New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1913-07-05
AGRICULTURE IN THE RURAL,
SCHOOLS.


the Creator and suggest how
AhingS mvpht have been i'm
proved if only they had been
called upon to plan II all. l.
is not SURPRISING. therefore. thai
room for criticism should exist in
an innovation as new as orr rural
agricultural schools.
W. the conduct Of these insti
tutions there are difficulties that
Grow oul Of three conditions
namely. the pioneer character Of
tie work. the palleity of funds
availaI le for such schools. and
the scarcity of teachers who are
equipped for such service. Freely
admittino these drawbacks, the
task of those who are in charge of
the work is to do the best that
can ha done with the material at
hand, the while publ sentiment
is being built un in favor of in
creaSing 10 the highest point the
efficiency Of these schools. In
spite Of their Deficiencies they
/ constitute the most profitable III
vcstmcnt that the State is makln@
along educational lines today
for, while the crrriculum ma'
be short on higher mathematics.
bellies letires. and IN several I'M
portant requirements Of the fin
jshed education, if is "Iong on
such instruction as fits the boy to
be better farmer, more sue.
cessful live stock breeder, and Il
more capable business man than
, is his father.
It must be remembered that
the best type Of farming is botl
profession and a business
hence, the modern farmer mus
have scientific knowledge and {
hjgh order of business ability
The educated farmer ought TO bt
the best educated man i'll til,
! community. for the highest sue
cess in his calling requires of hin
as much scientific knowledge a'
ihe average physician has, greatei
familiarity with business princl
pies and practices than merchant
in the small towns are likely Il
possess a pretty fair knowledg.
i of civil and mechanical engineer
/ inc. and the elementary princi
fpIps of law. IT is clear that tn
country schools cannot give TIN
instruction. nor is it all included
in the curricula of the creates
agricultural colleges. just as on
ordinary public schools do no
meet the requirements Of exact
inc critics, Or even measure II
TO the standards we hope to al
tain, so our rural agriculture
schools fau far short Of bein
what we should be pleased t
have them become.
Tho remedy for such sltna
t;on does not lie in condemnln
tho money spent in operatln
these schools as wasted, pnt l
stranotbonino the weak point
1ocrpasine the deficiencies an
increasing the efficiency of tn
schools putting behind them tn
whole power of the people who's
u uelfarf they are to serve. ]
rronortion TO his means the ia
r NOR bears n Greater proportion {
,ho b,,rdens of government tha
! any other class and gets less
r reiurn. The politicians, WI
r ,oil ,ot ror spin. having eontr'
: of the governments, state ana II
y tional. have built up spaelo'
cdilicc with numerous rich bile
1, for their class. while the mt
whose children depend upon a9'
; culture Off their livelihood
gwen the crumbs o small appro
r,ations after all other lntereS
have been provided for with se
crons hand
VIC time has arrived wheh Tue
things must NJ lohser pe "
rated. In order TO have agric
tural schools Of approved e
cheney in the rural distlets-a
one should be located III eve
ward in evert parish and eo'll
in .hc South the agflcult,l'
COLLEGES of the state 'lnlverslt
should Re strengthened to ena
them to ednin the teachers neeo
IN tl'is work. ln Louisiana
imperative need is the erection
a @reat building IN W''ie',
house all the departments u
{, ~ fl-raI pnllpUp anu IL l.