THE INSTITUTE TEACHERS. 



The other class of workers upon whom the institute is dependent 

 for efficiency is, as has been stated, the force of teachers. Unless 

 this is efficient the institute is a failure, no matter how carefully it 

 has been organized, or how well attended, or how judiciously the 

 topics to be treated have been chosen. The teacher is the life of 

 any school ; more than the text-books or buildings or equipment, nec- 

 essary as these are. If he is uninteresting or otherwise incapable, 

 all of the trouble and expense previously incurred is wasted effort 

 and money; like a great manufactory, equipped with intricate and 

 costly machinery, suited to the production of beautiful and perfect 

 fabrics, but rendered worse than useless by reason of its being man- 

 ned by unskilled or careless workmen. 



Institute instruction is a new profession scarcely 20 years of age 

 in the oldest states. It began in weakness but has grown until now 

 it requires strong men to teach institute audiences. Many who were 

 acceptable lecturers 20 years ago are not now asked to teach. They 

 have failed to keep abreast of the advance of science and their ad- 

 vice is no longer sought. Many also who have succeeded admirably 

 with classes of students in college or university work and whose 

 capability, so far as learning is concerned, is admitted, find them- 

 selves altogether unfit to give instruction to audiences of farming 

 people. This work is a profession difficult in the extreme and re- 

 quires peculiar training and special personal qualities and exper- 

 ience to properly perform. The audiences are composed of all 

 classes, both men and women, boys and girls, the scholarly profes- 

 sional man and the illiterate. The meeting is voluntary; all are free 

 to come or go at will. There are those who are deeply interested 

 in the subjects on the program, and others who care nothing for the 

 topics, a mixed audience, with varied interests and occupations, 

 to be held from 30 minutes to an hour, and given valuable instruc- 

 tion in a way to interest and receive the attention of the thoughtless 

 to the end; all to be accomplished without the loss of dignity by 

 the lecturer and without catering to any popular prejudice that may 

 prevail. To those who think this easy the answer is, attempt it and 

 discover for yourself. To do such work well requires a high order 

 of attainment and the men who completely and conspicuously suc- 

 ceed are few. 



Nevertheless, if the institute is to fulfill its mission as a teacher 

 of agricultural truth and is to take its proper place among the edu- 

 cational institutions of the time, it must be equipped in a great de- 

 gree with precisely such a force. All who undertake to teach in 

 this school of applied science must possess in more than ordinary 

 degree the qualifications that distinguish these superior men. More- 



