FIFTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 603 



to discover, if possible, the means of improving the conditions upon which 

 largely depends the education of the rural population of our State. For it 

 can easily be shown that a very small per cent of the pupils of the country 

 schools receives any education besides that acquired attending such schools. 

 It is not deemed necessary or advisable to recite volumes of statistics to prove 

 the assertion since any one may satisfy himself by a little careful observation. 

 To say that no changes should be made in the provisions !or furnishing the 

 children of farming communities an education would be to deny progress in 

 the twentieth century. In methods of farming, mining, manufacturing, and 

 transportation what changes have taken place! What changes in home and 

 social life! Are we not progressing in civilization? And upon what does ad- 

 vancement in civilization largely depend? Will rural communities admit 

 that such progress is the result of activities in the cities only? And are rural 

 communities simply followers in the procession? To the last question I 

 should offer a vigorous negative if I did not feel that there are others here 

 who could do that more eloquently and effectively. 



NOT ALL CHANGES PROGRESS. 



It may be asserted that not all changes are progress and that not all appar- 

 ent progress is advancement in civilization. This is undoubtedly true. It 

 is a fact, that in the effort to achieve progress we, like the pendulum, swing 

 to extremes; this is probably necessary to discover the mean; but, be that 

 as it may, it is much better to be compelled to retrace somewhst than to fall 

 into a sort of Chinese stagnation. 



The rural school problem has been a rich source of material for debate 

 during the recent past, and will probably continue to furnish material for 

 debate for years to come. A small part of it has been solved, some por- 

 tions are, it is to be hoped, capable of solution in the near future. From 

 this one might be led to conclude that it will soon be greatly reduced in 

 importance; but it is quite probable that new elements will present them- 

 selves as fast as the old are successfully disposed of. Nevertheless, it is the 

 duty of every one interested in the welfare of our country to assist in every 

 legitimate effort to increase the advantages and to reduce the disadvantages 

 of the rural schools. 



ARE NOT FADDISTS. 



Those who advocate changes in anything pertaining to education are 

 denounced as faddists. This is unjust, although there are some to whom 

 the term may be applied appropriately. Why not call him who advocates 

 the use of the separator in the production of butter and improved methods 

 of planting and harvesting crops a faddist? 



But before we can determine the means we must understand the ends to 

 be accomplished; therefore, I ask myself ''What kind of education should 

 all members of a farming community possess?" Here I was reminded of 

 my school days when I solved difficulties by asking the teacher. It occurred 

 to me that there was a book of quotations on the shelf, and straightway I 

 proceeded to discover a quotation covering the subject. But, alas! Not one 

 was to be found that seemed appropriate, and I was compelled to fall back 



