The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1918-09-20
EDUCATION A WAR NECESSITY

| II las iSbtCI 10 TIC 5SEISJa4y VI IHS
Interior, approving the campaign of
the Bureau Of education for the sup
| pert of the schools and the mainte-
nance Of attendance upon them dur
/ ing the war, President Wilson says:
THAT, in SO far as the draft law VIII
permit, there should be no falling off
in attendance IL the elementary
schools, high schools or colleges. is
matter of the very greatest impor-
/ lance, affecting both our strength in
va and cur national welfare and ef-
/ 1ciency when the war is over" lie
then urges that the people support
ganar cusly their schools OF all grades
and adapt them as wisely as possible
to the new conditions, ito the end
that no boy or girl shall have less
opportunity for education because Of
the war and that the nation may Be
strengthened as it can only be through
the right education of all its people "
/ For no part Of our people is this
more important than for those who
live in villages, small towns and in
the open country, mostly farmers.
: Whatever may have been true in for,
mer days, it has now come about that
! for success in their work and for
good living on the farm and in the
! farm homo favp1nrc and +hoir zr;voc
need broader, more comprehensive
end more thorough education than
do men and women engaged in any
| other occupation and living under
/ any other conditions. They need not
only the general information and
training for life and citizenship which
they should have in common with all
men and women, but the need also
training in science and a knowledge
of physics and chemistry, of soils and
fertilizers, of plants and animals and
their diseases and how to protect
against them, of the cultivation and
harvesting of crops, Of marketing, of
balanced nations for domestic ami
mails, of machinery and it's use and
care, of the simple forms of engin-
eering and architecture, of bookkeep-
ing and banking, of the sanitation of
the home, the care of the children,
and many other things on which their
health and happiness depend; a full
round Of knowledge, such as is need
ed for success in no other occupation.
Also the farmer and the farmers
wife must know not only the separate
facts Of these, but the underlying
principles as well, to enable them to
direct their work intelligently and to-
adjust themselves to constantly
changing conditions
Such knowledge and training can
not be given effectively in the elemet-
tary schools alone. Much of it can
be given only in high schools and col
leges, and to boys and girls of high
school and college age.
The place which farmers hold in
the affairs of the nation and the world
and the value of their work have been
revealed by the war. The importance
of these will not be lessened when
the war is over It is of the utmost
Importance thai they be able to fill
their places and do their work inteIli.
gently and well.
That they may be prepared for this
the schools for the farmers children
in many small towns and villages and
in the open country should be better
supported and constantly improved
and no boy or girl should be Kept
out OF the elementary school or high
school when attendance is possible. |
In so far as the draft laws and the
absolute necessities of the home will
permit, every country boy and every
country girl who are prepared for it, /
should 60 to college, university, or
normal school.
There are before us as a people !
now just two tasks of supreme i'm
pcrtance: To win the war for free
dom and democracy, and let US hope,
for permanent peace, and to fit our
selves and our children for life and
citizenship in the new world which
the war is bringing in. Both of these,
tasks must be performed with single !
ness of purpose and whole-hearted de,
yotion to the public welfare; and no
sacrifice, however great must we al |
10m IN stand in x,xo~x