Devils Lake weekly world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1911-1914, 1913-09-05
Modern Agriculture and Vocational
Education In Our Public Schools

the school. The July races. potato car
nivals, and county fairs Will be held
on our demonstration grounds. All
school laboratories for the analysis of
soils, and all experimental departments
will be open at all times with its best
information to all the farmers. Our
:. i l;f1aries vii, con'ain an .hc
ycarbooks from the agricultural Dr.
partment at Washington, D. G. We
will get on the mailing list of all the
agricultural colleges and experimental
stations in every state in the union.
This valuable information can be had
without cost to the school. There VIII
be pigeonholes for bulletins on wheat
corn, barley, oats, potatoes, and all
farm products diseases of animals. and
breeding of stock, and all scientific en-
detrimental work in all phases of rural
life conditions. Now, there is nothing
wonderful or original about this work
We have simply got the vision that
by organizing and utilizing our public
utilities we can introduce into our con-
solidated district school and county or
CARNATIONS what the state is doing at
our agricultural college at Pullman for
the state at large. We are simply 60
ing to collaborate with them and try
, and bring their great work closer, and
in more economical and inspirational
way to all the rural people. When we
first began to study, these questions we
thought we must have state aid to
bring these things about, but now we
are convinced that through the con-
soidation of these school districts. and
by the proper organization of our pub
lie utilities, we can bring all this about
with but little additional expense to
the taxpayers over and above the cost
Of the old system of separate schools.
Self-help is the only help that has last
ing value. Our aim is to educate for
usefulness as well as for honors. The
handwriting is on ttle wall for the big
wheat farmer. His days are number
ed. Twenty years ago I operated a
! -four mill in this section. Our wheat
then tested as high as "A per cent glut-
en-today the test runs from 20 per
cent to 80 per cent. This is q sure
sign they are wheating the fertility
out of the soil, and diversified farm
, ing must in time take its place. These
schools must point out the way for the
coming generation, and smooth the way
for the wheat farmer to gradually
change his methods. The wheat habit
is as bad as the hookworm. We hear
good deal nowadays about the gaso-
line pillow and caterpillar engines. I
say that any man who has the credit
and the nerve to buy one of these is
an enemy to his community. Farming
lss than section of land, one of them
can not be used profitably. They arc
coming into this country, and their
coming means the consolidation Of
farms already too big, the removal Of
division fences, and the working Of
larger and larger areas Of soil with no
possibility of Investigation of crops
and to which never pound Of ferti,
lizer is added to the ground. Such men
when they have worked the country
for all it is worth, will sell their hold
ings on slow notes, take their winnings
and get out of the country, leaving a
run down farm to the community and
to posterity. There are laws today reg
ulating the business of so called public
service corporations, railroads, tele'
graph companies, steamship lines, ETC.,
yet the soil is the very foundation up
on which is built the great business Of
today and to me it sometimes looks as
if we were getting at things wrong
end to when we regulate the business
Of public srvice concerns and let the
farmers treat the soil as they will, for
I contend that he who is charged with
the responsibility Of tilling the soil
has upon him great responsibility 10.
deed. Humanity looks today to the
soil for food and clothing, and in this
sense the farming land is public ser
vice. Yours, sincerely,
"A. L. Rogers.
For hail and insurance In q reliable
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