54 Nebraska State Horticultural Society. 



tention must be given to new conditions as they exist but will see that 

 it pays to know. Who in this world has done more for humanity during 

 this present generation than has Luther Burbank in his endless dis- 

 coveries in fruit propogation, cross fertilization, and hybridization? 

 But the good he has done consists not of what he has produced, but in 

 the interest he has stimulated. The good of horticultural education 

 "Will not be seen in the things we know, but in the inspirations we re- 

 -ceive. 



I will not speak of the money value of horticultural pursuits, for 

 that is so well understood that it would be folly to take the time of 

 this meeting. I would rather speak of the richness this subject, weU 

 :studied, will bring to the human soul. In preparing a course of study 

 lor the schools, it should be our desire to so fit it to the inherent nature 

 ■of the child, that when the course is completed, the scholar will be 

 rich not only in the things he knows, but also in the things he feels. 



Whatever success has attended educational efforts in the past has 

 been due to the direct or indirct study of human nature. We are wak- 

 ing to the fact that the child is to be guided along natural lines, anl 

 not to be thrust into the dark closet of senseless abstractions. 



An unhappy child learns with difficulty. Cramming with iudi- 

 ■gestible mental food causes mental dyspepsia, pessimism and despair. 

 When this condition is reached, what do we do? Give it a tonic, an 

 appetizer and then cram some more. What should we do? Give the 

 child a rest, a change of scenery. We must change our methods of 

 dealing with our children or, completing the course we have so un- 

 wisely begun, we will soon reap the awful harvest of melancholia, and 

 suicide. This is not a prophesy of what may be, but what IS already, 

 as has been seen but a short time ago in your fair city when a young 

 life, crushed by the eternal grind of an inspirationless curriculum, was 

 Tnade unable to bear the disappointment she was forced to face, and 

 she sought relief in death. York is not the only city that has had this 

 sad experience, for many have, during the past year, like this onf, 

 sought the end of all earthly trials beyond the silent river. This is not 

 the fault of the teacher, no, no. It is the fault of the system. "Shall 

 •we then continue in this sin?" 



In the past quarter of a century we have made considerable ad- 

 vancement in method, some in matter, but little in the order in wh.?h 

 we present the subjects. We, a long time ago, built agricultui-al col 

 leges wher the youth of the land was expectd to receive instrucion 

 in all that was required to make the farmer and horticulturist, bTit 

 where were the sons and daughters of our fertile prairies who vera 



