The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-08-31
SCHOOL RELATION
TO COUNTRY LIFE
Ably Discussed by F. A. Cot.
ton Before the County
Teachers Today.

F. A. Cotton continued his talk on
the country school in it's relation to
country life before the Teachers In
stitute this morning, this special phase
of Mr.. Cotton's lectures before the In
stitute proving of absorbing interest,
as it is subject that is probably So
cial in character as well as of educa-
tional moment
Every boy in the nation, said Mr..
Cotton, must be taught to work and to
work intelligently and in that degree
that this is neglected by tho home it
must be supplied by the schools; in
the future when industrial education
shall be considered of equal import
ance with academic that there will be
two distinct classes of instructors, one
devoted to each field.
In the meantime, stated Mr.. Cotton
before this ideal in educational affairs
has been reached. the teachers or in
structor can combine certain more or
less elementary forms of manual train
ing which, says Mr.. Cotton, is synony-
nous with the word "industrial,'' with
the academic courses, this particularly
with reference 70 the country school
where special departments are not
maintained.
He Cites Examples.
That revolutions can be accomplish
ed in the whole social fabric of coun-
try community by the development of
this principle in the schools, was in
stanced by several interesting illustra-
tons given by Mr.. Cotton which inclu-
ded that of 4 small school to which
had been sent an ambitious young
woman who loved her profession and
who accomplished much in the way of
school gardens, cabinet work. book
binding and other phases of the new
education through modest beginnings.
That country boys and girls should
be taught to regard farm life and work
as dignified and enjoyable is empha-
sized by Mr.. Cotton over and over
again and that this can be done
through these channels alone is point
ed out by the distinguished educator
That the agricultural colleges should
send their graduates back to their
homes, or that they should be made to
see the value of returning to their own
communities and the applying at first
hand the education they have received,
was also emphasized. AS an illustra-
ton Mr.. Cotton gave the history of a
graduate of Cornell who, although Of
fered flattering positions, elected to
return to his own WORKOUT New Eng
land farm and there work out his
financial salvation through the appli-
cation of scientific principles to the
cultivation of the land. and his culture
to the elevation of his environment.
Not the least interesting Of Mr.. Cot
MS lecture was the reading of part
of an article from the Outlook Of
April 18th, 1908, relative to the Won
derful things accomplished by Swed-
ish minister in a country town in Kan
sas through his knowledge and love
for music, this to illustrate Mr.. Cot
toms previous statements as to the
value of music to the life of commu-
nifty.
ADDRESS OF VINCENT.
"Thoreau" was the subject of DR..
Vincent's address which preceded
that Of Mr.. Cotton, Mr.. Vincent's talk
being of the most entertaining char
acter, notwithstanding the fact that
Mr. Vincent quoted Thoreau to the
effect that a lecture must have no
substance if it prove to be amusing.
DR.. Vincent referred in some detail
to Thoreau's antecedents, and to the
traits of his parents, his paternal orr
gin being given as the Isle of Jersey,
his grandfather having settled in
Boston and later in Concord which
was Thoreau's home. DR.. Vincent's
characteristic manner of expression
described Thorcau's father as a man
profoundly devoted to minding his
own business and to his mother, an
inveterate talker, as one given to i'm
passioned monologue''
Thoreau's reasons for retiring to
given in brief, as desire to preserve
his individual integrity and to main
tain his contention, or philosophy,
that it is the civilized man who is the
savage, because of the shackles that
the machinery of the modern social
order imposes on the individual
DIR. Vincent stated that Thoreau
could not be regarded as one Of our
great men of letters but that as a
writer of rare originality he was con-
spicuous in the history of American
| literature. That while but two print
ed books were to his credit when he
died, fourteen volumes of careful
journals, mostly relating to his favor
lite subject, Nature. were published
later.
DR.. Vincent spoke this afternoon at
one O'Clock on American Humour-
ists,' especially of Artemus Ward and
Mark Twain.