222 QUARTEELY JOURNAL, 



EDUCATION OF THE AMERICAN FARMER. 



BT HENRT S. RANDALL, CORTLAND VILLAGE. 



[We are happy to give a place in our Journal to the following article. The 

 gentleman who thus favors us has been a county superintendent of common 

 Bchools since the passage of the law creating that office ; he is moreover a pracO" 

 cal farmer, and therefore we consider his views and opinions in regard to educa- 

 tion, as worthy of the highest consideration.] 



In the January number of the Quarterly Journal of Agriculture, 

 are submitted certain views, editorially, in relation to the topic 

 indicated in the heading of this article, which, in the main, and 

 especially so far as the enunciation of general principles is concern- 

 ed, are, in my judgment, eminently just and seasonable. The 

 present day is one of bold discovery and speculation. A blinr 

 veneration for antiquity no longer shields ancient dogmas ani 

 ancient institutions from investigation, and when necessary, fron 

 consequent rejection or abrogation. The true philosophy — th( 

 philosophy of progress, has become the motto of the age. 



All this is well. But the progression principle should be tern 

 pered with a certain degree of conservatism. The advancing cur 

 rent, if kept within due bounds, will carry on its bosom a constant 

 ly meliorating civilization ; if swelled to a furious torrent whicl 

 spurns all control, it will, p era d venture, overturn and sweep awa; 

 that which exists. 



In casting off old abuses, we should be careful not to conside 

 age and error as necessarily synonymous. Our forefathers war 

 wise in their day and generation as well as ourselves. We are no 

 to condemn anything because it is ancient. I go a step further, 

 hold, as Blackstone does in relation to certain ancient laws, tha 

 anything which has stood the test of time, which has been sanoj, 

 tioned by generation after generation of the human family, is to Wj 

 presumed good unless it can be clearly shown to the contrary 

 Stability is one and a strong proof of rightfulness. Otherwise n 

 belief can attach to that most consolating and hopeful of all max 

 ims, that "truth must prevail." 



Let us not forget that were we to turn our backs with self-com 

 placent arrogance on all the labors of the past, we, instead of o« 



