118 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



tiu'al College). There arc two points that I want to speak 

 of, and just for a moment. One is the influence of the parent 

 upon the child. If you had been in my place, and had heard, 

 not once but time and time again, ladies who brought their 

 sons to college say, " I don't wish my son to become a 

 farmer ; it is too hard work, and I wouldn't wish for any 

 one, a son or daughter, to take it up for a profession," you 

 w^ould understand what that means. 



The other point is in reference to colleges. I believe there 

 is a field for our college, and not simply for the young men 

 who go there, but, I am happy to say, for the young w^omen 

 who are going there. As yet no woman has graduated, but 

 at the close of this next year there will be two go out, and 

 later on others. I hope that some of them will take up for 

 their profession that of teaching. I think they will be not 

 only fitted, but well fitted, to give instruction on this very 

 line. 



There is one thing that I should regret very much, and 

 that is, the forcing of this education in agriculture into the 

 elementary schools. I believe that we must grow up to it. 

 I don't believe as yet that the schools are ripe for it. If this 

 thing is forced in, and the teachers are compelled to take up 

 a subject about which they know nothing, it will be simply 

 distasteful work to them, and they wall not teach it with the 

 enthusiasm that they do other matters and other subjects; 

 and, being in that position, they will inevitably fall into the 

 same error in which I did. I had been teaching perhaps ten 

 years, and I had a very bright class, with of course the usual 

 exceptions, as you will see. I had the subject of the Cru- 

 sades, and took it up at length. I think I discussed it for 

 five or six days, and then had an examination with the class, 

 and they did fairly well. But about three days afterwards 

 I met my Waterloo. I was going down town, and one 

 of the members of the class asked me if he could have the 

 privilege of walking down and talking with me. I said, 

 "Most certainly," and he said, "Now, Professor, there is 

 one question I want to ask you ; perhaps j^ou will think it 

 a little strange, but, hang it all, what is a Crusade, any- 

 how ? " 



