1.30 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



FRIDAY AFTERNOON, MARCH 3. 

 The session was opened hj repeating the Lord's prayer in concert. 

 THE VALUE OF TRAINING. 



MISS MAUD R. KELLER, DEAN WOMEN'S DEPT., AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE. 



Of the infinite varieties of training, the two that have a special interest 

 for us are home training and college training. It is only lately that any 

 importance has been attached to the idea of training for women other 

 than that necessary in fitting for the '^professions" now open to women. 

 We always have recognized the necessity of training, special fitting for 

 the lawyer, the doctor. Public opinion demands it even in trades, in 

 carpentry, skilled labor in factories^ training in servants. Is it foolish 

 then to ask a certain amount of training for women, who are to be home- 

 makers, who are to follow, perhaps, the hardest profession in the world, 

 one of gravest res])<)nsil)ilit!es? 



CONSIDER FIRST COLLEGE TRAINING. 



The woman who does not expect to teach or to enter a "profession" has 

 come to college, come to stay. Since the beginning of the Christian era 

 the idea of wife and mother has been adored, yet many of us have heard 

 even teachers say, "She never will make a student, but no matter, she 

 will marry^ she is a dear girl, but does not amount to much." Wonderful 

 it is that some scatter-brained girl who failed in everything else, awed 

 by the majesty of her high calling has developed and grown into a fairly 

 good mother. 



The highest ideal of the mother has not been before us. This highest 

 ideal involves "a power of rational and moral guidance peculiar to human- 

 ity to be used in the truly sacred work of lifting up to humanity that 

 crude lump of possibilities, the child — for its accomplishment the mother, 

 far from needing no especial ability and preparation, requires the most 

 varied talent and the most thorough training. Many of us feel that. 



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THE BEST PLACE TO RECEIVE THIS TRAINING 



for what is known as an every-day life, is the American College. It is 

 offering special inducements to women students by offering some special 

 courses and modifying some others. The first requisite for our women is 

 that general education that men have before entering upon their special 

 studies. The aim of the college is to give this general course, it is also 

 to inculcate principles and to build character. There is definite teaching 

 and indirect influence. 



THE COURSE OF STUDY. 



As to the definite teaching persons might not agree. I would demand 

 mathematics. The practical knowledge is useful and the mental training 

 in alertness valuable. There should be a knowledge of the English lan- 

 guage, our medium of expression, and of some of the high thought ex- 

 pressed in it. I would ask for history; it is good to hold in one's mind 

 the ideals of heroism we find in history; ideals, too, of chivalry, bravery, 



