No. 4.] AGRICULTURAL COLLEGES. 55 



science to the art of agriculture, who are discouraged by 

 the inefficiency of agricultural colleges, and so hold aloof; 

 or must we grant that these institutions are offering valu- 

 able instruction of the right kind, and then seek in other 

 directions for an explanation of the meager number of stu- 

 dents? Should we not inquire what is the influence of 

 business and social conditions, the prevalent ideals of suc- 

 cess and the possibilities that open before the American 

 boy? The critic usually assumes that the colleges them- 

 selves are responsible for the small attendance upon the 

 courses in agriculture, because these courses either are not 

 what they should be, or else, which is the more common 

 claim, because the atmosphere of the college is not sympa- 

 thetic to agriculture. Is such an assumption just? Is it in 

 accordance with facts ? 



My conviction, born of observation and experience, is 

 that in the main these colleges cannot justly be blamed for 

 the small proportion of students of agriculture who have 

 entered their doors. There are in this audience many per- 

 sons, doubtless, who have been teachers in the rural schools 

 of this and other New England States. Those of you who 

 have had this experience will agree to the statement, I am 

 sure, that only a part and perhaps a minority of farmers' 

 boys could by any known means be induced to enter upon 

 a course of study worthy to appear in a college catalogue 

 as leading to a degree. The majority of them have neither 

 the aptitude nor the inclination that are essential to suc- 

 cessful study in the higher branches of learning. Listen to 

 what Maclaren writes of Domsie : " But it was Latin Dom- 

 sie hunted for as for line gold, and when he found a smack 

 of it in a lad he rejoiced openly." In a minor proportion 

 of country lads do our teachers find a smack of that love of 

 learning which in some degree is absolutely essential as a 

 motive for overcoming the obstacles which lie in the path 

 of the college student. These unscholarlike boys may be- 

 come successful farmers or business men, but not even pas- 

 sable students of advanced subjects ; and therefore they arc 

 not available material with which to till the class room of 

 any college whatever. Their education must come from 

 other sources. 



