No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 383 



Two important factors in bringing about this result are inspira- 

 tion and facilities. Education is dependent upon both ideals and 

 opportunity. Going to a high school and later to a University was 

 with the speaker merely a matter of accident or a chapter of acci- 

 dents. Such educational resources were beyond the horizon of him- 

 self and his schoolmates. On the other hand, the idea of not going 

 to college never seems to have occurred to his son as an educational 

 possibility. To him and his schoolmates, raised in a University 

 atmosphere, a college education is as much a part of their educa- 

 tional ideals as the sun is a part of the solar system. 



Of course with inspiration must go opportunity. It goes without 

 saying that as far as possible every boy and girl is entitled to equal 

 educational opportunities. The greater the opportunities, moreover, 

 the greater will be the inspiration and the demand. It is for this 

 reason that higher education grows like a snowball. The larger it 

 becomes the more snow it gathers. 



This much has been said in order that in the discussion which 

 follows on agriculture in the secondary schools the wrong emphasis 

 shall not be put upon the subject. The purpose of schools is not 

 to teach subjects but to teach boys and girls. Subjects are inci- 

 dental to so training boys and girls that they will be able to live 

 the fullest possible lives. When I look over a group of educated 

 men, say for example a college faculty, and reflect that no two of 

 them were trained alike, that in many cases the kind of education 

 has been as wide apart as the north and south poles, although the 

 amount may have been substantially the same. I am compelled 

 to conclude that it is not essential that men and women should pass 

 through the same educational cider press in order to succeed in 

 life or to be of the highest service. It also gives me quite a differ- 

 ent view concerning entrance requirements. But that is another 

 story and to discuss it here might lead us astray. All that is needed 

 to be said here is that w^e need to inspire boys and girls with a desire 

 for knowledge and culture and not put unneccessary difficulties 

 in the way of their obtaining it. 



Says President Roosevelt, in his speech at the fiftieth anniversary 

 of the founding of the Michigan Agricultural College: 



''Book learning is very important, but it is by no means every- 

 thing; and we shall never get the right idea of education until we 

 definitely understand that a man may be well trained in book learn- 

 ing and yet in the proper sense of the word and for all practical 

 purposes be utterly uneducated; while a man of comparatively little 

 book learning may, nevertheless, in essentials have a good train- 

 ing." Every student of education knows this is true, but I some- 

 times niink some of us do not give it time to soak in. It is not the 

 purpose this afternoon, therefore, to consider the desirability of 

 teaciiing agriculture and related subjects in high schools and other 

 secondary institutions, but to study the evolution of this movement 

 as a basis for discussion the best method of introducing agriculture 

 into these schools in Pennsylvania. Dr. Schaeffer has said there 

 are 301 township high schools in Pennsylvania and that agriculture 

 must be placed in every one of them. How may this best be accom- 

 plished? How can we get down to business? 



