Among Country Schools (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1905 Excerpt: ...was a necessity until the value of the institute was demonstrated; but we have come now, in my opinion, to a time in which it will be possible for us, in many states, to go a step further and take hold of the young people who are living on the farm. Your success in interesting those in your county is proof of the practicability of the plan if it is properly organized and enthusiastically conducted. There is no reason why we cannot change the whole sentiment of our country in a comparatively few years, if we go about it in a systematic way. Agriculture can be made popular as well as profitable, if those of us who are interested in country life take hold of the work in the right way and present the features that appeal to young minds in an attractive way. At the boys' session of the Winnebago County Farmers' Institute held in 1903 a programme was arranged which included reports of experiments by members of the Experiment Club, and addresses by teachers, school officials, and others, the proceedings being enlivened by music. Such was our first programme, and the hall had standing room only, and not much of that. The boys' and girls' sessions have been crowded ever since. The work described by the boys was for 1902, the first year of the boys' club. It is worth far more to the reader to know what was said that morning than that I should theorize on the value of such meetings; hence I offer no apology for presenting here extracts from the papers of some of the speakers. Some of the addresses were printed in the local press and thus scattered over the county. The most significant ones were printed in my annual report and sent over the county also. Work of this character needs to be followed up till--well, I should say, till these boys have boys of their own. The ...