The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-08-11

Education has for its purpose the
training If men for efficiency, pro-
gross and uplift. When 1t fails III
tn. ii has been miSapplied~ or has
fallen short Of its No par
ticular line of education viii apply
alike 10 all mcn. The man with the
purely literary turn of mind may not
be interested III vocational education,
nor need the scientist: be especially in
ferestcd in the history which tells
about tho principal wars Of the world.
Each man needs to have a particular
kind OF education Htted to his par
ticular taste and teInperam ent wheth-
er literary. scientific, professional or
vocational. When this is not done
there Is a mistt AND as a result We
nave failure and disa ppointmcnt. The
real teacher knows TINS, though he
may not he in a position to prevent
the catastrophe which SO often fol-
lows.
Value OF Demonstration.
Tho mind Of the child is plastic and
"a ommit to memory words. phrases,
etc. but has not developed to the
stage OF reasoning. The adult has
passed the stage of the child and he
learns best by reasoning and by see
ing. The lecturer who would fail to
interest the child may hold the atten-
tor of the adult il he tells something
worth while. Herein lies the success
vi wv oI"l ItbIS
worth while and in an interesting
manner Such 81 person need not be
81 professional teacher simply "A plain
everyday man. but if ne measures up
to the above standard. he is in fact a
real teacher. Education is not con
fined to textbooks; far from it. Some
of the most effective education is
taught by object lessons ana Demon
etratiOn work.
The State Department of Agricul-
ture through the agencies of demon
stration ana armer institutes is en-
ga2ed in this particular kind of edu-
cational work and with very crafty
ing results.
Crop Yields Increased.
As our farmers become better ac-
Quainted with different soil types and
their peculiarities and needs: with the
crops best adapted TO those soils and
the cultural methods which have
given best results. with the require
Inents of different crops as to plant
food, moisture. ane how to best sup
ply and conserve Il I'm; the most eco
pomical way of ha yeStings crops
and the ultimate disposition of them
his interest becomes intensified. and
he informs himself and proves them
on his own farm. The result of this
work has already increased the crop
yields of corn and cotton in the State
fifty per cent. Fifteen years ago we
were making. according 10 the census
report. IL bushels Of corr per acre
Last year. according 70 the United
States statistics. We made about %
bushels of corn per acre. The in.
crease in cotton almost equals that a
corn. These results were brough'
about by a better tiliage. the result O
practical education along agricultura
lines AS taught by our demonstration.
and farmers institute lectures.
A Vet Mightier Work.
Remarkable as the work which ha!
brought about such results may seem
we are now engaged IN d yet mightie
work Of uplift on the farm. We nav,
ADDED women's institutes and com
bined them with the mems institute
SO that women on the farm may ais
enjoy the same advantages along thei
special lines Of wOr. In fact. tn
women's institutes ar destined TO 3
more helpful and Will mean more I
the rural districts than the farmers
institutes have ever been. The HON
Is the center Of the an
the woman is the center Of the home
As Wallace's Farmer says: The far
mcrs wife is the = ST thing on IN
farm. She works more hours tina
any laborer in he city or town. NOR
hours than ths hardest driven dccro
or lawyer. In addition 10 this. she
the mother Of the farmers chiidre,
She really has the biggest place OF n
farm. '"s She is the person on IN
farm who can least De spared. an
the hardest person for whom to fin
q substitute"
VI we can bring "A word of GOO
cheer to this woman. a suggestion tn;
viii tighten her labors and brir
health and comfort TO ner househol
we will have done well. The thong
Of better and more convenient home
strenge and healthier children, lon
er school terms anc more efficie
teachers. a %trOnger religious life a,
more frequent church services. toget
ct with the general uplift and cor
munity spirit. will bring about
awakening in the country that "
make it an ideal place in which
live, and will rob il OF the u~npleaSa
things which are now sending ma
Of it's best people to the towns.
we can interest her in this grea,
life on the farm and can induce her
49, - 4