188 
FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
policy along the line of bulks of popula¬ 
tion. The curriculum would be made 
to prepare the major part of the youth 
for their life work, instead of those pre¬ 
paring to follow some profession. Until 
recent times the major part has been ig¬ 
nored. 
“The present situation gives promise of 
what is to be, although the struggle with 
tradition is still going on. Modern ed¬ 
ucation is for the masses. Practical edu¬ 
cation is coming to the front. The cul¬ 
tural and humanizing subjects are not to 
fee ignored, yet the practical should as¬ 
sert its rights. 
“Washington, in his first message to 
congress, advocated the fostering of ag¬ 
riculture; The first organization of 
farmers in the United States was founded 
in 1785 at Philadelphia. Of this society 
Washington and Benjamin Franklin 
were members. Among the committees 
appointed was one to promote agricul¬ 
tural education. This committee advo¬ 
cated the founding of professorships of 
agriculture in the colleges already estab¬ 
lished, and the giving of courses of agri¬ 
culture in the high schools. The first 
professorship of agriculture was estab¬ 
lished at Columbia in 1792. «The first 
State Agricultural College was founded 
in Michigan in 1855; although private 
schools, some of college rank, were in 
existence before this date, and a few of 
these had State aid. 
“The Federal government early mani¬ 
fested its interest, the first action being 
taken even in the time of Washington. 
In comparatively recent times this interest 
in the practical education,—in the educa¬ 
tion for agriculture and the mechanical 
arts—has grown greatlv. Various acts 
have passed and several are now pending 
in congress for the fostering of educa¬ 
tion in agriculture and the mechanical 
arts. 
“In these acts the Federal government 
seeks solely to promote instruction in ag¬ 
ricultural and mechanical arts. It be¬ 
lieves that the masses need instruction 
where their work lies. There are several 
acts still pending. 
“I11 its aid the Federal government seeks 
to throw emphasis where it is most needed 
to help the masses, to enable the man who 
toils in the sweat of his brow to do his 
work more efficiently. It seeks to uplift 
the mass of working people. Schools 
founded for this purpose should keep it 
in mind; they should strive to serve most 
of the people in the best way.” 
“I have taken the liberty to quote Dr. 
Sledd liberally, his position as an educa¬ 
tor; his knowledge of the subject, gives 
his opinion an?i statement, weig'ht and 
authority. 
“I desire to call your attention, however, 
to the fact that the effort to teach agri- 
culure, and its kindred sciences, has been 
to establish colleges, and schools of higher 
learning,—a very necessary course per¬ 
haps in the early days; when trained agri¬ 
culturists and scientists were few, when 
the science of agricultre was drabtically 
unknown; when text-books on th. subject 
were few, and not adapted to the school¬ 
room ; in fact only of value to the trained 
scientist, and so cumbered with scientific 
terms, that the ordinary teacher, to say 
nothing of the school children, failed to 
grasp their meaning or understand their 
truths, which were, frequently, simply as¬ 
sumptions, and not yet demonstrated 
facts,—There were doubtless reasons for 
beginning the structure at the roof and 
building down to the foundation. As 
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson has apt’y 
said, “Place a faculty of agricultural pro¬ 
fessors in the top story of a building with¬ 
out a stairway, and say to the boys and 
girls of the country, jump im here and 
we will teach you scientific agriculture.” 
