Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1911-03-03


ton, and 1t must train them for the
farm, the shop, and the home. for
useful and honorable citizenship II
their education 10 to end with the
high school.
It would be better than some OF
these vocational schools be estab
lished in the country, for two rea-
sons: First, they will find there tho
right environment and the right pur.
pose and spirit for successful work;
and, second, the country sentiment
| and interest will center about such a
school and 1t will more strongly at
tach the country people to the farm
instead OF taking them away from
the farm as is the tendency where
the country 10 dependent upon the
city for schools. The contention on
the part Of some educators that the
city schools can furnish all the voca-
tional education required is short
sighted pol::y and an educational fall
lacy. The gsoper place for the conn-
try school is In the country and 1t
mechanic tbat will be hardest -
meet.
A bill providing liberal federal aid
for vocational education is now pend
ing in congress and was favorably
reported by the agricultural, commit
tee of the senate at the last session.
There may be a difference Of opinion
about some of the details CT that bill,
but there can be no question but that
federal aid in establishing vocational
schools and providing for agricultural
extension work would be of incalcul-
able value. and it would leal to imme-
diate action, systematic effort, aud
cooperation in extending the work In
all of the states. This measure 10
gaining rapidly In public favor and IL
ought to have the support Of all
friends Of Industrial education.
The states should not wait for fed
eral legislation. The movement has
already set In. Many states have
made marked progress. This has been
the absorbing topic at every educa-
tional gathering during the past year.
We have received more calls at Ames
during the past twelve months for
agricultural graduates to teach agri-
culture in secondary schools than for
all other lines Of work combined.
barring one-the management Ut
farms-and mora even than for that
one. The agricultural colleges are
establishing courses to train teachers
for this field and the demand prom
Used to be overwhelming for years to
come. Unfortunately. nearly all the
competent men trained for this work
at Ames are now being taken to other
states.
This is the most important educa-
tional problem that has confronted
the nation since the passage Of the
act providing for the land grant col
leges Of agriculture and mechanic
arts, It ought to receive careful con-
sideration, the intelligent. comprehen.
sive encouragement by the coming
legislature. A new educational sys-
tenn cannot be put into full operation
ut once, but the question will not be
settled until sound and eficient
system Of vocational education places
agricultural and Industrial training
within the reach Of every boy and girl
Of school age in the school nearest at
hand. and q system that IL at the
same time properly correlated with
higher education along the same lines.
ought to be made 80 efficient that
there vii! be no need of the pupil
leaving the country until he is ready
for the higher grade work than the
country school offers. There 10 no
cause for alarm over the proposal to
establish few special agricultural
high schools in the country for the
country's needs. These schools will
help to work out the vocational edu-
cational problem more rapidly and
more ehiclently than would be posi-.
BILE without them.
The country agricultural high school
has been tried out with good results in
Wisconsin for period Of i've or six
years. In Minnesota the policy OF
state aid to consolidated rural schools.
and to special high schools for main.
tanning agricultural instruction, ia
strongly endorsed. In Nebraska and
in several other states, state aid is
given to certain high schools for
maintaining instruction. especially
adapted for the training of teachers
for the rural schools.
Our government has no greater
problem than that of providing the
right kind of education for its people.
President Roosevelt said: at ia n re.
proach to US as nation that we have
permitted our training to lead chill.
dren away from the farm and shop
instead of toward them" A represen,
tative of the German government said,
In addressing meeting of American
educators few weeks ago: Every
farmers boy in Germany. whether
rich or poor, and every hired man
has the opportunity Of studying IN
the public schools the principles I'M.
DERIVING the successful practice Of
agriculture and the trades and Indus
tries" The investigation Of Ger
many's trained scientific mon, coupled
With the national policy Of vocational
education In the public schools. have
given to that country the foremost
place among the industrial nations OF
the world. II is not the competition
Of ignorant labor that the American
farmer or manufacturer need fear. Il
10 the competition of the intelligent
hboreF and the educated farmer and