The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-10-25

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set of men should do the work and
the other have the learning. 1t fos-
tered the fallaey that there was no
relation between the theme of the
book and the work to be done. 1t
separated men into two classes, in one
class the professional man, the schol-
/, ar, the man who lives by his wits;
and in the other, the toier, the laborer.
The new education makes ne such
separation. 1t has faith in the demo-
cracy of learning, and believes that
honest toll, whether performed in field,
! factory or home, when properly and
intelligently done, is of equal dignity
and worth, with the, work performed
in the socalled higher professions,
and has a more. practical value to
society. Labor takes on new dignity
when the performance of the task is
inspired by intelligent effort of mind
and soul.
The new education emphasizes the
pupil for some specific work 1t must
combine the theme written in the book
and the theme written in the soil,
with the inspiration for the best liv-
ing. The great need of the country
today is, not more lawyers, more
doctors, more professional men, but
more skilled toilers, more trained
farmers and home makers, who will
dignity their several vocations by
intelligent performance of duty.
The new education emphasizes
dignity of labor and lays stress on
+, the fact, that all effort whether men,
tai, moral or manual, is of equal i'm
portance to the welfare of the, country
if performed intelligently and conscien-
tiously.
The establishment of the land grant
colleges has resulted in the accumula-
ton of great body of scientific and
technical knowledge in the industries
that is now the possession of a few.
The problem presented is to success
fully impart this knowledge to the
| five millions of boys and girls who
will soon be preparing for rural life.
The passage of this bill would provide
a body of young people who could be
developed into teachers, These teachers
could carry instruction and inspira
ton in agriculture into all the rural
schools of the land 1t is one thing to
send comparatively small number
of students up to collegiate training,
and quite another thing to send large
numbers back to the rural communi
ties to conduct farms. This latter
function is the more important.
Their Most Important Service.
The most important service, these
agricultural high schools would per-
form, however, will be in the education
of many young people from among
whom will be developed a class of
teachers who can successfully direct
our rural schools. Not only that, but
graduates of these practical secondary
schools will be an important factor
in rendering more attractive country
life The experience of Minnesota,
Nebraska, and other states which have
successfully conducted agricultural high
schools, shows that the majority of
the graduates, do actually 60 back
to the farm. At the agricultural high
school in my own state, seventy per
cent of the graduates and much
larger percentage of those who take
only selected parts of the course OF
study, return to country life, taking
with them knowledge which can be
put into practical effect.
Farming with its maximum financial
returns will never be realized fact
in this country until the science OF
tilling the soil becomes the possession
of the millions who till the soil. The
AGRICULTURAL high school will mater
tally increase the wealth of the Ameri-
can farmer, by giving him greater
and more practical knowledge of farm
ing, which will yield him larger finan-
cial returns.
When country life becomes more
attractive through proper con-
ception of the dignity of the science
of agriculture, the boys and girls will
not leave the farms for the over
crowded cities.
This legislation, if enacted into law,
will tend to set in motion certain
economic forces which will to large
extent, correct the unequal distribu-
ton of population as between city
and country life.
1t would seem that this plan of us
inc some of our national funds with
which to build up local institutions
would decentralize rather than have
a tendency to centralize. Could the
federal government engage in any bet
ter business than that of stimulating
the several states in the exercise of
their functions? If this legislation were
for the benefit of any special interest
it's wisdom might well be doubted. This
measure aims to cooperate with
and encourage the states in a kind
of education that will have vital
relation to the industrial workers and
home makers of our country. 1t pro-
noses to invest some eight millions
of dollars in order to increase the
industrial efficiency of our people.
Agriculture the Least Protected.
1 believe that agriculture is the
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