Industrial Education in Country Schools [pp. 338-343]

338 INDUSTRiAL EDUCA HON~ [APRIL,
of Whittier rung their endless refrain the poem took root in my heart, but at
through my tortured brain: last I could say:
"Of all sad words of tor~gue or pen, "0, well for us all some t hope lies
The saddest are these - it might have been." Deeply hidden from human eyes;
And in the hereafter angels may
It was years before the remainder of Roll the stone from its grave away."
INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION IN COUNTRY SCHOOLS.
N a short paper, under the title of wheat. Yet, for twenty years, farmers,
"Our Common Schools-How to owing to their ignorance, wore out their
Improve Them," the writer tried to show lands by raising wheat year after year,
how the profession of teaching, especial- while tobacco, which not only yields a
ly in the country districts, could be made greater amount of profit, but gives emmore respected and useful, and the ca- ployment to a greater number of men,
reer of the teacher more satisfying, by received, and still receives, but little atproviding a residence, as churches pro- tention.
vide a parsonage. But there is another The farmers of California, th~ugh enview of the needs of country schools terprising enough in a certain way, are
more comprehensive in its scope and not qualified, by either education or habmore important in its results. Every it, to make the discoveries, or to try the
one of these schools could become the experiments, that are best adapted to
nucleus of an industrial school, in which develop the agricultural resources of
the various mechanical trades could be the State. Many of them lived on a
taught, and also that most important of farm, for the first time, only when they
all pursuits, agriculture. In Europe, began its cultivation here. Others for
and in various parts of the United several years followed the occupation of
States, agricultural schools are consid- mining; and a considerable share of the
ered a necessity. Here they are still recklessness and extravagance which
more needful. We have such a variety characterized their mining operations
of soil and climate, that it is only after adheres to them still. That farming
numerous experiments we can approxi- should, in the face of so many disadmate to the amount of profit to be de- vantages, prove remunerative, speaks
rived from the cultivation of any crop. volumes for the fertility of the soil.
Crops that would be highly remunera- To counterbalance the evils arising
tive are often totally neglected, because from these causes, there should be as
the farmer knows nothing about them. many industrial schools as possible in
One or two instances will be enough to every county in the State. There is alshow the truth of this. Flaxseed was ready a department of agriculture confor a long time imported into California nected with the State University; but
at a cost of five cents a pound, while it in this matter it is no more able to do
could be raised here at a cent and a half the requisite work than the State Uniper pound. Experienced cultivators of versity itself is able to do the work of
tobacco say that in various parts of the the common country schools. It would
State the profit arising per acre from not be able to accommodate all the stuthis crop is at least ten times that of dents who would wish to pay for their