36 
culture or mechanic arts. This system of education, which in a way is dif- 
ferent Prom anything else ever undertaken, guards peculiarly the country's 
[deals concerning the permanent welfare of the masses of the people, i do 
not think it could he proved that these colleges came in response to a demand 
from the multitude, but they came rather in response to a demand on the part 
of a few farseeing men. These men recognized, what I think all now can 
readily see. that such institutions would be nn efficient agency in cultivating 
on the part of the masses of the people an appreciation of higher attainments 
and greater excellence in the useful industries of life, it is impossible to 
measure the value or the power in such enlightened appreciation. It has 
been truly said in connection with the significance of an educational system 
in its relation to the progress of civilization, and concerning the duty toward 
the government of those receiving it. that we can not appreciate it except by 
Considering it from the collective point of view. That is to say. in another way. 
that the whole people must encourage and maintain a system of education in 
order that the individuals may be brought to a greater appreciation of it 
and thus saved from their own tendency to degeneration. This elevating 
influence of the land-grant colleges is by no means their least valuable result. 
It is not to be forgotten that the benefits of an education to the individual are 
proportionately le<s than the advantages to the other members of a com- 
munity. I think we art 1 prone to look upon education from a purely individu- 
alistic poiut of view. We are prone to measure it exclusively for what it can 
do for the individual, forgetting oftentimes that what it does for the individual 
is but the beginning of its real service. We have not yet entirely escaped 
the fallacy that agricultural education is for the farmers only and that the 
work of the experiment stations is for the rural districts. It is true that the 
primary benefits will be realized first among the people in the rural districts. 
but it is equally true and highly important that we recognize the truth that 
education of any sort is a social process the benefits of which can not be 
confined to the persons engaged in it. Agricultural education touches vitally 
every interest of society both urban and rural. The experiment station is the 
guardian of the avenues as truly as of the fields. 
Since, then, we can not find the full fruits of our system of education in the 
fields or in the individuals, we would do well to study its wider importance 
and deeper significance. In this connection, permit me to say that the very 
creditable exhibit of the colleges of agriculture and mechanic arts at St. Louis 
has. in my judgment, been a demonstration of the unity of all education, and 
in so far as an exhibit could testify, this one — the first one — has shown that 
the type of education in these colleges has not only ample justification, but 
occupies an important and hitherto neglected field. 
In the phase of education now under discussion there is a manifest tendency 
to emphasize the materials of education rather than the results of it. It is so 
easy for us to fix our minds upon the importance of luxuriant yields in the har- 
vest, the splendid types of live stock, or the margin of net profit that producing 
these things will realize. No doubt these are important considerations. I 
would not in any degree minimize their importance. Indeed, if we can not 
exhibit these as among the results of our education there would be great diffi- 
culty in justifying such a movement as a new departure in education. When, 
however, we have done all these things we have not received the most valuable 
results. It is when the pursuits of life have been made more efficient, and 
through the efficiency of these pursuits men ire made more efficient, and through 
the greater efficiency of men society itself is more efficient and stable, that 
government finds it-< beneficent purposes realized and its investments justified. 
I regard it as of the highest importance that these ideals shall become the com- 
mon property of our people. It is no small problem for these land-grant col- 
leges to recognize this problem and deal with it effectively. Our banner must 
float in full view of the civilization winch we encourage. 
II. Turning now from what may be called the problems of ideals. I desire to 
give some attention to the more practical problems of operation, and here I bring 
to our attention the conditions in farm life that influence for good or evil the effi- 
ciency of agricultural education. These conditions. I dare say. are familiar to 
1<he members of this association, but are worthy of a quiet hour at our annual 
meeting. Many of them are general, in the sense that they are to be found 
wherever agricultural colleges occupy the attention of men. Some are local, in 
the sense that they are more noticeable in some communities than in others, or 
in the sense that they are peculiar to particular communities. I make no effort 
to distinguish these, but call attention to such as are within the horizon of my 
