American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1916-02-10
BARBER & BURRELL, Publishers.
AGRICULTURE IN OUR SCHOOLS.

That all men were created equal, is unquestioned; that
they remain so is sophistry. The school boy, with shin
ing morning face" is at the parting Of the ways. Too Of
ten is he sent to school as his fathers were, to learn about
Greek roots instead of corn roots; about the figures of the
counter, instead of the cattle; the laws of the legislature
instead of the legume, and to study those branches which
bear golden dollars, only to become the hired slave of a
hectic commerce and thus rob the farm to crowd the town.
Or he may go to school to learn to live; to devlop his
hands and heart as well as his head, and learn that the
primal purpose Of an education is illumination and not
information-Rural Spirit.
This is an agricultural county, and probably agriculture
will forever be its chief industry. Agriculture is the foun-
dation Of our prosperity. Banks, mercantile institutions
and elevators do not make any community. Useful and
necessary as they are, they are not creators of wealth.
They are only servants of those who do create the wealth.
Our hope Of future greatness and prosperity can be
realized only by making the farmers prosperous. To
make them so is not only to benefit both country and town
but it is the great problem which we have to solve.
Seventy-five per cent of the boys and girls who are at
tending our schools are farmers boys and girls and with
rare exceptions they will be the farmers of the future I'M
less we educate them out of this most honorable, indie
pendent and useful Of all occupations. What are we doing
for them to equip them for the life they are destined to
follow? Are the courses of study prescribed for them
best for their future welfare or the welfare of the state?
1t is an old saying that eff a boy is not good for any
thing else, make a farmer of him." There never was a
greater mistake. There is nothing which requires more
thought and well directed effort, than farming. We give
special training to our lawyers, doctors, engineers and
business men, but we turn our farmers loose to learn for
themselves. Hundreds Of years of such discrimination
in educational advantages conferred has placed the pro-
Queer at a great disadvantage. Is it not time for a change?
Are we not constantly recruiting our clues at tne ex-
pense of the country by the higher education we give our
farm raised boys and girls? Does Latin, English, Class
les and the higher mathematics make them love the farm
more? Or do they have a tendency to make them dissat-
isfied with farm life?
These things are not more interesting nor more broad
enng that the study of stock growing, soil chemistry and
plant life. They do not make brighter, more contented or
more useful citizens.
The introduction of manual training in our schools has
resulted in finding" some boys and permitting them to
develop along the line of their natural talents. Were the
study of agriculture included many more would find
themselves. The great opportunity of the future, and for
larger numbers than all other lines of industry will sus-
tain, will be found in agricultural advancement and devel-
opment. Why not prepare our boys for it? All the
training our present courses of study car give them will
not materially aid in better preparing them for agricul-
tural pursuits. They require instruction fitted to their
future lives, and this should be supplied even at the ex-
pense Of dropping some of the studies now included.
There is room for more than a thousand better farmers
than we have in the county now. One hundred of all 9TH
er callings combined would surfeit the county. Why not
train our boys for the kind of work we have togive them?
Why not have agriculture taught in our high schools and
in all other schools of the county as soon as teachers can
be secured who are qualified to give this kind OF instruc-
ton?