AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION 239 



public schools so that there will be no gap between 

 them and the colleges; and the auxiliary agricul- 

 tural schools and the agricultural High School 

 should close the gap between the public schools 

 and the agricultural college. If agricultural 

 schools, as many and as efficient as the old-fash- 

 ioned academies, were scattered throughout the 

 States, they would do much to solve many vexed 

 country problems; for it would mean giving to 

 the rural communities an opportunity to acquire 

 such training of mind and hand as would fit them 

 reasonably well for making the most of their re- 

 sources. 



In the earlier days there was no question as to 

 accepting work done in the academies for entrance 

 to the college, so far as it might go; but now all 

 work completed in the High School is not ac- 

 cepted for entrance and a discrimination is made 

 in the work of the different High Schools, some 

 being accepted and some refused. This may be 

 a cheap way to bring badly managed schools up to 

 the standard but it is done at the expense of the 

 prospective college student instead of the State. 

 It should be the business of the State to bring the 

 High Schools up to so nearly uniform a standard 

 that those who present themselves at the college 



