The Educational Needs of the American Farmer. 119 



the pupil has been cleared away, and he is made to feel that, although a 

 farmer's son and intending to be a farmer, he is a free agent, and a member 

 of a progressive community in which class distinctions are, if not unknown , 

 at lea^t reduced to a minimum. 



I will not discuss at length the question of the usefulness of the college 

 farm in making practical farmers of the students. It is now pretty well 

 admitted that, whether carried on on the " model" or on the " experimental" 

 plan, it can not very well make practical farmers of the pupils. The actual 

 management of farms is best learned on well managed farms ruti fc r profit, 

 which the college farm can not be if utilized for instruction. So far I agree 

 with those who deride the idea of farming being taught in colleges. In my 

 view, the college farm should serve precisely the same purpose that labora- 

 tories do in other lines of technical studj' — for illustration and demonstra- 

 tion of principles, and to teach actual manipulation in connection w'ith such 

 principles; and just as a " practical course" is required of any student in 

 other occupations before he is considered competent to practice, so must 

 every agricultural student expect to make his practical apprenticeship on a 

 farm. But the difference will be that, while a raw boy will, as a rule, re- 

 quire years to learn the mere routine of operations, without the ability to 

 adapt himself to varying conditions, the boy who has gone through a proper 

 course of instruction will qualify himself in the course of a few months, 

 because trained to observation and reasoning, and to an understanding of 

 the underlying principles. In fact, the American boy is so prompt in ac- 

 quiring manual dexterity that the " rubbing in" method is quite out of place 

 where he is interested, and knows what is to be done, and why. It is, at 

 the very least, unnecessary to stint him in his education by the time devoted 

 to merely mechanical drill. Teach him to use his senses, and give him a 

 knowledge of the principles upon which he is to work, and he will generally 

 take care of the rest himself. 



On motion of Mr. Munson, of Texas, a hearty vote of thanks 

 was extended to Prof. Hilgard for his excellent paper. 



Dr. White, of Santa Rosa, renewed the invitation from citizens 

 of that city to visit them, which was accepted. 



Major Lauck, of the Southern Pacific Railway Company, stated 

 that the contemplated excursion train to the Xapa and Sacramento 

 valleys, consisting of four Pullman cars, would leave San Francisco 

 on Tuesday next at 7:30 a. m., giving the delegates an opportunity 

 to visit and stop at A^allejo, Napa, St. Helena, Sacramento, Marys- 

 ville, Oroville, Chico, Vina, Redding, Red Bluif, Woodland, and 

 return to San Francisco on Thursday evening. All members and 

 their eastern friends would be the guests of the railroad company 

 during the trip. 



