The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1910-10-06

the Illturp FARMERS OF tue
state. Minnesota and Nebraska have
schools of agriculture in connection
with their agricultural colleges. These
are doing good work, but they are
reaching only small proportion of
the farm boys and girls. One suth
school to state is not enough.
The ideal secondary school IS located
away from the heart Of the city 1t
has a liberal piece OF lard in conpec-
!. ton with 1t. To be successful 1T must
be surrounded by enough of farm
to give it rural flavor. AS rule
these secondary schools are doing
their work we'll. They have ruth
lessly cut out the classics and the dead
languages. They have substituted
studies that help to fit the boys and
girls FOR life on the farm. A large
share Of the study Of books is done
away with and the study of living
things substituted. The schools ave
we'll equipped with laboratories Tne
student works with corr. scoring
placing and testing. Judging corn It's
as fascinating a game as ever boy
engaged in. Even more interesting ie
/ the stock Judging.
| Few of rire schools can afford to-
! keep complete line of live stock,
| but neighboring farmers are always
ready to supply the deficiency. Then
there are the machinery laboratories.
where the boys learn some Of the.
simpler principles Of mechanics as APP
piled to farm machinery. It puts a
boy on his mettle to he turned !oosa
on pile Of castings and told to rn t
them together to form a lsirasar T.
intricaeieS Of 4 gasoline engine ke, .,
him working after hours. TITO Stu,.
Of the growth Of plants fakes $50 yala
of the study of classified botany r.,
boy learns the" astines of tti,> differe.'
weeds and how 10 tell ther Sc.
apart. FTe learns their hsahir< and t. "a
best ways of eombarinc rfes'1n
makes colleesfon of insn'rs a" :,
| learns which ones are harmful Ar 81
which innocent
He is dealing with life. the kind E
life that he has Known ever since p
was old enough to know anythi9o@
At last he is learning the answers
| that big why" chat has bothered b.
ever since he" could walk He h.,
found the edwation that is suited
his needs ana Ibis inclin2cions. It j
an education in the ways of natu''>
rather than in the ways Of man. 1t /
an education that is fitting him 30 flt-
best the life that he KNOWS lnea>
about
He may Rot care much about cn
lege His mind may falter 1T gao
metrical propositions and ,lua.lrsr
equations But he can understand : !,
propnsition Of soil fertility and r,,,
rotation. He can work out the etus
ton of profit and loss in raising calves
The greatest mission Of any form c
education is to teach people how I
live. Not only must it teach them ho
to live well. but it will be successf,
4 directly in proportion to the number
reaches The professional colleges hay
I had to encompass themselves with s
/ we're restrictions in order that the
I professions might not become owe
crowded. With agricultural educatic
] there is no such fear
4 The danger is not in getting II
much. The problem is to get enoug
i Secondary agricultural education HI
been phenomenally successful becau
it teaches people the things they wa
to know. They do not take such ed
cation on the general theory that
is good for them. They can see f
themselves that it is good They c,
see it in the increased corn vel
y grown by the boys who have be
81 graduated from such a school to t
Il farm. They can see it from the i
II proved stock that takes the place
the bony specimens with which
i once would have been satisfied. Tn
can see 1t in the pride with which
keeps up his fences and yards.
The girl is given almost as large
| Continued IN rara y