214 WORCESTER SOCIETY. 



2dly. In offering suggestions as to the plan of such a school, 

 the writer's ideas may differ, somewhat, from many of the gen- 

 erally received of the community on this subject. His expe- 

 rience as an instructor, (at the head of several academies, male 

 and female, at times in the very centre of a farming population,) 

 has taught him that what is popular, is not always useful, and 

 that great expense is not always attended with greatest profit. 



He would suggest then, firsts that the plan of such a school 

 should be economical for the pupil. Gentlemen's sons may pay 

 large tuition, perhaps, but farmer's sons will not do it. Theory 

 may argue that they will. But experience proves that they 

 will not. Although such an establishment demands abundant 

 apparatus and the best of instruction, yet if its expenses come 

 heavy to the pupil, the school will not be filled with those for 

 whom it is intended. 



Secondly, such a school should be located where all prom- 

 inent features of good tillage are practically and successfully 

 exhibited by the various farms in the vicinity. Besides con- 

 stant allusion to the school farm, embracing various forms of 

 culture under his own eye, let the teacher be able to refer to 

 Esq. A.'s bog reclaimed — Capt. B.'s barn, — Col. C's compost 

 plan, &c., and the pupil will learn more from this reference 

 than from looking only at ever so perfect a model made to 

 hand, for experiment's sake, on the model farm. And in this 

 way, not a few good lectures of a new kind would be intro- 

 duced to the pupil. Farmer Thrivewell, standing by the side 

 of his yearlings, will be lecturing on the qualities of good cat- 

 tle, in an eloquent strain, while if he stood in the teacher's 

 desk, he would do nothing but exhibit awkwardness. Every 

 visit to the farm in the neighborhood, by chance with the 

 teacher, would lead to increased efforts on said farm, and give 

 practical ideas which could not be obtained in any other way. 

 As to the general plan of study, it is suggested that it should be 

 eminently practical. Pupils should bring up the neglects of 

 district schools. They should learn to write a fair letter, and 

 make out a fair bill, and converse intelligibly, as well as to 

 plant, sow and reap scientifically. But beyond this idea of 

 practical instruction, no change need be made from the usual 



