CONVENTION OF AMERICAN AGRICULTURAL COLLEGES. 309 



an exponent of theory rather than the practice of the thrifty farmers who criticised 

 him. . . . 



"[In the second stage, education in agriculture] men of scieice began to find 

 illustrations of chemical reactions in the processes of vegetation and growth as well 

 as in farm methods. The chemistry of feeding and the physiology of breeding began 

 to have interest as studies of both nature and practice. The introduction of farm 

 machinery enlarged the application of mechanics. Comparative anatomy and physi- 

 ology aroused new interest in domestic animals and tlieir development. The studio", 

 of Darwin made the story of both plants and animals under domestication especially 

 interesting. Methods of teaching the sciences took on more of laboratory character, 

 to their great advancement as disciplinary studies. The development of horticul- 

 ture into a specialty for large portions of our country, the adoption of intensive 

 fanning with the growth of better markets, the enormous extension of the cattle 

 interest with the opening of great packing houses, and withal the general thrift of 

 the whole community aroused a new interest in education for the industries of all 

 kinds. Ho the agricultural schools became centers of a new enthusiasm." 



Experimentation in agriculture began to receive increased attention, 

 and men were selected and trained with the special object of the exten- 

 sion of this ideal. College and university courses in agriculture were 

 provided and "specialists in every line of investigation were called 

 for and produced, sometimes on short notice, but with earnest desire to 

 furnish genuine training and information in agriculture and related 

 sciences. The few colleges already past the stage of mere information 

 for agriculture and reasonably well equipped for research became the 

 sources of immediate supply for station workers and professors, so that 

 education in agriculture was at once brought into prominence." 



In the third stage, hardly yet entered upon r the problem is, " How 

 shall men of toil find elevation by their toil as well as in it?" Farmers' 

 institutes, the distribution of public documents, and the Chautauqua 

 Circle of Science were discussed as a meaus of solving this problem, but 

 obstacles in the way of the success of all of them were pointed out. 



"If, then, neither the schools of agriculture, the institutes, the elementary texts, 

 nor the reading circles furnish the full solution for our problem, whither shall we 

 look? Must we give up the task and be satisfied to have an aristocracy of learning 

 who shall rejoice together over the grand enlightment of our little circle while the 

 'hewers of wood and the drawers of water ' render stalwart service under our exalted 

 direction? There are highly educated men and trained scientists who accept this 

 condition as final and rejoice in such a reign of caste; but you and I stand as expo- 

 nents of scientific liberal education for the industrial (lasses. . . . We must solve 

 the problem of combining learning and labor without confining the learning to the 

 top stratum. A real civilization requires it, and requires it of us. I think we are 

 ready for the third stage of our evolution in education by agriculture." 



The starting point of the system of education by agriculture or natu- 

 ral training it was believed must be in the general courses for agricul- 

 tural schools, then courses for county teachers' institutes might be 

 provided. 



"With the body of teachers secured through agricultural colleges and well- 

 developed normal schools, I would have ready for their use a collection of text- 

 books framed for the work of developing ingenuity of thinking in children, with 

 all the material close at hand." 



8563— No. 4 2 



