Land Problems and National Welfare 



that there is no use in providing continuation 

 classes, farm schools, agricultural colleges, etc., 

 if this necessary interest be not first aroused 

 in the elementary schools. 



The objective must be a complete sequence 

 in agricultural education, leading from the 

 elementary school to the agricultural college ; 

 a ladder with its full complement of rungs must 

 be provided, but this ladder will be used wholly 

 only by the exceptionally bright scholars. We 

 should aim at having as many exceptionally 

 bright pupils as possible, for it is unsatisfactory 

 to make a ladder and then to have few to climb. 



At the present time, according to the Report 

 of the Departmental Committee (CD4207), we 

 have a sufficient number of agricultural col- 

 leges ; and yet these are not playing the part 

 that they should in agricultural education, and 

 are not attracting farmers' sons in large numbers, 

 undoubtedly because of the want of the right 

 school atmosphere in the first place, and the 

 lack of a complete chain of instruction leading 

 up to the college. 



In the whole of England not more than two 

 hundred or three hundred farmers' sons avail 

 themselves of college instruction in any one year ! 



Youths intending to emigrate, to become ex- 

 perts, county council lecturers, or land agents, 

 form the bulk of the scholars who attend these 

 colleges ; their demand should be satisfied at the 



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