HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 333 



deeper impressions than if learned by rote from the teaching of 

 another and will be far more abiding. 



The great desideratum is the production of clear headed inde- 

 pendent thinkers, able to reason logically and arrive at correct 

 conclusions; ready to analyze critically, discriminating between 

 gold and glittering dust, between what is true and what is 

 merely specious; who can from daily observations and known 

 facts, make sound generalizations, with minds alert and judg- 

 ments keen. 



It seems hardly to require any argument to show that these 

 results should, if possible, be accomplished and the minds of the 

 students thus disciplined by vigorous exercise along those ]ines 

 which they are to follow in after life. Let us take the young man 

 who is fitting himself for the profession of civil engineer to illus- 

 trate the point. Now, while it may be admitted at the start 

 that the thorough literary and classical course would be of great 

 value in quickening his mind and strengthening his judgment, 

 yet it is no less true that the special qualifications essential to 

 his success in his chosen calling and the particular kind of judg- 

 ment and mental strength which he must possess in order to 

 attain to the highest degree of perfection, or in fact to succeed at 

 all, could only be acquired through the medium of geometry, 

 trigonometry, surveying and other branches of mathematics. It 

 is with this idea uppermost that the plan for our agricultural 

 school has been laid, and the young men there engaged in fitting 

 themselves for future usefulness upon the farm are working in 

 conformity to this plan. They are bright, intelligent and ambi- 

 tious. They entered the school with the fixed resolution to do 

 its work thoroughly, faithfully and cheerfully. The success with 

 which this resolution is being carried out is a surprise even to 

 the instructors, though their expectations at the outset were very 

 high. The attainments of the boys upon entrance were found to 

 be below the desired standard, but in industry, application, and 

 manly deportment they are far above the standard which had 

 been mentally set. The most noticeable thing about them is the 

 straight-forward, earnest and dignified way in which they go 

 about their work. There is no "foolishness" about them. In 

 study hours it is all business, and even the intermissions are 

 devoted chiefly to reading and the preparation of their les- 

 sons. They evidently believe with Dr. Franklin, that "A little 

 leisure is time to do something useful." At 5 a. m. the ear- 

 liest risers begin to make their appearance in the reading and 



