ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. IS® 



high, and make it so efficient that neither you nor your more opulent neigh- 

 bor can afford to neglect or slight its opportunities; that they cannot afford: 

 to send their boys to town to school, because they have better advantages 

 at home. Require your teacher to bold a first-grade certificate. Visit. 

 them in their schools and encourage them in their work. 



There is a class of so-called teachers in every county in the State, who 

 "hold down" schools year after year on a low grade certificate. They are 

 too lazy and shiftless to get a living in any other way. They go about 

 from district to district cutting down wages and driving out the better 

 class of teachers. And there are directors in every county in the State,. 

 who, having gotten their own children educated, or have sent them to the 

 town school, who will employ these low-grade teachers because they are 

 good enough for the Swatz and Schneyder children, and they cost less. 

 These two classes, the stingy director and the low-grade teacher, are the 

 Black Friday of our public school system. 



Keep your boys and girls at home and hold them to you just as long as 

 you can; cultivate in them a love for their rural home, and a sacred love 

 for their alma mater, the district school. 



And now, Mr. President, I snow that many will be disposed to say that 

 I have taken a pessimistic view of the situation, but "Coming events cast 

 their shadows before," and if this method is fostered, when and what Is to 

 be the end ? 



I speak as the poor boys friend, the rich can take care of themselves, 

 and I speak that our unguarded schools shall not be reduced to the foster- 

 ing, or even the shadow of fostering cast and inequality among f ree-6«n» 

 American citizens; whether their parents be Parthians, or Medes or Gre-t&s 

 or Elamites, for they are the coming men and women just the same sis 

 your children and mine. 



I will give you just a little incident that happened to me not so vary 

 long ago. A young Irishman came into my office with his hands folaefe 

 with farm work, and had on a farm suit, and he asked me if I could help 

 him a moment. I said i could and pushed back my papers. He e&mz 

 and laid on my desk a geometry and a draughtsman scale and compass and 



