The Democratic advocate., 1908-11-13
IMPROVING farm LIFE
FARMERS UPLIFT Commission MEETS
AT COLLEGE PARK
Session We'll Attended and Important
Suggestions Made

dent ROOSeVeltS Country-Ll1e COM
mission met here yesterday, and was
addressed by prominent agriculturists
from different sections of the State.
President R. w. Sylvester, of the
college, was the first Marylander to
speak, and he declared that the rural
condition in some sections of the
State could hardly be improved, and
particularly Montgomery
and Frederick counties and other sec
tons. The greatest fault to be found,
the improvement of which would lead
to the most favorable, telling results,
he declared, were conditions of the
rural schools.
II believe the people want con-
dition before they will work for that
condition." he said, "and I believe,
without casting aspersions upon my
State, that the want has not yet been
felt sufficiently in some sections. In
many sections of our State the peo-
pie are living happily upon large re-
sources, but the large majority work
too hard to give time after their la
bors to mental activity, from which
desire for better conditions naturally
arises.
"In the truly rural sections of Car
roll county, for instance, most OF the
residents have large bank accounts,
but they do not yet appreciate the fact
that they could and would enjoy them
selves to a greater degree if they
thought more of their social condi-
tions and less of their finances.
Zone of the most important of our
faults, in my opinion, is that our rural
schools are not what they should be.
Many are satisfied with one-room
schools, taught by normal school grad
yates, each instructing eight grades
with five studies each, or 40 recita-
tionS.
1--WE have agencies enough in this
State to bring about the desired con-
1 mean our oranges, our agricultural
college, our experiment. stations and
farmers institutes-but we must wait
long before we can have the improve
ments.'"
Mr.. Samuel M. Shoemaker, member
of the Good Roads Commission and
author of the Shoemaker Road law,
indorsed Mr.. Silvester's views upon
the inefficiency of the rural school and
declared the child could not be made
to appreciate the advantages of coun-
try life until taught the dignity of
such a life and until instilled with a
greater love of nature. He also spoke
of an agricultural high school to be
built in Baltimore county next spring
Mr.. Shoemaker said, in part:
Baltimore county is rich, and the
lowest salary paid to teacher is $4OO
instead of $500, as in other counties,
but even this is far from enough to
pay well-trained ones. To secure
teachers who are fitted to elevate the
community morally as well as mental
ly, would cost more. Until we pay
more money to teachers we cannot
hope to accomplish what is desired"
Speaking of Montgomery county de
scribed by Mr.. Sylvester as one of the
best sections of the State, Mr.. Robert
H. Miller told of the many farmers
organizations and clubs which tended
to uplift the community.
Mr.. Pinchot asked if they had CO.
operative insurance in the county and
learned Montgomery farmers had
about $19,OO0,OOO of it.
H. j. Patterson, of the college ex-
perimental station, said the masses of
the country people and not the child
alone should be educated, and that in
developing social and political chara-
acter the essentials were good roads,
increasing chances of intercourse and
the best possible school and church
facilities.
"The people," said Mr.. Patterson,
"will pay more taxes if assured the
money will be spent economically.
Past political leaks have made them
chary Textbooks should be changed
so that the incidental problems, as in
arithmetic, should keep their minds
on the farms instead of taking their
Imagination to other scenes-that
is, the objective matter in problems
should be farm and county products" :"
Prof. w. l.. Amos, director of the
Farmers Institute, in speaking of the
need of parcels post, said the insti-
tuition of such a plan would be a. long
step toward the prosperity of the
small farmer.
Rev. c. J. LaRoche spoke of the
churches of Southern Maryland and
praised their work and influence, and
Mr.. J. C. Stonebraker attracted much
attention by the political tinge which
he added to his talk. He declared
that farmers did not need legislation
and fancy commissions, but would
rather have something tangible, such
as a reduction of tariff and bushel
wheat made standard of currency.