Why Not Call Our Schools “Agricultural”?
By H. A. Washburn
THIS query is made with special reference to our intermediate schools, which are generally called “industrial schools” or “industrial academies.” The writer has learned that in many localities misconceptions of the work and character of our schools have been occasioned by the term “industrial schools.” These misunderstandings have become so pronounced that they have led to the writing of this article. Among the common penal institutions of our States, there are provided reformatories for criminal boys and young men under legal age. These institutions are frequently designated as “industrial schools.” They correspond to the penitentiaries for men. They are very important, and, in many respects, valuable institutions. Effort is made to have these institutions educational in character, especially in teaching trades. When our “industrial” schools are mentioned, the impression is often given to those outside our denomination that they are reformatories similar to those established by the States. Consequently parents who would be pleased to secure for their children such training as our schools afford, could they understand their real character, often fail to become interested in our work unless they have very unruly children. It has been for some time the impression of the writer that a more correct name to be applied to our intermediate schools would be “agricultural schools.”21This might have an influence in properly molding the work in the school, as well as convey a more correct impression to the public. We have been pleased to notice the change in the name of the Indiana school from “Boggstown Industrial Academy” to “Boggstown Manual Training Academy.” It is a fact that there is developing in the United States a wide-spread interest in agricultural schools of secondary grade. There is an increasing call for instruction in the principles of agriculture in the elementary schools, and the establishment of agricultural high schools. Several of these schools have recently been established in some of the States, very much akin to our own intermediate schools. There is truth in the statement of the United States Secretary of Agriculture that “we are, without doubt, in this country just on the edge of a great popular movement” for the establishment of these secondary agricultural schools. God has given his people great light and wonderful principles, which will place our schools at the very head if we follow the light, and we should endeavor to give the world a correct understanding of the character of our work.