The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1879-08-23
THE NATIONAL SCIENCES IN
#rEa SCHOOLS. s@

The Legislature of Kansas has placed the
| scince of entomology on the list of studies
upon which applicants must pass in order
to obtain an ''A'' grade certificate This
is move in the right direction, as we pre-
sumo that the Legislature intends that the
science shall be taught in the common
schools of our state. 1t would have been
decidedly better if they had added orni-
thology and botany also to. the list of
sciences to be taught to our children
We doubt very much whether our state
superintendent and teachers are prepared
to indorse this progressive movement, but
it is full time that the intelligent farmers of
our country should urge that these most
important branches of the natural sciences
be taught regularly in our schools. Farm
ers, agitate this subject! The legislature
has shown willingness to aid you; your
leading State agricultural paper is advo-
eating it; every intelligent horticulturist
is in favor of it. Will you take up the
/ question? You insist that the great book
OF nature which is spread out SO bountiful
ly everywhere around us shall become
text book in our schools, and the work is
done. =
If we would protect our daughters from
that bane of civilization, novel reading, di-
rect their minds into the channels of nat
ural history, and they will find no time to
waste with novels. The true naturalist
that can tolerate such reading is yet to be
found. If we would protect our sons
from the direful influence of that curse of
our nation, grog and tobacco shops, let US
create in their minds love for natural
history.
But, you ask, how can we do it? First,
| IoA4 T IL =.
person who shall prepare cabinets and
suitable text books on these departments,
from the natural living materials in our
own State, and who shall spend portion
of every winter lecturing upon natural
history in every part Of the State; second,
let every County Superintendent prepare
himself to lecture on these subjects in the
several school districts of his county, and
let him have salary sufficient to give his
time to the business of his office, visiting
and instructing schools; and third, make
it the duty of every common school teach
er to teach the rudiments of natural his
tory.
In due time every school room should
contain cabinets containing collections of
labeled specimens to facilitate study Be
cause if we would make it thoroughly
practical, the natural objects themselves
must be studied; it is not enough to read
of them in books. Talk to a group of
children about bird, or an insect, or
flower in hand; how intensely interested
how closely they press around you to see
and hear all, and how clearly they remem-
Der every word 81.
In an agricultural community Ike ours,
this is an all important question. "a
knowledge of these sciences is so impor-
tant to the tiller of the soil that we cannot
conceive of a mans being an intelligent
farmer and yet being ignorant of these
branches of knowledge. 1t is well, there
fore, that they should be placed on the list
to be studied by our children. And now
our State and County Superintendent,
instead of using their influence to have
these very useful branches stricken from
the list should insist on the teachers of
the State qualifying themselves to teach
them in the common schools, and the far
mers or the State should insist that their
children be instructed in these eminently
practical and useful branches of knowl-
edge"-T. ". Robson, ia Kansas PAPER.