The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-11-18
THE C O DAYS WORK.
Fruitful Discussions at Their Meet
tnC.
Especial 10 The Messenger.)

Special to Inc Messenger
Raleigh, y. c., November 13.-The
second days session OF the Asso-
citation OF County superintendent was
marked by an increased attendance.
The first business was a conference with
DR.. Buttrick, OF the general education
board. a most helpful. earnest and in
spring man. Then followed 4 discus
sion OF township teachers meetings.
how to conduct them and what to get
out of them, led by Superintendents
Atkinson, of Wayne, and Long, Of
Northampton. Superintendents Mas
sey. Of Durham, and Catlett, OF New
Hanover led a discussion of county
teachers associations, teachers libra
ries, and courses of study for teachers.
Superintendent Butler, OF Iredell, spoke
on the Employment OF teachers and
government Of schools.
Agriculture in the Rural Schools
was a most interesting and practical
topic handled by Professors Burkett
and Stevens of the Agricultural and
Mechanical college. These two teachers
have simply reyolutioniZed the agricul-
tural instruction of the college and
made it's agricultural department strong
RAdSllIdt ALI poPoAol AiNy
today that agriculture can be taught
in the rural public schools as well as in
the Agricultural and Mechanical COL
lege. Professor Burkett spoke on seed
selection, soil, and live stock. He used
corn to illustrate selection. Several types
of ears were noted and constrasted
| Corn is governed by heredity like folks
and animals. A careful selection or
seed corn, annually, will increase the
| yield and improve the quality. The
| same is true Of all other crops. In dis
cussing soils, he showed by simple eX-
| perimentS how water rises in soil, row
water passes through the soil, the ef-
feet of mulching, and the principles OF
drainage. His apparatus consisted In
| lamp chimneys, cheap wooden boxes.
| spools Of thread, old fruit cans, and
| the like simple cheap things. Types of
animals were discussed and described
by simple drawings; for dairy and for
beef; for speed or for draft; for wool
or for mutton.
Professor Stevens discussed Mature
Study in Relation to Agricultural. Ma
ture Study is the % foundation for
agriculture, and leads to agriculture.
Let a pupil raise an apple tree and
graft it when it is one year old, replant
it and prune it properly each year, Gull
tivate it and keep it free Of insects
thus learning for himself and instruct
ing his elders and neighbors. The Vi
tally and purity Of seeds, the proven
ton or determination Of weeds. the
o~rigination of new varieties by plant
breeding, the prevention or control OF
plant diseases, were all clearly Sc
forth as possible subjects of instruction
in rural public schools. SHUTS, rusts
blight, scab, and other ~preventable dis
eases were described.
There was also an address by Dr
Buttrick. This afternoon the delegate!
went in a body to the state school To-
the blind, inspected it and saw tn
work of the pupils. Peabody institute
was also visited, and special exercise
were held there. There were a dres
parade and band concert at the Agricul
tural and Mechanical college in homo
Of the association. all the members o
which had visited the college.