91 



"Back to the Soil." 



Perhaps some one will say that I am an optimist, an enthus- 

 iast — that if there is all this dignity and inspiration attached to 

 agricultural labor, why is it that the fields are not thickly popu- 

 lated — why are all these abandoned farms in New England? So 

 I am an optimist — without cheerful optimism, what would be our 

 state of mind in these days when there is such a tendency to 

 muckraking and the pursuit of gold and of fashion ? So I am an 

 enthusiast. I have cause to be. There is too much evidence of 

 a good percentage of splendid results having come from just 

 such schools as the one wdiich it is now proposed to establish here 

 for me to expect anything less of this. My observation has been 

 that most men have in them a love of the soil which would have 

 held them had they been properly trained before other calls be- 

 came strong. One reason why the call of the city is so often 

 irresistible is that the untrained, poorly educated tiller of the 

 soil sees before him nothing but long years of ceaseless, weary- 

 ing toil with few diversions. Labor presents to him no aspect 

 of dignity. He sees in it just plain, every-day hard work of the 

 common or garden sort. 



To the youth grounded in scientific agriculture are opened up 

 long vistas of possibilities. One of these is the certain increase 

 in value of his labor commensurate with his increased efficiency. 

 Not the least of these is the positive knowledge that he is the 

 possessor of trained faculties which are instrumental in produc- 

 ing two spears of grain where one grew before. He compre- 

 hends the scheme of creation. He has the larger view. No man 

 can deprive him of his knowdedge or his efficiency. He is of 

 definite, increasing value to himself and to the community. He 

 has no desire to gain the unnatural procession cityward. He will 

 stay with the soil and prosperity. 



How do I know this ? Look at Denmark. Fifty years ago 

 its rural districts were so depleted of population and its cities so 

 congested, with the consequent increase in the number of unem- 

 ployed and in crime that its internal revenues were at an alarm- 

 ingly low ebb and its municipal police systems had the utmost 

 difficulty in preserving order. A system of scientific agricultural 

 training was instituted on the farms. Today Denmark is called 

 England s dairy. It supplies that country not only with milk 

 and cream and butter but with eggs as well. 



' Textile Schools. 



Look at the textile schools of Austria. "These schools were 

 originally founded for the purpose of reviving special home indus- 

 tries which had become almost extinct." says A. S. Levetus, "and 

 to create superior workmen fully equipped not only in their own 



