228 INDIANA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS 



nity and character, and be urged to appreciate more 

 highly his own importance, both as a cultivator of the 

 soil, and as a citizen. Let him apprehend more correctly, 

 his own right and duties, and interests, as a member of 

 the great producing class of community, and he will 

 soon take that action which will result in improving the 

 whole country." To effect this great and good moral 

 reform, you must begin with the rising generation. 



You must look into your school-houses. — There is the 

 proper place to begin to cultivate the mind. 



Verily, it is a truth, that "the schoolmaster is abroad." 

 Our good old teacher has been abroad of late years, in 

 truth, and sadly has his place been filled with those who 

 have taught us aught but such lessons as our ancestors 

 were wont to learn. 



Oh! what a field of usefulness invites cultivation 

 from your Society. One of the first steps we should 

 take, should be to bring about a better system of edu- 

 cation. A system, suited to, and suitable for the agri- 

 cultural class. Were can you now send your children 

 to learn to be farmers? Numerous schools and colleges 

 exist, but what do they teach? Divinity, law, physic, 

 and foppery!!! But where, and echo answers, where, 

 are your agricultural schools? Do your common dis- 

 trict schools even, ever teach the first rudiments of the 

 first lesson, that civilized man must learn? — That is, to 

 till the earth. What are your common school books ? Is 

 a treatise upon the most useful science in the world, 

 ever found in your school-room? Let my answer wound 

 no man's feelings, for the fault is not his, but that of a 

 faulty education. 



Your teachers are too often young men whose false 

 education has taught them that it is disgraceful to work ; 

 whose pride compels them to seek such genteel employ- 

 ment as will enable them to flourish a little season of a 

 butterfly existence; and they are too often employed to 

 teach your children, solely because they will do it cheap. 

 Under such circumstances, will your children grow up to 



