300 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



the beautiful things of romance, but now they have learned to 

 do with their hands and to think with their minds. President 

 Wilson has said, "Education is the proper value of things," 

 and I believe this is the best definition I have ever heard. 



All this is teaching the southern boy the dignity of labor 

 and the value of production — teaching him to produce pigs and 

 corn, and peas and crimson clover and ^vetches and all kinds of 

 forage. It will show him also that if he will put good seed into 

 the ground properly they will grow; and when you have taught 

 him these things you have done him the greatest good. 



I tell you there is going to be great material progress in the 

 south in the near future, for the people are alive to the impor- 

 tance of a change in their agricultural systems. 



You may have seen an account of a boy in Shreveport, La., 

 who last year displayed the value of this education. He showed 

 a pig that he had raised, against one that had been raised by an 

 old farmer under his methods, and the boy proved the superiority 

 of his knowledge. 



Last year the superintendent wrote and asked me to make 

 a donation to the corn clubs; so I said to my brother Frank, 

 "Why not give them a pig." He only replied, "Oh, pshaw," 

 but I sent the pig and received thanks for it; but the super- 

 intendent added, "I don't believe we want any more pigs. A 

 pig breaks up the corn show. This one created so much interest 

 they didn't want to pay any more attention to corn." 



We have received letters asking what we would sell a female 

 pig for, and later what we would sell a male pig for. This does 

 not mean very much to a farmer, but I feel that when we do little 

 things like these we are putting something into the lives of these 

 boys that can't be measured by dollars and cents. Taking money 

 for the highest standard in life makes us rusty old farmers; but 

 when we do something to help young people along it creates 

 good feeling right inside of us, whatever the motive may be 

 that prompts it. If it is a good motive it gives an entire satis- 

 faction and pleasure that we wouldn't feel otherwise and that 

 is an incentive to other good deeds. 



Returning to the question of the previous condition of the 

 south, let me say that now these landed estates are going to be 

 divided into small farms which will be much more profitable as 

 well as economical. The negroes will be taught the dignity of 

 labor and will go to work willingly. The south is going to 

 measure up to the standard of agricultural excellence. When 



