The Marietta journal and courier., 1918-02-01
LOOKING AHEAD WISELY

citation by young educator, who was
ahead of his time in his vision of
the needs of Agricultural Education.
We use the words "ahead of his
time, because our people have fol
lowed so slowly in the ways ne strove
to lead
But he has not ceased to strive,
and although our lawmakers have in
some measure recognized the merits
of his teaching, that most important
branch, Agricultural Education is
still in it's infancy. The funds voted
for this purpose have been stinted,
and insufficient for the needs of the
cause.
Since that tip1e our Agricultural
Colleges have been established, and
the Georgia Normal and Industrial
College for girls has become one of
the most important of it's class in
the country, the latter under the
guidance of the man who spoke these
words. Prof. NJ. NJ. Parks, it's Presi-
dent.
Read these extracts from his speech
in 1904, and see how nearly they
agree with your present day views,
on this subject.
"In my opinion-slowly formed af-
ter wears of experience and investi-
gation-agriculture, if properly and
adequately studied, as science, can
be a means of culture as well as La
tin or Higher Mathematics. And if
the same time were given to agri-
culture which is now given to Latin,
[ believe the results would not be
inferior in educational value.
"Some of us have divorced educa-
ton from the child and from life.
Because of this children rebel and
leave school in large numbers, and
because of this parents criticise our
instruction. And yet we tell them
that they don't know what is best
for them, and fight with all our might
for the kind of education that we
ourselves have acquired.
"Too often we unwisely copy the
subjects and methods and customs of
the college and try to fit them to our
schools. Sometimes we
put narrow specialists at the head of
our schools, whereas we should put
men who are trained as educators as
well as scholars.
"Too often we attempt to teach
subjects that ought not to be taught,
and omit subjects which ought not
to be omitted.
"Many of our small high schools
and country schools are forcing upon
the many the subjects that should be
for the few. They are endeavoring
to give instruction in subjects lead
ing to college entrance examinations
and are neglecting the culture, the
training and practical benefits that
can be obtained from subjects close
to life. Many an immature child is
vaguely trying to understand Brown
ing, who ought to be reading Hunni-
cults Agriculture; many a nervous
girl is pouring over the distractions
of Trigonometry who ought to be cul-
tivating roses. Many d poor boy is
endeavoring to translate Latin who
ought to be learning how to translate
fruit trees. Many a sickly child is
ouzzling his brain over compound
who ought to be out in
the sunshine with the plants:
''Let us bring our elementary edu-
cation closer to life, let us teach the
rhild the things all around it, let us
be less bookish in our work, let us
help the child to get more knowledge
at firsthand and less at secondhand,
let us help the child to learn by do
ing, let us aid him in developing his
powers by self-activity.
"a professor in Cornell Universi-
ty says: "A young man who has
spent all his time in the schoOl-room
is usually hopelessly helpless when
he runs against real circumstance.
| see this remarkably illustrated in
my own teaching, for l have young
men from the city and from the
farms. The farmer boy will turn his
hand to twenty things where the city
boy will turn to one. The farm
loy has had to meet problems and
solve them for himself. This is some
times worth more than his extra
school training
Ny own observation has shown
me this truth-that the boys with
some country experience usually