113 Bureau of Farmers' Institutes. 



there are not scholars enough to keep up the country schools. 

 Another point; teachers of sufficient caliber cannot be employed. 

 Only normal graduates ought to be secured as teachers. The 

 graded and high schools must succeed the country schools? 



A Farmer. — In my opinion, we might as well, when the five 

 o'clock whistle blows, all jump into a carry-all and go out to a 

 boarding-house and get our dinners, as to take all the children 

 into town and coop them into one building. Such a course takes 

 all the individuality out of a child. The old-time schools turned 

 out some pretty good men, and it is a question, in my mind, if 

 Mr. Skinner's or Mr. Kreidler's plans will bring out better re- 

 sults. To-day, in every academy or school in this State where 

 students are taking Regents' examinations, will be found thosi 

 who can answer the questions propounded in Greek and Latin 

 but cannot properly write seven lines in good English. Another 

 point: Students go to Cornell, or elsewhere, to be educated, who 

 are within a stone's throw of Alfred, where they can obtain 

 fully as good advantages, or better, and at a less expense. 



Another farmer said that the cost of maintaining the country 

 district school was very small, not enough to debar the employment 

 of good teachers. In his opinion, the day that witnesses the 

 hauling down of the flag from the little red schoolhouse, will be 

 the one that dawns on the death of the Republic. 



It seems to be the only question of how to save expense, and 

 to provide places for normal graduates: But, when it comes to 

 forcing all the poor people to dress their children so as to prop- 

 erly appear among those in the village, they will never do it. It 

 were much better to employ good teachers, if they do not have 

 to look after half a dozen pupils. Let us keep the flag flying over 

 the little red schoolhouse, and its doors open. " The best business 

 men in Hornellsville, to-day, were educated in that little school- 

 house, and, if we keep it open and employ good teachers, it will 

 turn out others fully as good." 



Another Farmer.— That is my opinion exactly. The reasons 

 advanced for such a radical change are greed and the finding of 

 places for normal graduates. If carried out, a little less cost for 

 tuition would result on one hand, while every teacher not a nor- 

 mal graduate, would be debarred from a position in the central 

 schools. 



Question. — Does it make any difference how wide we plow 

 furrows, provided they are all well turned over? 



