son, CULTURE .\I\MF.U. 313 



the Armour Institute, of Chicago, in recognition of the fact 

 that it ought to be largely -a public work. It is being taken 

 up by the great agricultural and industrial colleges of the 

 country. Legislatures are making appropriations for carry- 

 ing on the work. It is only a matter of time until many of 

 the general branches will be taught in this way under state 

 supervision. 



There have been prepared a number of courses in general 

 agriculture, and some of these of great merit. It is a little 

 strange that the one subject which more than any other 

 lends itself readily to the correspondence course idea has 

 been neglected until the last agriculture. There can be 

 no teaching of agriculture away from the farm. Actual 

 contact with the soil is essential in the teaching of agricul- 

 ture. No man can learn to farm by poring over books. 

 But if in the poring over books he has opportunity to go 

 out every day and apply in practical way that which he is 

 learning, then much may be learned of great value from the 

 books. It is because of this that a correspondence course 

 in agriculture seems especially appropriate. The farmer 

 is less likely than any other to find opportunity to get away 

 from his work and to take up special courses of study in the 

 colleges. He seldom has the preliminary preparation so 

 that he can get into the agricultural colleges. But he does 

 have some time for study and he generally has the disposi- 

 tion to study and to learn. The correspondence course, 

 when it comes to the farmer, comes to one who can make 

 the greatest possible use of the same. 



But most of the correspondence courses as prepared not 

 only by corporations making a specialty of this work but 

 by the colleges and universities, are distinctly intended to 

 take boys and girls from the farms and to put them into 

 the workshops of the cities. It is not very difficult to lead 



