The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-07-08
COUNTY AGRICULTURAL HIGH
SCHOOLS.

SCHOOLS.
(By H. e. Blakeslee, Commissioner. j
Union Advocate.
The Importance of an agricultural
education, preparing the farmer fol
his profession as is the lawyer, doc
tor, preacher and members of othei
professions, has been featured in this
department time and again. Some
time since the New Orleans Times
Democrat published a leading edito
rial endorsing the proposition for ar
agricultural education. Mr.. G. Meme
las. an enthusiastic friend of better
farming methods and good farmer
himself, living near Brookhaven, sends
the editorial which is here repro
duced:
A griculturaI Schools in Louisiana.
"The Times-Democrat has called
attention more than once to the good
work many of the western universi-
ties, notably those of Wisconsin,
Illinois and Minnesota, are doing for
the cause of agriculture by teaching
the farmers of these states scientific
Louisiana State University as the
Agricultural and Mechanical College
of Louisiana can follow with great
advantage. A large majority of the
naopIa IF tho oo,,ptrv oro oooooo5 =,
agriculture-and this is especially
the case in the south, whose fields
produce most of its wealth. To agri
culture in it's several branches the
greatest attention should be given;
yet the learned professions monopo-
lie most of the attention of our col
leges and universities, and the youth
devote their principal time to the
study of other branches of education
than agriculture, although it is GER
tainty that great majority of them
will become farmers or planters after
graduation. They return to the farm
from school or college with knowl.
edge of Latin, Greet or Algebra, but
wholly ignorant Of the first princi-
pies of farming; yet there is no more
interesting or valuable course, and
we are able every day to see the DIFF
ference between intelligent and scien-
tific farming and the loose, extrava-
giant, wasetful system which prevails
in many parts of the south.
In the north and west the atteu-
tion given to this branch of education |
is most encouraging and is accom-
plishing splendid results. We are
glad see that the spirit has spread |
to Louisiana, and that demands are
pouring in on the state superintend-
ent of education asking that the |
schools give more attention to agri-
culture. A number of them in the
rural sections propose that they be
made agricultural schools, that the
pupils be not confined to a few hints
rom books on this subject, but he
'aught farming by scientifically train
ID men, who will direct the actual
work, as is done in the state of Wis
,onsin.
Superintendent Harris is aiming
o have at least ten of the large
public schools converted
INTO agricultural schools for next
,ear's session, so as to train the coun-.
Try boy for farm life rather than
way from it, by dissatisfying him
md sending him to seek some other
lind of work in the towns.
"In response to this suggestion
lumber f-the country schools have
Ipplied to be made agricultural
chools, wanting to know what must
10 taught in these schools, and what
8 expected of the parish boards
he details will be arranged this sum-
ner, and there seems no reason to
oubt that by the beginning of next
ession there will be at least ten
rorl1ing earnestly and intelligently to
interest the children of the country
districts in farming, and to teach
hem the rudiments of scientific agri- {
ulture. Such courses will do not !
My the youth themselves good, but
rove of inestimahle value to agricul-
ire and therefore to the whole
tate" I
Mr. Menelas writes as follows, COM I
enting on the editorial and empha- 7
zing the importance of our Missis- t
ppi people taking advantage of the I
w passed by the last legislature, in n
oduced and championed by Senator v
rankin, of Pontotoc, authorizing C