Newark post., 1912-07-31
EDUCATION---SUGGESTION FOR
THE BOY ON THE FARM
MR. WASHBURN ANSWERS PARENT AND OUTLINES
SYSTEM FOR TRAINING AND DISCIPLINE

rid of and much to learn. My ar
ticles. so far, have been concerned
with the need Of making an effort
to get away from the ecclesiastical
dark ages. as far as education is
concerned. To make the start IS the
imperative need and il | contribute
ANYTHING toward overcoming the
deathly inertia of orr educators, l
shall have accomplished quite
enough for one man IN one year. l
will. however. in another article,
write as to that subject.
Taking things as they are l
should say that the inquirer might
find it best to send his boy to high
school. having him take just as lit
tie Latin as possible, or none at all
if that can be done, and paying es-
pecial attention to the use OF Eng
lish, the study of physics, chemis-
try and commercial methods, with
some attention to botany. He should
spend as much Of his time as he
can in reading the best English au-
thors, the poets and novelists that
he cares for, and such American
writer's as are standard and suit
able to his taste With this read
ing. then and later, should be
good translations Of Homer's writ
ings and of some of the German au-
thors, and a careful reading OF Plu-
tarch S "Lives.'' Whether he
should graduate at high school
should be determined by a study of
the particular boy. A full high
school course, at present. Is
, not worth the time of a boy
{ who expects to return to 4
: farm. More important matters
, demand his attention. After
: leaving high school he should
: | think, 90 to Delaware College and
. take an agricultural and mechani-
, cal course. ! believe they are com
t bined there lie should stay one full
/ school year in that institution, if he
; is to graduate or take three-yeal
= course. and after that year he
A sholild take one Of the years he has
, declined to spend at high school and
; Use ii by going into Il machine shop
| the larger the shop the better, anC
2 working one year as an ordinary
a workman. He should not go to learn
? facts. but to learn to hold his mine
f to one thing. as shop work requires
e lie should not 90 with the idea thai
, he is to learn how to work. but tha-
e he is there to do as he is told, earr
?, as much money as he can and be
e come part of a big system for onc
year. He would thus be disciplined
t into a higher type of character. Ill
/. would learn the value of facts il
o doing good work, he would becom
democratic in his tendencies and b
d able to master better than before
e any desires conflicting with tn
l. needs of his work. He would learl
e 'law. order. duty and restraint
5, obedience. discipline - Above al
e he would learn something of how t
IS cooperate with his fellow MAI
s which is the greatest of lesson i
Ie industrial success, and he woul
y learn men, how they are best cor
a. trolled when employed and ho'
n they feel toward an employer.
,e After his year in the shop,
is would have him 90 on with h
e. course in the agriculture an
al mechanical work of the colleg
III When he graduated he woul
is be ready to 90 back to the far1
n and make it produce more. mai
G. the hired help like him and ;
III the same time. do good work, and
OF would know how to make his el
o. gines and reapers behave. how
q fight the enemies of his prosperit
and how to gauge politician an
r. help break down the walls betwef
/ the producer and the prosperit
u which ought to be his. but of whit
Ill he Is so generally robbed.
it. This plan is not ideal: the who
N, fabric Of education is far from thu
tn but answering off-hand. this seer
of the best thing to be done with su,
sk opportunities as are offered in Ne,
ov ark, Further thought would dout
RI less improve the plan.
or Q. f. Washburn.
ret Iron Hill. Nd.