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Show I Farming Facts. Demonstration Train W. J. Sloan in the New West Magazine , Someone has said: "Man enn-! enn-! not be saved in ignorance." ; . Yet,, what is to be done? Even in these days of free educa-, educa-, tion, school and colleges, i! is 5 manifestly impossible for thons- ands, especially men and women, ; to leave their homes and labor to attend school or college. They , are as anxious as anyone to in-. in-. crease their knowledge and i thereby their wealth and happi- ness. But what can be done? Take the school to them? This was the plan evolved by the late Lewis W. Merrill, director of extension work of the-Agricultural College of Utah, and Douglas White, general industrial indus-trial agent for Salt Lake Route, something like six year? ago. In 1911 the school consisted of four rooms, and the same number in 1912. A year later a room was added and was continued in 1914. In 1915 no school was taken out, but this year the school consisted of ' fourteen rooms; next year there will be at least twenty-three rooms with new and added lessons. Rooms, did I say? Yes, in a sense, in reality railroad cars, some of them open, some closed, but each a school. The 1916 school operated op-erated by the Agricultural College Col-lege of Utah and the Salt Lake Route was something any state or railroad company 'might be proud of. It was the- largest, finest and most complete school, or demonstration train, ever operated op-erated in the world. And this school was taken direct to over 20,000 residents of. Utah and ' southeastern Nevada.' Next year it will Le taken still farther, for it will be run right down to the Pacific ocean at San Diego. And what does this traveling school teach? Practical education. educa-tion. Each room, or car is in charge of an expert in his or her line. It shows and tells the farmer far-mer how to make two blades of grass, or wheat, corn, oats, potatoes pota-toes or whatever he is raising, grow where one was wont to grow ; it teaches the stock raiser how to improve his stock, how to care for them and market them and their products. It teaches the housewife how she can conserve con-serve her health and strength and minimize her labor, thus in creasing not alone her happiness but that of all with whom she comes in contact. It teaches the boy and girl that there is a something some-thing better than their father and mother had, that there is better way of doing things, way that will mean less labor and greater returns. This traveling trav-eling school on wheels teaches a thousand and one practical things, just the very 'thing that those whom it is intended for want and need. And anyone who doubts that the farmer and his wife and children do not appreciate ap-preciate this effort on their behalf be-half has but to spend a few days, or even hours, and witness the interest taken and the questions asked by those who attend. I am indebted to Dr. E. G. Peterson, director of extension work of the Utah Agricultural college, and newly elected president presi-dent of that institution, for the following figures taken at random. ran-dom. They will give some idea of what the farmer makes as compared the comparison, however, how-ever, must be made by the readerwith read-erwith those whom he or she may know in the city. In the year 1915 the average farmer in Millard county made $1,595.50, while the better farmers of that county averaged 2,849''45. In Sevier county the average farmers farm-ers made $1,549.40 last year, while the better farmers averaged averag-ed $3,156.30. In Carbon and Emery counties the average farmer made $1,175.65, while the better farmer averaged $1,932.70. In Beaver the average aver-age farmer made $1,603, while the better class -averaged $3,070 for their year's work. '.Incidentally I -might sa.v that' It .costs something to. operate a school of this'kin'd. Someone told me that the 1916 school would cost the railroad company alone more than $10,000. The 1917 school, or train, will consist of at least twenty-three rooms or cars, for Nevada will join with Utah and the railroad company, and possibly California. Califor-nia. One car will be devoted entirely en-tirely to first aid. This car will be fitted up with everything that is practical in the way of first aid to the sick or injured. It will be in charge of Mrs. Douglas Doug-las White and a corps of trained nurses and physicians who will be under the direction of the medical department of the Salt Lake Route. A band, calliope, siren whistle, more exhibits, more experts, in short more and better everything than was the school of 1916 despite the fact that this year's school set a new record for the world. |