444 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



open to the well educated young captains of Industry. The present day 

 problem of reclaiming vast areas of desert and waste lands, of introducing 

 and promoting new methods of crop and animal production, of reorganiz- 

 ing or developing anew many commercial enterprises, of manufacturing the 

 thousands of machines and other pieces of apparatus demanded for carry- 

 ing on the world's business. All these and numerous other affairs .of their 

 kinds are constantly calling for young men trained in head, hands and 

 heart to keep them going. 



Scholarly farmers and stock raisers, carpenters and iron workers and 

 engineers assistants and the like are what our industrial age is in greatest 

 need of and it is high time that parents view this situation aright, and 

 prepare their sons to meet it. 



Much ot the indifference of the child regarding his education is due 

 to error in his early teaching. If in planning for the child's. future the 

 parents would begin early to talk of and plan for the school course as 

 though taken for granted, and the young child encouraged to earnest, 

 honest persistent work in the grades, being assured all along the way 

 that father and mother sincerely believe in him and expect much of him, 

 always receiving encouragement rather than criticism, oft repeated ex- 

 pressions of praise of his efforts, the chances are that he will go on 

 and complete the course without thought of dropping out. 



Here we feel like placing emphasis upon the parent's obligation, which 

 seems such an important factor in accomplishing good results. 



But if the parent fails, during these early years, to so direct and en- 

 courage the child that he loses his interest in schools or if, for any 

 reason, he lags and is ready to quit school before finishing, shall such 

 an important matter as the education be left to his mere whim or 

 caprice, limited as he is in experience and immature judgment. 



Rather, the parent should tactfully and patiently try to show him tn^ 

 great mistake he would be making to quit school at such an early peric^ 

 in his life. 



We have on every hand illustrations of men with great natural endow- 

 ment who are wonderfully handicapped for lack of education. Perhaps 

 some of these may have lacked opportunities, but it is probable many 

 of them might have been better educated, thus Increasing their usefulness, 

 had parents, teachers, or someone else taken the pains to encourage 

 them and impress upon them the value of a better education. 



The school of experience may be all right for some, but it is not adapted 

 to the masses, besides, the tuition is high. 



Once in a while we see a self-made man who has apparently succeeded 

 well. 



Some may point to such a one as an illustration of what man may 

 achieve without an education. Yes, but he probably has attained this 

 success in spite of his lack of education, and not because of it. One 

 might as well argue that because some one recovered from a serious 

 illness unaided that all doctors and medicine could be dispensed with. 



As to the direct benefits of a high school course. The study of litera- 

 ture opens a field before the student from which he may glean the purest 

 and loftiest thought and sentiment of all the ages. 



