The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-10-19

Inc FARMER IS TOO InuCn OIL an 1IlO1-
vidualist. He is too Independent. He
hesitates to make concessions SO that,
by concert of action, he can advance
the general welfare. We are going to
attack the problem from this angle.
Cooperation will be one Of our strong
est weapons. The boy will learn how
to depend upon his own efforts, but
he will also learn how indispensable
it is to work in intelligent harmony
with his neighbOr and with society
at-large.
Schools Will Also Teach Living.
"Eiewed from a broad standpoint,
these schools will simply teach life.
They will emphasize the present ideals
of the farmer where they are Wor-
thy. They will substitute new ideals
where the old ones are unworthy or
unachieving. And each one of our
schools will be a kind of mission for
the dissemination Of sentiment Of this
nature.
No Frills. just Work.
"At these schools there will be no
frills, but just work. We are going
to %squander no money in magnificent
buildings. We will be satisfied if VS.
get log cabins, provided the structure
is substantial and roomy.
"~Everything will be built with an
eye to teaching lessons in artistic
beauty. The buildings will be built
along artistic lines and the grounds
kept in attractive, orderly condition.
Bona Eide Farm With a One.
"A BONA fide farm of several hun
dred acres will accompany each
quire each student to do at least half
a days work each day in the fields,
following whatever brand Of agricul-
ture he has decided upon.
1T will be actual honest farm
work, too. net just a little dabbling
ard experimenting. Each boy will be
allotted a certain task, according to
his ability, and he will be required
to perform the task, just as though
he were under contract to an en-
ployer.
Practical in Every Phase.
The boys that come to these
schools viii come to labor and to
learn. not to indulge in pastimes or
lOafing.
Hundreds of thousands of boys
throughout American are today failing
to realize their advantages, destined
to come up into stunted and unpro-
ductive lives, because of ADEQUATE.
practical training.
These schools are just for that
sort Of boy. the sort whose parents
are in a quandary as what to do with
them. We are going to help these
boys find themselves. We are going
to train them for farming as carefully
dS Tx boSS d1e III 1OI lit law,
for medicine, for business or any
other vocation.
We are going to train them so that
if they want to go from Georgia to
Washington, Or Washington to Geor-
gia, they will be able to make a liv-
ing with equal facility.
Why Boys Leave Farm and the Pen
atty.
do you know why American boys
are increasingly leaving the farm to-
day, and the inevitable consequences?
They are going to the cities because
Of the natural lure of civilization, the
facilities for advancement, for for
tune, for education, for pleasure, for
development. And the penalty is be-
ing visited upon the country, in less
competent tillers of the soil, in as
cending scale of living. The mischief
has just begun. Unless the tendency
is checked, good workers on the farm
will become scarcer each year; we
will begin eventually to import our
foo supplies, M the cost of living
Will rise out Of all proportion to the
income Of the average American.
"Sagacious Americans sounded this
warning some months ago, among
them Secretary of Agriculture Wilson,,
Theodore Roosevelt, Clifford Pinchot
and a dozen other eminent and stu
dious citizens.
81 honestly believe this nationa
chain of schools l have outlined is the
sole remedy. Can you point to any
other more logical? I don't believe
you can. We need to reform our
wasteful, our e~xtravagant methods of
farming and Of soil depletion. and to
engraft on American agriculture only
the most scientific and approved meth
DDS. We need to make life in the
country more attractive. We need
new and more leaders in the coun-
try. And these schools mean all of
these products, as surely as enc ana
one is two"
Boys Can Specialize.
President Barrett pointed out that
under the system he had SO far out
lined, boys will be allowed to special
ize in whatever branch they wish to