The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-08-01
TEACH AGR|CUL TURE
IN RURAL SCHOOLS
State Board Makes This Recon-
mendation by Resolution.
CayeI of Historic Wood.

The State Board Of Agriculture. after
| having held a most interesting meeting
at Virginia Beach, adjourned yesterday.
! Those in attendance We're Messrs. Bev-
erley, Mauck. Ruftin. Sarker, Cowan.
| Heater. Esgborn. Leech and Commissioner
| Koiner A most important action OF ti7
| hoard at this session was the adoptloh
| If a resolution, recommending mat tiie
| STAKE Board of Education shall pfoViue
| a course IN agriculture " NC .huSis -
| the rural schools
Mr.. ]. II. C. Beverley. of Essex, hearth
| ~ advocated the adoption OF a resolution
| with this end in view. Commissioner
! Eoiner likewise expressed himself DIS
| heartily in favor OF making the study
| of agriculture a part Of the curriculum
of the public schools in the rural districts
of Virginia, Indeed, the Commissioner
! said he had some time ago agitated TINS
F! question, and had been successful IN nav
| ing a text box of the elements OF asii
| culture placed upon the list OF puoiic
| school books He thought great sooa
| would result from the adoption OF such
| a. course of study in the public schools
| of the counties There would be ren"-
! al interest awakened in agriculture. ana
| the bov on the farm, if taught the SCIENCE
/ of his calling would not be so anxious 10
/ leave the homestead and seek a living IN
/ the cities.
IN OTHER STATES.
! Mr.. Beverley read letters from the gu
| nerintendent OF Public Instruction OF MIS-
souri,. in which that officer explained Wnat
his state was doing along this line. The
idaai is to fit the teachers. by means
of summer normal schools. so that they
NAV instruct their pupils IN the
elantns and principles OF agrlc"i-
fire The resolution read as tol-
lows: :" The Board OF Agriculture
would respectfully recommend 10 the
Board of Education of Virginia that
so soon as practicable course or IN
| str1,ction in agriculture be gwen 'hei
teachers in the ruarl public schools. 10
the end that they may be quai'lieo 20
teach the principles of agriculture IN the
ruarl public schools of Virginia" Messrs.
Egeborn and Maucll also spoke warmly
! in favor of the resolution.
TEST FARM.
Mr.. J. NJ. Barker, of Henry county.
chairman of the Test Farm Committee,
submitted his report Of the work that
had been done at this experiment sta
ton. The report was most gratifying
i and showed that the management OF the
farm. under Professor Hedges, had peen
all that could be desired. The crop OF
tobacco. Mr. Barker said, was the ntesI
he had seen in that county rms. COM
inc from Mr.. Barker. is expert testimony,
for. the member of the board from Henry
county is the largest tobacco grower IN
the state and is fully informed on all
Subjects in connection with the cultiVa-
tior of leaf Mr.. Barker SAID that
all of the crops upon the farm We're
i, Good shane. The wheat, he said,
was the finest in Charlotte county, ana
would bly, not be surpassed any
where in the State
Commissioner koiner submitted MS II
nancial statement as usual, ana the 'c-
counts were examined by the Finance
f,om,,i+ttea which reported through
Chairman Beverley that every item OF eX-
nenditure had been found correct and
supported by proper vouchers
HISTORIC GAVEL.
ouite a pleasing incident in connAc-
ton with the meeting was the pFesehea-
ton by President Heater. of a gaVel.
/ which had been made from the "ood OIL
a pear tree which stood upon the nattle-
| eeId of Cedar Creek Part of this his
toric battle ground was the home OF Mr.
Heaters father during the civil war and
is still owned by his son, the present
,,enl,e, of the Board of Agriculture from
tho Seventh District This old pear tree.
which nourished, hale and hearty, until
some little time ago, stood right between
the contending armies upon the occasion
of that memorable battle. The tree was
| within twenty yards of the mouth or
the Confederate guns, and within nay a
mile of those of the Northern army.
During the war, Mr.. Heater said the
soldiers of both armies were wont to
eat of the fruit Of this tree, but he add
ed. they never picked the pears at the
same time When General Early and
General Sheridan hurled shells ar each
other at the battle of Cedar Creek. the
now president of the State Board OF
Agriculture was a mere lad. Things got
so hot in the neichhorhood during that
great fight that Mr.. Heater thouht that
it might be a, matter of prudence TO Sc
cure place of safety So he hid In the
chimney Of the great fireplace. and for
a time thought he was out of the reach
of the flying missiles of every kind that
were so thick in that immediate vicinity
But a shell struck the top of the chin
new and the bricks came rolling down
to the fireplace. and broke upon the
hearth stones. Mr.. Heater then thought
that there might be even safer places
during a battle than under a chimney
and he lost no time in transferring his
quarters to a closet upon the opposite side
| of the room
nir. Heater. in presenting the board witt
the Gavel. said that he hoped it would re
main in possession of that body for
generations TO come. and that it nigh
be used by many distinguished Virginians
in pres.Iing over future deliberations OF
the board. A vote Of thanks was ten
/ dered Mr.. Heater for tbs gift. and a suita
BILE inscription will be placed upon the
gave
The board decided to hold its neSY
meeting in this city on the 18th of Octo-
Der.