Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1913-10-24
4 FINE LECTURE BY
PROFESSOR HOLDEN
Advocates Importance of Teaching
Practical Subjects in "a Practical
way in the Public Schools

The Holden alfalfa special arrived
Oh time Wednesday evening over the
Northern Pacific and members of the
party at once started for the meet
ngs at Evansville, Clinton and Ban
ner school houses. The speakers as
signed for the Whelan meeting were
left there as the train came through.
Professor Holden decided to remain
in Pullman and address the meeting
at the Nj. E. church. where a large
audience gathered. l.. c. Grow, state
president of the Farmers Union. pre-
sided and introduced the speaker.
Professor Holden did not touch on
alfalfa raising, but gave a very in
teresting address on Education, ;"
which he defined as acquiring the
ability to think in terms of ones
life work. ne began by relating
his experience as school teacher,
and telling how his eyes had been
opened to the Importance of educat-
ing young people along the lines of
practical work in which they are in
terested, instead of examining their
memories with abstract facts and
theories out of books. He told the
story of the calf who 800 years ago
wandered off and made a zig-zag
trail by which it returned at night.
Other cattle followed the trail when
being driven home, until they made
path; later the path became a road
along the sides of which houses were
built and still later it became a city
street, and everyone wondered why it
was crooked instead of straight. He
applied the story by stating that in
education as in everything else, peo-
pie are prone to follow the calf s
tracks" instead of seeking a straight
er and more direct way of reaching
the desired ends. He dwelt upon the
Importance of starting right meth
DDS OF farming, education and legis-
lation in this new country, because
the methods adopted now will be the
ones followed for years to come.
He continued with a witty but
earnest argume nt in favor of teach
ing practical subjects in a practical
way in the schools and told how he
found out that the boy who was con-
sdered the dullard of the first school
which he taught was really bright
and ambitious in the study of prac-
teal subjects.
The whole address abounded in
helpful suggestions, brought out with
a quiet humor which delighted the
audience. Among the assertions
worth remembering were the follow
ing:
The boy who forms the habit of
dllly-dallying with his work in school
or college is going to dilly-dally with
Dis work when he gets out of col
lege."
The average farmer visits his dis
Hict school once a year, on closing
Jay, but if he had a bunch of hogs
IN charge of a keeper several miles
away, he would visit them every
lew days to see how they were get
ing on. He appears to be more in
9erested in his hogs than he is in his
children"
"A farming community which
sends away money to purchase farm
PRODUCTS is out the use of that
money"
When you ask a man for a job
ne wants to know what you can do
hot whether you can quote an ora
uon or conjugate a verb"
The address was much enjoyed and
Aighly appreciated by all who heard
~ The party left early yesterday
morning to visit points on the Gen
esee branch.