FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 137 



THURSDAY EVENING. 



The meeting was called to order by Prof. J. W. Simmons, superintend- 

 ent of the Owosso schools who introduced as chairman of the evening, 

 Prof. Walter H. French, of Lansing, Deputy Superintendent of Public 

 Instruction. The addresses were ^'Farming and Education," ''The Prep- 

 aration of Teachers for the Rural Schools," and "The Rural Schools as 

 They are and as They Should be." 



THE FARMER AND EDUCATION. 



BY PRES. JAMES B. ANGELL^ UNIVERSITY OP MICHIGAN. 



(Abstract.) 



Many persons profess to see a bottomless pit opening between the 

 employing class and the laborer and. we must look to the public schools 

 to bridge the chasm. Our greatest danger is right there. If the time 

 ever comes when the public schools are not opened as freely to the poor 

 boy as to the rich man's son then God help us. Nothing can destroy 

 society more effectually. When all the learning is with the rich and all 

 the ignorance with the poor, may God help us. No boy with the right 

 stuff in him need ever have the door of the university slammed in his 

 face. Whenever a boy or girl wants an education, no matter what was 

 the pursuit of the father, they should have as fair a chance as though they 

 were children of a Standard Oil magnate. 



The days when the three R education was sufficient in the rural dis- 

 tricts are past. Today there are a certain few things which it is hoped 

 education does for young people. It should awaken a pupil to the capac- 

 ity which is in himself and it should make him well bottomed and free 

 from one sidedness. The qualities of manliness and integrity should of 

 course, come to all. The rural problem is the greatest problem before the 

 Michigan people today. Today in rural schools we are not permitted 

 enough teachers to teach other than the most common branches. In the 

 central rural school the forces of the several district schools could be 

 lumped and a better grade of teachers could be employed. I rejoice as 

 much as anyone that Michigan has a college where the farm boy can get 

 his technical education, but all boys will not return to the farm. They 

 may wish to delve deeper into the realms of knowledge and enter fields 

 of expert investigation. Hence, the necessity of the university. If there 

 were no places to educate such men, we should soon reach the limit of 

 knowledge. 

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