Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-08-01
THE RELATION OF THE FARMERS
INSTITUTES TO THE SCHOOLS.
Rosepha c. PuIford.


1t is encouraging to read that Socra-
tes was past eighty when he took up
the study of music; that Holmes stud
died higher mathematics when past
seventy. etc. for you probably appre-
ciate the fact that n county superin
tendent at II mature age. not neces-
sary to mention, has found 1t neces
sary TO study agriculture.
At bayfield, and here have been ABB
sorbing all possible wisdom with re-
gard TO "porosity of Soils" diseases
of'potatoes. profit in hogs. etc. all that
the schools may keep up with the
times and become a means to spread
the ideas CLEANED by the practical agri
culturist.
All our school magazines and papers
are filed with articles along these
lines. In teaching physics nowadays
we lay special stress on soil physics;
chemistry is not complete without a
knowledge Of soil chemistry, chemis-
try Of cooking ETC., etc. Astronomy.
geology. etc. all have branch that is
devoted to the farmer.
Every county now encourages the
school garden, and let me here correct
the idea some have with regard to
school gardens. The school garden
Is not necessarily on the school
grounds.
Any garden that is planted and cul-
tiyated by the children under the di-
rection and encouragement of the
teacher Is a school garden.
Jay Gould and John Burroughs were
class mates. One amassed fifty mil
lions of dollars: the other still works
with his own hands on his own land
When Burroughs was asked II he
envied the career OF his classmate he
truthfully said that he had never had
time to accumulate money. Burroughs
name will live when Gould is forgot
ten and yet the naturalist only set
himself to carefully observe nature
and truthfully report what he saw.
Which shall we hold up as n model
for our boys?
Burroughs has always appreciated
the value of money and his farm has
been a paying Investment but his soul
has grown with his celery and surely
he sleeps better and is In every way IA
happier man than the millionaire, to
say nothing OF the good that he has
done.
We hear continually that the chill.
dren are already overburdened with
subjects and that teachers and pupils
can't stand another
Quite as important as the proper
feeding Of animals is the proper men.
tai food for children.
| imagine have a pet word quite
equal to Mr.. Grubbs "porosity" and
mine Is Coordination"
believe that II for the next ten
years the rural schools would use the |
pamphlets issued by the United States I
department of agriculture and also by
our own agricultural college as text
books for reading we would see
revolution In the methods of farming
In our state and the children would
read quite as well as they do now.
Many teachers use the lessons in
agriculture as basis for language
work and live interest is felt in the
grammer class that was absent before
and compositions ON PROFIT from
Hens" Cultivation OF Sugar Beets."
are much better than the ones on
Ambition" Patriotism" or even
Spring
We hear today much about the com. |
mercial spirit In educational work. |
A few years ago prominent educa
tor said. Ten men need an edu- |
cation to know how to spend money
where one needs an education to know
how to earn It," l doubt II this were
ever true. but at least we know to-
day that the reverse is true. More
and more we find that school deter.
mine the vocation OF children. The
drst three years In school have more
to do with forming child's taste
than ten after.
The president repeatedly In his mes
lags to congress urges the policy OF
the work Of the schools
llong practical lines.
superintendent Cooley of the Chi
No schools. himself a wheelwright
" trade, says: Vocational studies
EiH be the backbone Of the high
cbools Of the future"
There ID no trouble with the chill.