1907] The Evolution of the Macdonald College 19 



THE EVOLUTION OF THE MACDONALD COLLEGE. 



Professor W. Lochhead, of the Macdonald College, Ste. Anne 

 de Bellevue, gave an address to the members of the Field Natural- 

 ist's Club on the above subject in the Normal School on the even- 

 ing of February 26th. 



The speaker said, in part: The Macdonald College, as a 

 future training school for young men and women for rural life, 

 like every other great work, is the product of adequate causes; 

 it is the result of ideas and tendeiicies that have been manifesting 

 themselves for many years in the educational world; it is an 

 expression of the Educational Unrest that makes for real progress 

 in the efforts to adapt our educational system and methods to 

 the conditions and needs of our time. 



There is a rural life, and there is a town or urban life, with 

 distinctly different conditions and problems. A large percentage 

 of our people live on farms, while all are dependent, either 

 directly or indirectly, on the farms for their sustenance and pros- 

 perity. One would naturally suppose, therefore, that the study 

 of rural life would be given much prominence in our elementary 

 schools, and that every encouragement would be given the larger 

 boys and girls who had passed through the usual grades of the 

 rural schools, to equip themselves still further for their life work. 

 As a matter of fact, however, the studies in most rural schools 

 are quite similar to those carried on in town and city schools, 

 while the high schools give practically no attention to the re- 

 quirements of rural life. Their courses are admirably adapted 

 to those desirous of becoming teachers and university students, 

 but they fail to meet the needs of the great majority of the pupils 

 passing through the public schools. The high schools practically 

 compel every student to "face about and march" for the Normal 

 School or College, for the course of studies gives no alternative. 

 (Of late years Commercial courses are given in many high 

 schools). 



For some time, then, thoughtful people have felt that the 

 studies in rural schools do not deal definitely enough with rural 

 things and conditions. There is no longer any real doubt that 

 such studies are valuable educationally, for the agricultural 

 colleges have shown that these possess high cultural value as 

 well as practical utility. 



Owing to the constant changes in agricultural conditions 

 which result from the new applications of knowledge, each indi- 

 vidual citizen needs a higher degree of adaptability than was 

 formerly the case. Professor Sadler says: "These changes in the 



