ANNUAL MEETING OHIO STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 37 



high school studies. He becomes interested and wants to go to high school him- 

 self. If he has no high school near home his tendency is to go to the city high 

 school. There should be a high school near enough so that every country boy 

 and girl can attend, and Ohio is trying to meet this demand. 



At the present time the State each year pays two dollars for every enu- 

 merated youth in each school district. If this were raised to four dollars per 

 enumerated youth instead of two, much would be done toward the solution of 

 this difficult problem. Such a law would be a just law. For instance there are 

 communities in this State where mining is almost the sole industry. There is 

 very little property of high value for taxation and consequently their schools must 

 suffer. They pour out a stream of wealth of coal and iron ore which spreads 

 over the entire State to furnish the power which turns the factory wheels and 

 make possible wealth whose benefits they do not reap. It gives railroads business 

 and permeates all the trades and industries. If the next legislature will allow 

 four dollars for each enumerated youth it will bestow untold blessings upon the 

 schools of the poorer districts and those districts which are in distress will be 

 relieved. 



One of the most important measures of a constructive legislation passed last 

 winter is the Cahill Law which provides for the teaching of agriculture in the 

 common schools of the rural and village districts of Ohio. In the past the rural 

 schools were not in touch with the life of their communities. In large part they 

 were imitations of city schools teaching not country life but city life. The chil-- 

 dren had held up before them ideals taken not from the country but 1 from the 

 city. They had held up before them for their ideals great lawyers and doctors, 

 generals and the great masters of finance without ever pointing out some farmer 

 who possesses the sterling qualities of true manhood. 



Not many weeks ago I opened a text book which had been in use in our 

 schools and saw on the first page the picture of a lady leading a little boy by the 

 hand. She was pointing to 'a temple which was standing on a hill. Across the 

 end of the temple was printed the word knowledge. On that temple was a dome 

 which had on it the word Fame. I take ,this picture to mean that the lady was 

 the goddess of learning and that she was telling that little boy that he must 

 acquire knowledge in order that he may become famous. Then that boy had 

 held up before him the fame of an Alexander, a Caesar, a Napoleon and men of 

 that type, heroes of the battlefield, without even referring to the heroes of every- 

 day life and of peace. Then those same tachers would plead for universal peace 

 and be answered by what? Another battleship from every one of the great nations 

 of the earth. The implements of destruction. The implements which bring noth- 

 ing but misery and distress instead of happiness to the people of this world. 

 Under the influence of such teaching in the past what could be more natural than 

 that our boys and girls in the country be restless, and as they grow up to be men 

 and women they will turn toward the city where they hope to realize those ideals 

 they have been so faithfully taught during their childhood days. 



I have a son in the public school, but I do not want him to be taught that 

 he must learn his lessons in order that he may become famous. I want the aim 

 of his teaching to be such that he will become an honest, upright, and useful 

 citizen. When this is done, I as his father will be satisfied. When such teaching 

 is found in every school room the public schools will be fulfilling the mission for 

 which they are intended. House with children in it. 



The teaching of agriculture is bringing a new atmosphere into the country 

 school. The country school is coming in touch with the life and interests of its 

 community. Boys and girls are beginning to see that in the country there are 

 great possibilities and that it is the best place in which to live. Mr. Ivins, one 

 of the supervisors of agricultural education told me that when he was called to 



