No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 241 



year or two, for building purposes what of that? You caunot give 

 an extra dollar or two, or five, for a better purpose. 



In closing, I am going to ask you all, friends and co-workers in the 

 field of agriculture gathered here from every section of this great 

 State, to resolve to-night, here in the land of Penn, and almost under 

 the shadow of Independence Hall, to do all you possibly can to bring 

 about this glorious day for the farm children of Pennsylvania. A 

 heavy responsibility rests upon you in this matter. You should not, 

 oh, you must not, open the golden gate of the future for our boys and 

 girls, with the old rusty keys of the past, but advance the standard 

 of the rural schools onward and upward, keeping step with the 

 march of intellectual progress in this 20th century, and stop not until 

 you have placed it on the high ground of consolidation. For the 

 children of the farm I plead. 



The CHAIR: We will now be entertained with a vocal solo by Mr. 

 Clayton. 



Mr. Lewis Clayton, of Fox Croft Grange sang "The Land o' the 

 Leal," which was received with warm applause. The audience was 

 so well pleased that a second selection was insisted upon and cour- 

 teously granted. He was accompanied by Miss Irwin. 



The CHAIR: The next thing in order will be an address by Prof. 

 John Hamilton, of the Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. 

 C, entitled, "The Farmers' Institutes — Their Value and Place in 

 Public Education." 



Prof. Hamilton opened his address by speaking in strong terms 

 of approval of the paper read by Mrs, Mary A. Wallace, and stated 

 that it was a question that lay at the bottom, or that was funda- 

 mental as related to our common schools. 



Prof. Hamilton's address is as follows: 



FARMERS' INSTITUTES, THEIR VALUE AND THEIR PLACE 



IN PUBLIC EDUCATION. 



By Prof. John Hamilton, Farmers' Institute Specialist, Washington. D. C. 



I wish at the outset to make the assertion that the State has not 

 done its whole duty to its citizens until it has made provision for the 

 educational development of the entire population. Has offered edu- 

 cation sufficient in extent, and of such a character, as will enable 



16—6—1905 



