The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-04-05


EVERYwHERE
The farmers OF Florida, "a of other
states. are gradually beginning 10
realize that education in matters per
tanning to the soil : As essential in
their case. in order 10 produce the
best results, as is education in any
other particular line or calling
a few months ago Prof =. H.
Rolfs. director OF the stale agricUl-
tural experiment station 1t Gaines
Vile held a farmers institute in Es-
Gambia county from which much
good is likely to result and the fol
lowing article from him in the Flor
ida School Exponent on the subject
of Agriculture in Our Public
Schools" Will therefore be read with
more than ordinary interest,
The public schools in Florida are
the foundation for Our educational
system However beautiful super
structure We may erect. if the cor
nerstOne is faulty the edific must be
imperfect. There has been a steady
growth in our public schools since
their foundation. Not one decade
has been allowed 10 pass without
some important. and often radical.
change. Every one of these changes
has been brought about only by
heroic efforts on the part OF some of
our most advanced educators. We
must expect changes 10 occur; il Is
as necessary for system Of educa-
zion TO grow as il IS for 4 healthy
body. As soon as We have attained
our ideal of i few years past. We still
see grander ideals ahead. and still
Srdnder stature 10 be attained
system of education, or a civilization.
that has attained its ideal and sees
no imperfection to be remedied, has
already become infected with the
germ OF decay. The public schools
OF today are as far below our pres
ent ideals as they were twenty years
ago below the ideals of that date
As systems grow older. they are in
clined to become more fixed and less
capable of making the adjustments
necessary TO coordinate them with
their surroundings. Only a CurSOry
examination is needed 10 find exam
pies Illustrating this rule. The school
system Of the new world doubtless
began by utiliZin" the good thar was
in the old world school. while leay-
ing ont the uOH-eslanrial and useless
As new states were added 10 the
Union. they naturally took advant-
age Of the experience Of the older
states and arranged their schOo! sys-
TENS 80 a. to leave out the less per
feet features contained in the sys-
tens OF instruction carried out in
the older states Florida had very
Imperfect schooI system as late as
twenty wears ago. w have at pres
pnt a fairly GOOD on" Of the newer
type IT, hOWeVrr. We rest content
ed with orr present aIainmentS. We
will very soon find ourselves as rear
guard IN the army OF educational adj
Yancement.
University and Agricultural College.
Sixty wears ago many Of our uni
verSitieS and colleges closed their
doors 10 modern advanced education
10 such an extent that II became
necessary 70 establish coordinate IN
situations in which advanced ideas
regarding science could 5e taught.
These old institutions said in sub
stance. science taTsht with $50 prac-
riCa bearing is educational. bat
science taught with a practical end
n view l. not cultural cOnsequentR
We cannot permit within our doors
such baIDarismS a. applied sciences
A. a result We have in some ~tate-
suCh anomalies in the system Oh
higher education as an Agricultural
College cO-Ordinated with Il Eniyer-
Siry. Just as though mathematics
or chemistry. for example. when
taught in an a@riCutUral college.
should Be noncUlJural, but when
taught in literary college, should
become ar once cultural A truue UNI
yersity ought to be broad enough 70
include a.! lines of study and inve--
tigation This duplication Of educa-
tional institutions involves rather
heavy Tax on the people of a state.
but in some cases such duplication was
absolutely necessary. in order that
agricultural and mechanical sciences
might be taught properly Some in
stances can be quoted where Hnlve!-
sites accepted trust funds given 10.
the. advancement Of agricultural and
mechanical science and then diverted
them 10 other uses In such cases II
became necessary TO wrench the az
r:crltural and mechanical institutions
from their connections with these
universities in order that applied
science might Use the funds that
rightfully belonged TO it,
, Our Present School System Not
Perfect.
Al the present tlut We are idCiH7
a condition in or public schools
where il is not a question as TO
whether agricultural education shall
,e given or not given, bat question
a. TO u-nr,Aer The present education
al system is sufficiently elastic 10
hermit Of the necessary modification
\ radical reorganization OF our pres
enr curriculum j. not necessary. Il
il j. not sufficiently plaibc 10 he
SHAPED into d more perfect system.
then a new one more adapted TO the