The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-11-20
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.


zealously in the cause Of agricultural
education in Georgia are greatly
gratified by the high commentator
given the present system in Georgit
by Assistant Secretary of Agriculture
HAYS, Of Washington, who has re-
Gently made an extensive visit to the
various institutions in the State.
He speaks in the highest terms OF
| the State college Of agriculture. the
congressional district schools and the
normal schools of the State, adding
that the private subscriptions
amounting to nearly a million dollars
have placed every other State in the
union in the shade and attracted the
attention Of the entire country.
All the schools, he finds, are well
located and are doing excellent work,
although we did not need to be told
that they stand in need Of additional
funds.
Mr.. Hays lays special stress Oh the
Importance Of establishing consoli-
dated rural schools. These schools will
take the place Of number of small
ler schools and will be the main de-
pendence Of the agricultural sections
for educational advantages. as il Is
in these schools that ninety-five pei
cent Of the popoulation will be edu-
coted. The higher education afford
ed by the district schools and the fin
al course in the State college of agri-
culture will give us a regular grada-
tion Of education in agriculture and
domestic economy and will enable Us
to in turn put a number Of we'll
equipped teachers who can take up
the work and carry it on in the fu-
ture.
It is pleasing to know that the be-
ginnings we have thus far made in
the matter Of agricultural education
have been established on such an ex-
ccllent foundation. and that we have
only to extend the system along the
lines on which they have been found
ed.
This is of special Importance when
we are told that it places US in posi-
ton to benefit by the proposed con-
gressional appropriations which will
be made in the near future, by which
the federal government will give val
liable assistance to such schools as
are already established. Georgia. 5
pro rata will be something like hum
dred and sixty thousand dollars. and
this, with the amount which the State
will contribute, will place us in the
very forefront Of agricultural educa-
tion.-Atlanta Journal.
The remarks Of the Atlanta Jour-
nal are eninently correct and we are
glad to know that a movement Of this
kind is proposed in South Carolina.
The agricultural interests have been
ignored for many years in this State,
and when Clemson college was estab-
lished the argument used was that it
was to be the farmers college; and
it is first class school but very few
Of its students return to the farm,
and while it has done a great deal of
good it has not benefited the agr:-
cultural interests directly, AMI most
Of its graduates engage in other pur-
suits than agriculture. This. however,
is natural because they find more re-
munerative employment and it is to
their interest and it is their duty to
do the very best for themselves that
they can.
Clemson college has sufficient in
come if properly used that should be
of material help in the establishment
of agricultural schools in the rural
communities, and by consolidating
small schools much good could be
done in the educational advance
ment Of the country children.
Of course. those in charge Of Glenn
son college never admit that they
have any money to spare and general
ly find some means of spending THEN
income whether it amounts to $780,
900 or s250,OOO. The past year their
income from the privilege tax was
the largest in the history of that tax,
but We have no doubt that they will
find some means Of spending the en-
tire amount.
These agricultural schools. in Geor-
2ia have been quite a success and
South Carolina might we'll profit
from what has been done in Georgia
| ,,1 ,,.o;1 o,J ,,,;.4o1-o- +b,+ ,-or,