1910. 
THE RURAL EDUCATION QUESTION. 
Part I. 
Probably no subject introduced into the columns 
of The R. N.-Y. during the past year is of such im¬ 
portance as the discussion of the problems of rural 
education. Water cannot rise higher than its source, 
nor can the standard of education rise higher than 
the ideals that prompt them. If these ideals are to 
be elevated and maintained in rural districts, it must 
be done largely through the instrumentality of the 
agricultural press, for under existing conditions it 
stands almost alone in the thoughtful consideration of 
distinctly rural problems. In the consideration of 
these problems in the past it must be confessed that 
those affecting education, the most important of all, 
have been largely ignored, partly no doubt because 
of a lack of full realization of what special problems 
in education rural environments really impose, and 
partly because both management and readers have 
found the discussion of subjects affecting materia] 
gain more interesting; in keeping with the attitude of 
the farmer who when asked how many children he 
had, said: “Well now, I don’t believe I know. How 
many are there, mother?’’ To which the good wife 
replied: “Why, there are nine, John." A little later, 
to a complimentary remark concerning his herd of 
fine Berkshires, he replied promptly and with evi¬ 
dent pride: “Yes, sir, and there are 53 of them!" 
Be the cause for past neglect of the 
subject what it may, this spirited dis¬ 
cussion of education is a stalwart stride 
in the right direction. 
Prompted by the forceful article “A 
Little Learning,” by Mr. McSparran on 
page 441, I have reviewed the various 
articles that have recently appeared on 
the subject. It is interesting to note the 
point of view of the various contribu¬ 
tors, as to what should be the aim and 
object of our schools. The trend of 
opinion of the majority seems to be that 
a rural education, to be practical, should 
be mainly along vocational lines; that 
is, that the aim of education for a far¬ 
mer’s son should be mainly to teach him 
how to farm. On the other hand, the 
article by Mr. McSparran is largely a 
plea for learning for learning's sake, or 
as he would probably express it, learn¬ 
ing for culture’s sake. From my own 
experience as a farmer’s boy struggling 
for an education in a Pennsylvania dis¬ 
trict school, later as a teacher for nine 
terms in similar schools, and subsequent¬ 
ly some 14 years of observation from the 
standpoint of a working farmer, I am 
inclined to think that neither of these 
prominent ideas point the “destined end 
and way” of a proper rural education. 
I very much doubt the wisdom of in¬ 
troducing agriculture as a regular 
branch of study into the already over¬ 
crowded curriculum of our schools. On 
the other hand the theory of “learning 
for culture’s sake” has proved, to our 
national sorrow, that it contains ele¬ 
ments that are disposed to divorce the 
student from industry. There is a ring 
of noble sentiment in the statement that “It is his 
mother’s prayer and my hope that our boy will first 
be a good man and then a good farmer.” But neither 
the father’s hope nor yet the mother’s prayers can 
avail to build a superstructure of staunch manhood if 
the foundation of character are laid in the treacherous 
quicksands of false ideals of life. The proposition 
overlooks the important fact that adaptation to use¬ 
fulness is an inseparable part of a good man. . In 
other words, in this particular case the farmer is 
necessarily a large part of the man, otherwise he will 
be neither a good man nor a good farmer. More¬ 
over, with culture as the aim, utility is likely to be 
regarded as an evil to be avoided, as much as possi¬ 
ble, so that in all probability he will never be a 
farmer at all, but far more likely will become one 
more of the great modern army of those who per¬ 
sistently seek the “easy job,” rather than independence 
and worthy personal achievement. I hope I am not 
a pessimist, but I cannot escape the conviction that 
the rapid decline of sturdy personal independence 
and the phenomenal rise of ynamtnoth industrial 
combinations with their hordes of dependent hireling 
employees, are more or less directly due to false 
standards in our system of education. During the 
decade previous to the last census the city and urban 
population of Pennsylvania increased over 34 per cent, 
while the rural population increased only a little 
more than one per cent. Presumably, Pennsylvania 
is not at all exceptional in this respect, and in all 
probability the present census will show even greater 
THE; RURAL NEW-YORKER 
disparity in these respective gains. Doubtless there 
are various causes tending toward this undesirable 
condition, but much can be traced to the influence of 
the school. The objection is sometimes raised that 
there is no more reason why farmers’ sons should be 
induced to follow their fathers’ occupations than that 
the sons of mechanics and professional men should 
follow the same course. For various reasons from 
an economic point of view the ground for that argu¬ 
ment is not well taken. But steering clear of that 
phase of the question it must be conceded by all that 
a system of instruction that obviously prejudices our 
children against the fundamental occupation, and 
wholesome environments of the farmer’s life is in 
crying need of thorough and immediate revision. 
To my mind there are three important points in the 
present general scheme of rural education that need 
special attention or correction. First the attitude of 
our teachers. Second, the general tone of our text¬ 
books. Third, the furnishing of a distinct and defi¬ 
nite connecting link between rural industry and the 
aims and work of the school. The first of these, the 
general attitude of superiority and patronizing snob¬ 
bishness toward agricultural industry, often all indus¬ 
try, but especially things rural, affected by teachers 
as a class, is the most injurious and at the same time 
the most difficult to correct. Indeed, so difficult that 
if the correction is ever made it will probably be 
gradually and unconsciously brought about by thor¬ 
ough remedial measures with regard to the latter two, 
through the effect this will have on the character of 
the pupils and consequently the future teachers. 
D. L. HARTMAN. 
A SWARM OF BEES. 
Methods of Handling and Hiving Them. 
Langstroth, often called the father of American bee 
keeping, said many years ago that “the swarming of 
bees is one of the most beautiful sights in the whole 
compass of rural economy.” It was formerly thought 
to be necessary to beat a tin pan or ring bells, etc., 
to cause the bees to alight, or cluster, on a bush or 
tree as shown in the engraving, Fig. 274, but bee¬ 
keepers at the present time would smile at the idea, 
knowing that in the majority of cases the swarm will 
cluster anyway, and that noise would not make them 
light if they had the idea in their heads of going away. 
A swarm with an old queen will always cluster near¬ 
by, unless they have a permanent home selected be¬ 
forehand, which is not very uncommon, in which 
cases they will go straight into it without clustering, 
whether it be a hive standing empty nearby, or a 
chimney, or a tree some distance away. A swarm 
always sends out scouts or searchers, either before 
or after swarming to look up a new home, which ac¬ 
counts for their either going straight away, or for 
the length of time they will remain in cluster before 
leaving, which time will vary from a few minutes to 
several hours, and in rare cases to several days. A 
659 
swarm with a crazy young virgin queen, generally a 
second or third swarm, is a very uncertain proposi¬ 
tion; while they will often act cte same as a prime, 
or first swarm, they will often go high in the air and 
start away faster than a man can follow, and go a 
mile or two before clustering and seeking a new home. 
While there is no reason for unnecessary haste in 
getting a swarm hived, it is always best to get them as 
soon as possible, lest the scouts return and they take 
sudden leave just before we are ready to liive them. 
Bees often cluster in curious places, and take fantastic 
shapes, following, of course, the lines of whatever 
they may light on. One photograph recently shown 
in “Gleanings in Bee Culture” showed a swarm in the 
form of a cross, having alighted on a trellis form in 
that shape, making a very fine picture. I have had 
experience with a large swarm lighting in a tangle of 
grape vines, and took them out by hand; that was in 
my early bee-keeping days. I now either smoke them 
out, or call them out with combs of open brood, in 
either case not getting them angry and having a time, 
as in the old way. As a rule swarming bees are 
gorged with honey, and have no desire to fight unless 
hurt, that is why so many novices hive bees without 
getting stung, and think the bees won’t sting them, but 
find out their mistake a little later when conditions are 
different. Competent bee-keepers at present have far 
less swarming than formerly, but the farmers who 
have just a few hives, have as many as ever, often 
letting their bees use up all their energy 
in this way instead of making a honey 
crop. A swarm of bees in the air may 
be driven about about as easily as a flock 
of sheep with a small force pump with 
a continuous stream of water if they do 
not get too high in the air, and can gen¬ 
erally be made to cluster on some low 
branches. Some claim to be able to 
drive them by flashing a looking glass in 
the sun, and throwing the rays among 
the bees. I have not tried the plan, but 
have reason to believe it will work all 
right. The ringing bells and tanging 
pans are a very ancient practice, having 
been a law in England in the time of 
King Alfred, the reasons being to let 
people know, so that they might keep out 
of the way; also to avoid difficulties as 
to ownership of bees, it having always 
been conceded that swarms were the 
property of the finder, unless in hives or 
stands kept for the purpose, or else fol¬ 
lowed up by the owner, j. a. crane. 
Wayne Co., N. Y. 
GIVE US PARCELS POST. 
Let us give this parcels post a fight to 
the finish. 1 here are always some ob¬ 
structions to improvements. That stuff 
about eliminating the country stores 
lessening value of farms should be 
brushed aside along with the bosh of 
the saloon being beneficial to the coun¬ 
try. Each and everything is supposed 
to have its good side. Of course the 
up-to-date merchant, one who works on 
a fair profit, is a very great help to any 
community, and the outside is the best 
side I know of to the saloon. I think any 
but the pig-headed merchants will agree that parcels 
post will benefit them as well as anybody else. I have 
often driven into town Saturday afternoons just to get 
my laundry, which could have been sent by parcels 
post for a few cents, where it cost me several hours 
from work and several more from sleep. Almost 
always while in town I would buy groceries or some 
article that might have, been bought from the stores 
at home. This morning (Saturday) we made about 
six pounds more butter than we need for family use; 
no ice on hand, wagon not going to market until 
Monday night, consequently butter will reach con¬ 
sumer at least two days late, and butter is one of 
those articles that does not improve with age. If 
those merchants, if there are such, that are inclined 
to think parcels post will hurt their business will stop 
for a moment and think they will see many ways it 
would be a help to them rather than a detriment, for 
how much country produce goes to waste because 
the people have not enough at a time to ship? That’s 
just that much money gone from the country, or I 
should say prevented from coming in, and I gin sure 
the storekeepers would get a considerable part of the 
benefit thus obtained. If they wish to prosper their 
customers must be prosperous. Then again, get such 
improvements in the country and there will be more 
people remaining there. Nobody, not even our great 
lawmakers, wish to live out in the country where they 
have no means of getting as much as a bottle of their 
favorite “bitters” without being robbed by the express 
companies. Give us parcels post for a year, then 
change if the people say so. p. f. skinner. 
Maryland. 
A LONG SWARM OF BEES. Fig. 274. 
