The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1911-02-02
FARMERS INSTITUTE.
Continued from First Page

| VI Oul lOulI lilO
do not believe with some that the
country bows are docking to the cities
simply because they are lured by a
dream of possible wealth there. To
my minG. it is largely the outgrowth Of
their desire for larger and more var
led life. Their whole beings cry out
for change from the continual dreary
routine that marks the life of most of
them. How shall the efllux of the
youth of the country be stopped? BY
giving them square deal" right here
at home.
Let me explain TO you what | mean
! by that statement. Man has four
fold nature. He has a physical nature
"a social nature, an intellectual nature
and religious nature and each one of
these make certain insistent demands
upon him for satisfaction. Unless
these demands are thrOttled, in which
you have a deformed character, the
man will naturally, at the behest of his
nature, gravitate to that place which
satisfies, his longings.
Concerning the social side Of life.
You have been rightfully hearing a
great deal about conservation Of
natural resources. The greatest natur-
al resource of any community is its
youth. But just as physical resources
can be worked out, depleted with con-
slant use without commensurate re-
! plenishing so can our boys and girls
be worked to certain kind of death
Your fields demand a rotation of crops
your boys need rotation of eXperien
ces and when you will not or do not
give it to them, they leave you.
cannot help thinking in this con-
nection of a story of an evangelist who
was making circuit in the south. He
came one day to the cabin of colored
couple Upon knocking at the door he
was greeted by colored girl with a
large collection of children of all ages
and sizes at her heels. Upon asking
how many children she had, he received
this reply 'wall massa, not countin'
several what's daid, reckon Is erbOut
eleven haid." Too many boys and girls
in the country are counted "by the
head" You have them eat in the
house, sleep in the house, but you make
them work like horses Is it any won
der that the social side of their natures
REBELS and they leave you. In the
opinion of such men as Clifford Pin
chot. Kenyon l.. Butterfield, l.. III. Bal
ley, Harry Hayward, Chas. +. Curtis,
munities is one of the most pressing at
the present time.
Mr.. Case also spoke of the intellect
ual, physical and religious side of coun-
try life and in closing made an earnest
plea for "the square DEAF first to our
selves, second to our children, third to
our community, and finally to our God.
L. r. Blackney county commissioner
of schools happened to be in Yale the
evening of the farmers institute and
on invitation of A. f. Stevenson, insti
ute president, gave an interesting talk
synopsis of which we publish below.
In this world of ceaseless action,
Constant ebbing to and fro,
All we have is earned by striving
And aspiring as we go.
All the heights we would attain to,
All the good we would make our own
We must gain by earnest effort
For we reap what we have sown.
If we plant in strength and beauty,
Strength and beauty shall we reap;
If we sow in sorrow, sadness,
Then we'll find a cause to weep.
So, if we would be bright and happy,
Dauntless, noble and attain
Some of this worlds choicest blessings
We must strive for what we gain.
Mr.. Blackney tried to show that after
good school buildings, with modern
equipments and with the best trained
teachers, had been furnished then it
was still necessary for parents and pu-
pills alike to be continually on the
watch and always to do their parts in
helping pupils to obtain their education.
He gave some illustrations to show
how easily pupil can be turned away
from school work.
Mr.. Blackney also gave some illustra-
tions to show how parents and teachers
might honestly differ in their work sim
ply because they differed in disposition,
etc.
Mr.. Blackney being asked (which
would be the cheaper for farmers to
do, pay the tuition to high schools as
it is required by law or to maintain
their own rural high schools" He an
swered first in a general way saying
that the quest ought not to be (which
is cheaper" but instead (which is bet
ter?"
Following this he said that the cheap
ness all depended on local conditions.
First if high school was near at hand
and furnished course of study salts
factory to the farmer, then it was cheap
er to send to high schools, otherwise 1t
would be cheaper to maintain rural
high schools and provide courses of
study which would meet the real needs
of the rural districts.
In closing Mr.. Blackney repeated the
following suggestive poem.
He who checks child with terror
Stops its play, or stills its song,
Not alone commits an error,
But grievous moral wrong.
Give it play and never fear it;
Active life is no defect
Never, never break its spirit,
Curb it ONLY to direct
Would you stop the flowing river,
Thinking it would cease to flow
Onward must it flow forever,
Better teach IL where to go.
Following Mr.. Blackney's talk it was
moved and supported that vote of
thanks be rendered all who took part |
in making the farmers institute at
Yale success. Elder Haton then pro-