FIFTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 595 



dwell in beautiful residences are in competition with the uncivilized who 

 dwell in simple huts. Not only that, but we are in competition with the 

 keenest brains, the shrewdest manipulators the world has ever seen. In 

 order to compete with the latter, in order to compete with the world, we 

 must educate our boys and girls. 



Let us see what has happened in the educational world during the past 

 three decades. Our common school system has advanced in a remarkable 

 manner, the annual attendance in the United States has grown from 30,000 

 in 1870 to 650,000 in 1900 while the average number of days that these pupils 

 attend has increased from forty-eight to seventy per year during the same 

 time. By turning our eyes towards the high schools and colleges we find 

 that in 1870, using round numbers, there w^re enrolled in our higher institu- 

 tions of learning 52,000 students. In 1880 the number had grown to 142,000. 

 In 1890, to 369,000 while in 1900 we reached 754,000. Or, stating the same 

 facts in other words, during the last thirty years our population has doubled 

 while the percentage of students who attended higher institutions of learning 

 has increased seven-fold. 



What does this growth and development mean? It means that education 

 is becoming popularized as it never has been before in the history of the 

 world. It means that if we would have our children remain in the race we 

 must give them an opportunity to fit themselves to take their places along- 

 side the educated man of the future. It means that our children will have 

 greater need for education than we have had or ever will have. These fig- 

 ures mean much, they tell a big story but they only tell half of the story and 

 perhaps only one quarter of it. As a general rule, the man who enjoyed the 

 privileges of a higher education some thirty years ago did not enter the in- 

 dustrial field, he did not come in competition with the business man, with 

 the mechanic or with the farmer. Not so today. The large manufacturing 

 companies are looking for educated men to take charge of different branches 

 of their business. The large farmers are beginning to look to the agricul- 

 tural colleges for men to run their farms. The manufacturers of dairy 

 machinery come to the agricultural colleges to get men to represent their busi- 

 ness on account of special knowledge which they have acquired at these in- 

 stitutions. Representatives of every agricultural college of any note can 

 testify to the fact that they are const-antly receiving inquiries for bright young 

 men as managers of farms, creameries, orchards, nurseries and various 

 other industries. Therefore, if you wish your boy to be a prosperous farmer 

 in the future send him to an agricultural school. If you are dreaming that 

 your daughter may some day become the happy wife of a prosperous farmer, 

 send her to an agricultural school; if you wish to be up-to-date yourself on 

 matters of vital interest to you in your immediate business, do][as thousands 

 of farmers have done during the last few years, attend the short course for 

 farmers at the agricultural college in your own State. There are many things 

 to be learned at those grand institutions of learning for both young and old. 

 The agricultural college has passed the experimental stage, it has proved it- 

 self worthy of a place among the greatest colleges in the world. It is here 

 and it is here to stay. It is no longer a baby that has to be nursed but it is 

 a strong, vigorous, rapidly growing child which wi41 soon grow into a power- 

 ful man of tremendous prestige. 



