Delaware Valley College - Cornucopia Yearbook (Doylestown, PA)

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20 THE GLEANER Qieiieeefg WALTER J. GROIVIAN Ladies and Gentlemen: The passing of another year brings to the fore ther act of parting of a group of young men about to start life in their chosen vocation. Ever present in the minds of such a group is but one thought, namely, Can I succeed? In former years such a question would have re- quired a doubtful answer. Today it has to be answer- ed but the answer is, I can. Some may ,think the answer due to the over-confidence of youth, but I can assure you that it is given only after a thorough study of the conditions in which they will shortly be placed.. The last score of years has witnessed the uprooting of a large number of theories and superstitious beliefs in agriculturej The farmer of today finds himself placed on a solid foundation of facts brought about by ex- perimentation. Every new fact is cemented to the mass while every unproven theory totters insecurely before the probe of the investigator. As more knowledge is gathered about the soil we are keeping pace by chang- ing our ideas in some respects, concerning the qualifica- tions of a tiller of the soil. ed to pursue his vocationa twenty years ago was hem- The graduate of any agricultural school who decid- med in by the prejudices and skepticism of his neigh- bors. The farmer was amiable to one of his kind but the presence of an outsider immediately aroused him into weighing the chancesfor success of the newcomer. The balance, in most cases, was against the beginner. More than one good man was crushed by this lack of good-will on the farmer's part. The farmer could not distinguish between the city man and the trained man on the farm. Time alone could show him the difference in results. ' The so-called college man can today enter agri- culture with greater assurance of success. The old pre- judices are hidden and the- skepticism reduced to an in- terest in the beginner. The farmer of thc past, whose knowledge was brought about by contact and direct ob- servation and finished with the lore handed down from generation to generation, changed his aspect. He saw I

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THE GLEANER 19 resentabion of Jima . WALTER J. oRoMAN Ladies and Gentlemen: Every condition which man influences is subject to change. Whether the change is gradual or sudden is determined by the activities bringing about the transformation. Thruout the centuries nature has given us number- less secrets. These very secrets have allowed us to ap- proach her more and more closely. In agriculture she has unfolded to mankind the mysteries of the soil and the accompanying plant life. Every moment of the time allows us to approach nearer a complete understanding of her mysterious ways. Each new revelation man had to meet with a device of his own. The early attempts were but crude imple- ments of tillage, in keeping with his knowledge. As fact was added to fact, improvements became frequent and more complicated .To all these devices some mind added the hoe and through the years it has remained change- less among the modern machines, as useful as before. Twenty-two years ago the first class at Farm School thought it fitting to make the hoe symbolic of the best in their vocation-a changeless desire to keep to the soil. It was made still more significant by the colors green and gold. The green we can liken to the spring of the year and the start of the seed in a replenished soilg the gold to the harvest of a. crop well-cared for. To you Mr. Samuels, I tender this hoe and, with it, the traditions of every Senior Class. Traditions that are worthy to uphold and implant in the members of the new class in the ensuing scholastic year. Into your hand is given the task of leading to a successful end the duties and activities of the school. Keep before you the idea of the hoe and the colors green and gold to influence'-your guidance. You can assure yourselves of our well-wishes for a successful year under your sway.

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