Gresham outlook., October 23, 1914, Page 7, Image 7

HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION
Home and Farm Magazine Section Editorial Page
Timely, Pertinent Comment Upon Men and Affairs, Following the Trend of World News; Suggestions of Interest to Readers:
Hmts Along Lines of Progressive Farm Thought.
9 «• -
There is no doubt that the agricultural
real farm ers; that as hired men they are not
TO ADVEETISEBS.
*
college
offers splendid opportunities to the
desirable, and as managers of farms they have
Advertisers in this locality who wish to ♦
young man desirous of devoting his life to
not received at the college the practical ‘how
fully cover all sections of Oregon and Wash­
farming, and it should prove of Inestimable
to do the w ork’ on a farm that a manager
ington and a portion of Idaho will apply ♦
value to him if he attacks his work in earn­ or foreman must have to do efficient direct­
to local publishers for rates.
♦
est. On the other hand, it offers diversions
ing-
General advertisers may address 0. K ♦
whieh may take his mind from his work and
“ This charge is a very serious one and re­
Burton, Advertising Manager of Farm Mag­ ♦
offers abstract theories to be absorbed when
flects discredit upon our schools, that farm ­
azine Co., Publishers Oregon-Washington- $
practice would be of more value. Vet the
ers everywhere have been asking for these
Idaho Fanner. 411 Panama Building, Port­
aim of tho modem agricultural college is to
many years with the idea in mind that such
land, Oregon, for rates and information.
&
substitute theory for practice, and this is be­ school graduates would return to the farm
The publishers will accept business from ♦
ing done as far as is practicable.
much better equipped for real fanning than
no advertiser whose reliability can be qnes- ♦
Let two young men, equally in earnest and
their parents, who, without their privileges
tioned.
equally desirous of making a success of
in tho way of agricultural education, have
$$<?><$>
❖ <$> ♦
farming, sta rt out together, one choosing to
still become fairly successful in general
go to an agricultural school, the other choos­ farming.
WAR INEVITABLE?
ing to take up actual farm work, and the
HERE ARE those today who say that
“ It is still more serious if it transpire«
odds of success are in favor of the college
th a t these sons of farm ers are returning to
the great European conflict is the fore-
student. He has at his disposal the knowl­ the soil with not alone t.he lack of the prac­
dained result of the programs of mill
edge of thousands of wise men who have
tarism followed by the nations involved,
tical need of farm ing but coupled with it
home claim that war is now raging because made life studies of growing things; he has
the purely theoretical and a fake conception
w ar is cheaper, even at fifty millions a day, the facilities for carrying out experiments
of their superiority over the real tiller of the
than armed peace. One conclusion leads to that would be too costly on the small scale
soil, forgetting that as all higher attainm ents
th at could be practiced by tho individual
the other.
are based upon a foundation of physical in­
farm er; he has the opportunity to unlock
dustry, so must the college learning have
Let us consider them for a m om ent Here
were nations spending millions upon millions the door of knowledge and to tread the path­ for its foundation the ability to use it upon
a basis of working with and acquaintance
for great dreadnoughts, superior armies, sub­ way of success. W hether he becomes more
proficient in his work than his friend who
with the physical operations of plowing and
marines, airships and aeroplanes. Every
chose tho other course depends upon himself.
preparing the soil, sowing the seed and har­
year the burden upon the taxpayer grew
The facilities are there—his future is in his
vesting the crops in the manner and at the
greater. Every year the nations became
own hands.
time that experience alone can determine.
more and more ready for war because better
The adaptation of college training to the
“ However, we do not feel inclined to con­
equipped. It was a race which could not
realities
of a small farm is the serious prob­ demn, as entirely unfit this first product of
continue for many years longer—that race
our agricultural schools. The amount and
to see which nation would outstrip its rivals lem which confronts the man when he leaves
quality of the agricultural information that
in m ilitary construction work. The arm a­ college, but that is far more simple than to
broaden one’s knowledge in the circum­ a student may acquire a t this time is much
ments became a terrific burden upon the
scribed world of a single farm.
greater than was possible only a few years
countries until it was necessary to use them.
ago, and naturally the tendency of the ‘cow
An argum ent fam iliar to those who have
Now th a t we have had our say, listen to
college’ graduates will be to unduly value
heard discussion of international disarma­
the criticism of agricultural college students
their college attainm ents, as distinct from
ment is that a man with a gun is tempted to
by the Rural New Y orker:
the actual farm work, and they will be for
use that gun,' whereas, had he no weapon
“ A gricultural college students as farm
a time top heavy until their feet become
fight would be far from his mind. The con­
workmen ! It is evident that many of our
acquainted with the soil of the old farm,
clusion is drawn th at a nation with a great
readers have tried these young inen as man­ when a readjustm ent will not doubt take
arm y or a great navy would be tem pted to
agers or farm helpers, and we have received place, and the work will go forward in har­
use the same, and that the more armament,
a number of reports. The great m ajority of mony. In any event the graduate will learn
the greater the desire to put it to the test.
them are unfavorable. It appears th at a in one way or another that his reward cither
This principle may have had a p art in the
good proportion of these young men are
as a hired man or in helping his father on
promotion of the w ar now dyeing the fields
willing to work and are energetic aud hon­ the home acres, will be according to bis
of Europe crimson.
est.
ability to produce crops and to dispose of
Reflect on the economic side a moment.
“ Too many of them have a very large idea them in the best possible m anner.’’
Greater and greater became the burdens of
of their own value. They lack experience
the taxpayers of Germany, England and
and the ability to adapt themselves to local
France in the race for m ilitary supremacy.
FUTILITY.
conditions. They have been trained at the
I t was becoming unbearable—there had to
HE LITELE M 0TII was Hitting
college
to
do
work
in
a
certain
way—usually
be a break somewhere and, none other forth­
about in a newspaper press roon»
with the aid of expensive and very complete
coming. war burst forth. And in the end it
late one n ig h t,” records Colliers*
fixtures.
may prove cheaper than peace maintained
Weekly in a recent editorial.
“ When they go to a practical farm which,
by increasing armament.
“ And after the presses bad started ,” rt re­
being run for business, most cut out experi­
It is estimated th at the w ar is costing
lates, “ the little moth was unexpectedly
ments or superficial things, many of these
fifty millions a day to the nations affected.
caught by one of the great rollers and
When it is over is it likely the nations will vqung men lack the power to adapt their crushed between it and the speeding paper.
again start on a program of armaments college training to their new surroundings.
Its existence had been instantly blotted ooh
In too many cases the trouble seems to be all its little functions term inated in the full
which would inevitably lead to another w art
Probably not. If not, the peace and inter­ that the college teachers spoil these boys by flush of living. We found the tiny body fla t­
national disarmament which some scholars giving them too Jarge an idea of their own tened on the page of our newspaper as we
say will follow the w ar will in a few years importan ee.
unfolded it next morning. And just beneath
“ We have heard of cases where teachers the tracery of mangled wings was a dispatch
make good the enormous expenditure neces­
advised
these
untried
young
men
never
to
sitated by the war, and a hundred years
telling of thousands of brave men whose
accept
month,
from now the great conflict will have proved
, - a place
. for , less
— than „ $75
’ ; per
— —.....
-» lives had been just as suddenly crushed out
far cheaper than a continued program of 1
' never to touch any smaller ,)ob than that
in mid career by the inexorable form of mur­
militarism.
of managers. It would be hard to think of der which m ankind calls w ar.”
any more foolish advice than this.
The comparison brings a shudder, almost
But the scholars may be wrong. Many
“ It will be clearly evident to any busi­ of horror. There is food for thought, ye
mighty thinkers had predicted th at the era
ness farm er that what these boys need most warriors, in that little paragraph.
of world wars was over. Perhaps the jeal­
of all is practical knowledge of real farm
ousies and hatreds incurred during this war
operation. How can anyone manage farm
Of interest to the Northwest, is the an­
will not be forgotten and armies and navies labor successfully unless ho knows how to do
will be built up again until a nation, fear­ the work to the best advantage. It is not nouncement of the Woodhcad Field Company
th at in taking over Sunset—the Pacifie
ing that it can go no further in its mammoth
enough th a t the college has taught him why Monthly—a new policy has been inaugurated.
expenditures, prefers to try w ar on an even
it should be done—he must know how if he California and Southern Pacific holding«
footing with its rival than to allow the latter
is to make a farm pay—for only by knowing have been particularly exploited in the past,
to forge ahead. Mars would again eclipse
how can he learn to adapt his science to local The new company promises impartial pub­
the sun of progress and the world would be
conditions.
licity to all sections of the Coast
plunged into another catastrophe. In the
“ The cool-headed and .unprejudiced re­
words of our Mexican friend, ‘ Quien sab e!”
ports which come to ns indicate th at the
AN EDITORIAL POLICY.
training which many of these young men arc
HE FARM MAGAZINE ha« no violenl
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION.
receiving has given them too large an idea
political leanings. It« very existence is
HETHER or not the young men of of their importance and value to a ¡practi­
for instruction and entertainm ent It
today can find better training in the
cal farmer. I t would be far wiser for them
would
be impolitic as well as absurd to en­
agricultural college than in actual
to work as plain hired men for a year or so ter into the turmoil of politic«, and we hava
work on the farm is a question raised. Our before attem pting to ‘m anage’ a farm .”
no intention of doing so.
• • •
answer is that the personal equation solves
If we are successful in giving our readers
the problem one way or another.
The California Farm er quotes the above
a
little
knowledge, a little pleasure, we ham
A thorough student, one who loves his
and contribute« the following comment:
accomplished our purpose.
work, will be a success at farm ing whether
“ The opinion by the editor of the Rural
he has the advantages of a college training
New Yorker, a paper which stands in the
If you want a nice long vacation next sum­
or not. A young man who treats his calling
front rank of agricultural publications, is mer, now is the time to lay the foundations
superficially will never amount to much no startling, in th at it claims in substance that
for the prosperity that will vu able you to
m atter what his training may be.
the agricultural eollege is not turning out
tako such.
T
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