The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1909-01-28

against them centuries ago While
there will continue to be bad men
whose evil conduct will ever emphasize
the virtue of others,-it is fortunate,
that in our civilization good men
though not perfect, predominate,
and with the people educated this
majority is greatly strengthened and
its effectiveness for right, truth and
liberty more than doubled.
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.
No State can afford to do otherwise
than be liberal both with her ordi-
nary public schools and with her
higher institutions of learning. In
an agricultural State such ms ours is
too much stress cannot he placed
upon agricultural education. as n
great majority of our people live
upon the farm. A good man in his
| avocation or profession whether far
mer, doctor, blacksmith or other is
| apt to be a good citizen and the
probability Of success and content
ment> is largely in his favor The
skilled man in his line of work adds
| rapidly to the wealth OF the State
and thus strengthens the revenues
upon which the State depends for all
the great work she undertakes. With
telephone. rural free delivery of mail
and good roads. there is needed to
make country life more profitable
and enjoyable knowledge compre-
hensive and accurate as may be of ag-
riculture, of preserving and increasing
soil fertility, of plant selection and
plant life, of rotation, drainage.
diversification, farm economies. and
comforts and other matters to make
happier and more remunerative the
business of those who WOO necessi-
ties OF human life from the soil with
patience and toll Not a dozen great
colleges can adequately supply it to
the people. We recognize the great
value of the men here and there in
the State. some of them graduates of
our institutions, whose intelligent,
practical and progressive farming
is an example and inspiration to
whole communities. Doubtless in
the long years the desired results
will be reached under the present
processes of progress, but the magni-
tude and magnificent possibilities of
agricultural interests to Justify our
every reasonable effort to quicken
them. | shall encourage the policy
already adopted urging that the
simple essentials of agriculture be
thoroughly taught in our public
schools. With such essentials taught
to the boys | predict a thirst in them
for more information which will in
crease the attendance upon ourinsti-
tutes, the subscription to agricul-
tural papers and the study of farm
bulletins. all of which will promote
the pleasure and profit of agricul-
tural life.
| am strongly impressed with the
Importance that in addition to regu-
lar instruction in hygiene there
should be special instruction upon
typhoid fever and tuberculosis. and
especially upon precautions to limit
and avoid them, both of which, in
the opinion of the medical world. are
largely preventable diseases. Those
who know. even npartiallv. must teach
those who do not know and when
teaching is ones business. what
should he teach rather than how to
protect human life from its most ter
rible enemies? Teachers are not ex-
pected to be doctors but some simple
text work on the prevention of these
two diseases should he taught.
Their prevalence and fatality and
the fact that they are avOidable,
justify the teacher in preparing suit
able lectures, or better still, in secur-
ing some physician to lecture on
them. The noble profession of medi-
cine which does so much charitable
work l doubt not has members in
every county who will gladly lecture
to the schools on this subject.
CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS.