Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-08-02
PART II.

That education can be made erlcient IN
changing the point OF view OF the farmer
and in solving the problems with which
he has 10 deal is now a fOregone conclu-
sion Since the farmer has to deal chief
u with nature and the laws which gov
ern the universe, il Is first necessary to
set TO work to unfold these. At the out
set. therefore. research Is fundamental to
success, and practically every state is
negiecting this most important of all
problems New truth is what Is most
soreIy needed to aid the farmer. and
this truth can only be secured through
patient and long-cOntinued investigation
Experimentation is costly business at
best. Mans intellect is so feeble that
even when aided by all the training
which science can give him. he must
make many vain explorations before he
discovers a single atom OF truth The sew
eral commonwealth must realize. how
ever. the vital nature Of this problem
and literally endow research. When this
is done data will be secured and put In
the hands OF the farmer which viii enable
him to successfully contend with the in
sects and diseases which attack his
crops. the methods Of cultivation and fer
filtration now pursued Will be revolution
ized; types Of plants will be developed
resistant to disease, and which yield
much larger crops than those grown at
present. The farmer will then become
the dominant factor in the situation. and
with the power and inspiration which
knowledge gives. pessimism will disap-
pear and optimism viii take its place.
Then indeed will the farmer become a
prosperous and successful citizen. While
we may deplore the tendency to things
material II Is useless TO expect people
TO live in the country and TO toll In and
out Of season unless there is a reward
TO be secured comparable with the ex-
penditure OF energy required TO win it
Education has given power and con-
fdence 10 every other line OF activity
save farming II will certainly do the
same thing for the farm. After research
has been instituted and the solutions 10
various equations obtained the next great
problem IL TO place the knowledge within
the reach Of all. How shall this be done?
First OF all. agriculture must be made
feature OF our educational system. 1t is
true that at present In many states agri-
culture Is supposed TO be taught, but II
there Is anything which might be termed
q farce and fraud in our scheme Of edu-
cation. IL is the training offered in this
the most fundamental OF all subjects TO
the welfare OF the individual and the ma
ton as q whole. II can be truthfully said
at the present time that while little has
been discovered in comparison with what
vet remains to be ascertained concerning
the problems Of the farm. only one-hun-
dredth part OF what Is known is appre-
ciated TO any extent by the thousands
who cultivate our land or will in the near
future We permit thousands OF boys
and girls TO 90 out on the farms every
year without knowing any more Of what
has been revealed through the study Of
natures secrets than their fathers know.
We must organize agricultural educa-
ton along lines which VIII give IL eff
cheney. This may be done by training
leaders through the agricultural col
legeS These must be men OF unusual
power and equipment They must go
from the college into the secondary
schools in order that those VINO In turn
will be teachers In the common schools
may have the benefit OF their knowledge.
We must not confine instruction In ag
rfcuiture to rural communities, because
the city is as vitality interested in this
problem as the country for after all the
city Is a part OF the transformed energy
of the soil. Moreover, IL the city through
its representatives Is to deal intelligently
with the country they must De educated
TO understand its needs. and then they
will be IN position 20 assist in giving the
sorely needed new impulse 10 rural life
and activities When the teachers are
trained as they can be for the expendi-
ture OF A few thousand dollars annually.
the children OF the rising generation will
20 out with a knowledge of natural agen- !
cfes far SURPRISING anything which their
forebears considered possible. These boys I
and girls with the ardent spirit OF youth |
will attack the problem from a thousand
different directions, and will win success
where their elders. for want OF accurate
and definite knowledge. TaiIed-
To achieve this end here portrayed will
call for the expenditure OF large sums OF
money. The American people are con-
servative and move slowly. II has taken
more than % years OF constant agitation
20 pass some OF our most important laws.
It Is not surprising. therefore. that we
have not made more progress along the
lines OF agricultural education. because
IN 10 this time we have not realized the
vital nature OF the problem nor the tire
meudous cost which will be Involved In
making efficient farmers In the future.
The time is at hand when nature de-
unands that a change be mace. and the
new movement is likely TO develop with
a rapidity which most OF US can hardly
appreciate When agricultural education
comes into its own and when the accu-
INFLATED effort Of science becomes as
common as the knowledge OF the fact