what might have been, if
rightly entered into, perfect physical
and mental health-away from the soil,
l say toward the lure of the city and
possible professional and commercial
success there has been the attitude of
the country school teachers, who in
general have held before their pupils
ideals that from the very nature of
things were impossible for them all to
realize. Besides, their altitude to a
degree has been to regard farming as a
mean occupation beneath the dignity
OF men entirely intelligent. In this
way many well -intentioned but super
1icial school teachers have helped to
discredit the high calling of agriculture.
Mindful of these facts then, educat-
ed fundamentally and well on the farm
through the High school partially and
partially through home study prepared
for Harvard University; a graduate
Trom that institution; with teaching
experience, and also business expert
ance of two years in one of the manu-
featuring centers of the world, the
writer has come to believe from the
nature and variety of his experience
that he can speak with authority on
the matter with which this discussion
treats.
Applying, therefore, to this locality
lndustrially considered rules that are
found to hold in other localities there
should be in this city of Belfast what l
am pleased to call the Waldo Agricul-
tural School, for the reason that for
miles around the industrial interests
are chiefly agricultural, and Belfast
merchants depend mainly on the trade
of the farmers for their subsistence.
Such an Institution would be a pio-
neer in this eastern country, for al
though we have colleges Of agriculture
we have no public secondary schools of
an agricultural nature within the reach
of all. There are, however, in the
States of the northern Missippippi val
ley many agricultural High schools of
this nature and they are deservedly
popular and are doing conspicuously
successful work.
There are industrial schools-com-
mercial and textile-of high grade in
Massachusetts, and there is a pro-
nounCed movement for the establish
ment of many more of various kinds
The sporadic, law-grade business col
lege is a manifestation of the demand
for special training for definite occu
patton, but | believe an agricultural
school such as | have in mind would
satisfy far broader demand and fill
b., y