Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-02-09
Agriculture and Education.

imatter relating to rural affairs. Agri-
culture was the source of inspiration OF
much of our ancient literature, particu-
larly that of the Romans. The people
of this empire understood the principles
of farming, held them in high regard,
and pursued this calling with careful at
tention. The Roman sages made very
shrewd and practical observations along
the lines of agriculture, and that which
was true of the Romans was also true OF
the Greeks and other nations of antiqui
ty. The people who bound with oak
their patriots brows was queen of all OF
the nations, and other "arts followed
where Rome's eagle led"
Egypt was one of the greatest sgricul-
tural nations of ancient times. She fur
nished many millions of bushels of corn
to Rome each year, and in trading back
and forth as they did, we can see how il
was that the Romans must have borrow
ed much from the Egyptians along agri-
cultural lines. The Israelites, too, were
among the great agricultural nations of
the past, and we can now readily see
how this came to be true.
| In the story of the plow, we can trace
the gradual uplifting of the human race,
and see how it has risen from the mid
night darkness of the past into the noon
day brightness Of the enlightened pres
ent.
| The use of the plow can be traced
back to very remote antiquity. The
book of job, the most ancient writing in
the Bible, has an allusion to the plOw in
the first chapter, and there are scuip-
lures of the pillow on ancient monuments
which date back four thousand years.
The first idea of the plow was crook
ed stick, of which various shapes were
used. When we let our thoughts trace
back, and try to imagine the ancients a.
work with this simple implement, and
then consider the wonderful plows of
to.d .day, we exclaim "Wonderfuip' Won
derful indeed are these great and mighty
things which have grown from such
small beginnings, and in growing have
brought along with them such mighty
changes,
At the time the ancients were plod-
ding along with this crude implement,
il is probable that the art of writing was
not known. As we look back through
the various channels to earlier times, we
| find that much of that which is consid-
cred history is merely legendary; and be-
fore the art of writing was known, these
legends and myths were handed down
from generation to generation, and from
age 10 age. As We are familiar with hu-
man nature and know how prone IL is to
\ err, we can imagine the additions, sub
| fractions and Emergencies introduced by
each succeeding narration, and then, In
turn, the copyst or editor in these ages
of the past. Therefore, We can see how
little We really know of what were the
true conditions of the people OF very re-
mote antiquity.
| The Bible teaches US that the laws OF
/ Moses were direct from God and were
written on tablets of stone, and the
books of the Bible were written on rolls
of parchment which was the skin OF a
sheep OF goat prepared TO write on.
These rolls of parchment were spoken OF
as books. The word book however,
comes from the word beech, because the
ancient Saxons wrote on beechen boards.
We are accustomed to think Of book
now as many sheets of paper bound TO-
gether, printed or not, aud we know
that the word paper is taken from the
word pspyrus, reed from which the
people of antiquity made material on
which to write. Thus We see that We
can trace the book back TO as small a
beginning as the plow, and the changes
lin books have been as great as those IN
Iplows.
There are books and books now, on
every conceivable subject, and We think
lof the person who possesses much
knowledge gained from books as one
who is highly educated, but is this true!
Let US examine the word education and
see what is the truth. Webster's die
ltionary says that the word education in
cludes the whole course of training, NOR
al, intellectual and physical. Therefore,
the person who possesses merely a
knowledge of books is not truly edn
Gated person.
/ The tbree-foid divisions of education,
| then. are termed intellectual, moral or
spiritual, and physical education. Then
we find that human beings are endowed
| with a nature capable of these three dis
tinct classes of activities. These should
be cultivated and disciplined as much as
circumstances will permit because We
are confronted by nature with her forces,
laws aud life, and are surrounded on
every side BY human relationships, and
out of these relationships come duties
and responsibilities OF the utmost i'm
portance.
The purpose aud duties OF complete
human life touch all of the relations OF
| man as man; and il is evident that these
are not met by course of training es'
pecially designed TO prepare him to be
| LAWYER, a merchant, soldier, or even
citizen, but to be a man. Manhood,
then, is the supreme end of an eiuca-
ton. Where will we find true manhood
and womanhood if not on the farm?
Our rural people, are on the whole,
better educated than any other class, al
though so far as text books are concern
ed, many may have only that which we
term a common school education. We
believe that the education of the heart
and hand is much superior to that OF the
head and the manners. The truest
hearts are often found under the rough
eat exteriors, and the brain under ths
broad brim hat of many of our farmers
often contains more general and valu'
able knowledge than that of many of the
so-called highly educated.
The rural people are truly refined, not
by the refinement that Is purchased
with money, but the refinement of puri'
ty and virtue acquired only by living
near to tue heart of nature, and conse'
auently near to the heart of God.
As it was with the ancient Romans, so
il is with US. Rural scenes and occupa'
tions are the foundation and inspiration
for our art and literature. As We pro
gress in agriculture We progress in edu'
cation and other things. In word,
agriculture is the pivot on which the
wheels of every other industry turn.
Marvellous, indeed, are the changes
which have taken place since Thomas
jefferson first made an effort TO perfect
and to simplify that humble implement
the plow. Marvellous as the improve
ments in agricultural matters have beer
during the past hundred years, We oe-
lieve that they are comparatively insig
pificaut to those which the next hun
dred years will witness.
The possibilities and probabilities o
5 the future are beyond our comprehen
sion, but in travelling the road OF pro-
gress, We should be careful and not fol
| low too closely in the footsteps Of an
, cient Rome, unless We wish TO share th'
fate of that unfortunate empire. How