Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1913-12-16
A Plea for School Training.
THE BOY PROBLEM FROM A DIFFERENT
STANDPOINT.

was born in the country in 1858 anc
always lived in the country until fiv,
years ago September /, when l came t
the state school at ST. Lawrence. While
am practically living on farm now, my
relationship has changed, and do no
milk cows or make cheese or plough my
self, but my interest Is in and my
thought is upon these subjects. NJ,
early school training was finished al
eighteen, and the education was mainly
secured in select school where th'
subjects and work were not well cOrrelat
cd. My father, who was much wiser thar
his son, urged me to continue at school
wanted to 60 to work and did. In th'
spring of 1876 / began making butte
and cheese in connection with some
farm work. Later, in 1898, / was asked
by our first Commissioner of Agricul
ture, the Hon. Fred c. Scbraub, to taxi
a place on the Farmers Institute forc'
of our state, which continued until
came to st. Lawrence.
l have never written this history be
fore because no one cares about these
incidents, but at this time they seem tt
fit. When came into a close relation
ship with our agricultural investigators
thinkers and farmers began to discOv'
er how very little l knew, and, further
more, no matter how much practica
knowledge one may have, he is handi
capped without good, broad education
iu English, mathematics, and fundamen
tails. Not until the age Of thirty three
L. II a nnltaro
What has this to do with boys? Well
just this: 1t has been necessary to 60 tc
school and daily study ever since | was
eighteen to get sort of educational We
neer, and don't want young men tC
suffer and live a life of constant embar
rassment, az have lived, when an edu'
cation is to be had for the taking. Thai
is the reason why plead for the boys
and why my heart goes out to the boys
found iu our farm homes who are facing
a life of doubt and uncertainty. l 60 tt
farm homes where young men have moi
finished the ninth grade and urge par
ents to send and the boys to come to US
using all of the arguments that any
thinking person knows.
A college trained man has ten chances
to one as against the unframed man
The reorganization and readjustment OF
our farm business will not come unit
we are supplied with trained men who
can and will understand and execute
ideas.
AN APPEAL TO PARENTS
The following is quoted from a letter
which l am sending to parents with
available boys for our school:
1.-THE State School of Agriculture al
st. Lawrence, if wisely administered and
supported by the people, holds the key
to the future of the north country.
"The spirit in the farm homes ID
apathetic. Not more than per cent are
seriously considering farm education
for their children. Seldom is there out
spoken opposition, but indifference is
expressed under three general heads
First, We cannot afford it, second,
We must have their labor;' and third,
we can educate them as we'll as you
can
1.-The first is not serious, as the state
pays nearly all of the expenses, except
the cos, of living. An industrious, saw
ing young man can earn enough in two
years to pay his own expenses for two
years course.
"The second suggests the one serious
problem. The fact that the boy is work
ing on the farm is usually sufficient evil
dence that he has only had the legal pc
rod of school training and has from
childhood been part of the working
force or machinery of the farm and not
a factor in the farms management.
The fatheri is usually a thrifty man and
directs the affairs to the smallest detail
and the boy is a laborer. Ii taken away
a man must be employed to take his
place who will-from the standpoint of
the father-be a misfit and to whom
must be paid a stated wage. A revolu-
tion ON that farm follows. Paid labor
which may not be altogether bad and
may be good supplants free labor that
e this particular case. The entire
business aud social life on that farm has
been disturbed.
care We To permit point of view and
an improper adjustment between father
and son to make laborer of the boy
This plan has in very many cases
brought financial success to the father
followe ed by mental and physical failure
to the son. Other things equal, the edu'
Gated man without farm has a larger
capital than the unframed man with q
farm.
"The third is not worth discussing.
Fathers and mothers are not in the
teaching business. Home education,
beyond moral guidance and Wholesome
restraint, has never succeeded and never
will"
We have passed the day when the
question OF a high school educstion sup
plemented by course in the agricultur-
al school can be debated. Our courses
are practical and they fit the boy for his
job. sent four of our graduates last
June to my farm at Denmark to work in
a certified milk plant. They started
with the knowledge received in school,
and if any one had sufficient interest, a
letter to the New York City Milk Com.
mission or visit TO the farm will con-
vince them what can be done by farm
educated young men under twenty-one
years of age.
To do exacting work they are more
capable than older men with farm ex-
perience. They have been taught to
stay up against problems and to work
them out. Their heads and hands have
been taught to work in unison. There
must come revolution in the farm
home OF the farm boy will become la.
borer on the farm or in-t0wn.
The large problems of the world have
been the location and ownership Of land,
both government and individual, and
they have been solved by martial law.
Public sentiment has recognized the
right of the government to invade the
sanctity of the home and take from j,
the wage Garner, and Spartan loyalty hat
prevailed. Who ever heard the ques
ton of "personsl liberty" raised when Q
foreign foe menaced country?
The large problems of the future con
Germ conservation. 1t may be the set
ting of tree in backyard or the drain
aga of garden patch, or 1t may be The
government protection Of one hundred
million acres of forest, mine and sol
from waste. The real question at issue
is the same-namely, to afford food
clothing, and homes for the human fam
lily. In the past it was as important te
own farm as for government to 0wr
it's territory. 1t is now as much
burning question to cultivate intelligent
ly a garden a. to manage q nation, ant
the nation has now the same right tt
demand an educated man for the farm
as formerly to draft him into the army
aud navy.
Two decades ago men with vision fore
saw national degeneracy unless illiteracy
was stamped out and compulsory educa
tion was established. The question o
the right Of the parent Ia now raised
against It,