Report of Secretary. 23 



States to Congress, I will quote from his message as follows: "In 

 all education we should widen our aims. It is a good thing to pro- 

 duce a certain number of trained scholars and students; but the 

 education superintended by the State must seek rather to pro- 

 duce a hundred good citizens than merely one scholar, and it must 

 be turned now and then from the class book to the study of the 

 great book of nature itself." You will remember that I discussed 

 this subject in my last annual report, and I think the importance 

 of the question justifies mention of it now. We have in this State 

 about 300,000 farm homes; from the best estimate I can make, 

 there are around 60,000 young farmers between the ages of 18 

 and 22 years. If the State could provide schools, where a prac- 

 tical farm course continuing through two or three years could be 

 established, it would be of inestimable value to these young farm- 

 ers and afford them an opportunity to obtain an education and 

 training that would be invaluable in their farm work. The best 

 way to establish these schools is a question for deep thought and 

 consideration. I have suggested two plans: One — the establish- 

 ing of country or district agricultural schools, and the other the 

 establishing of a farm school in connection with the State Univer- 

 sity. I believe the importance of this question would justify the 

 appointment of a special committee to urge this matter upon the 

 Board of Curators and upon the next Legislature. 



Respectfully, 



Geo. B. Ellis. Secretary. 



