The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1902-04-17
A NOVEL DEPARTURE
Agricultural Course Fer Ru-
raj District Schools.
AS NOW TAUGHT IN GERMANY

Most of the common schools in the
smaller German villages have attached
to them a small garden. Though these
gardens are generally for the use of
the teacher and his family, occasion
ally some wideawake teacher uses his
as means of instruction. Here he
takes his pupils to show them how
plants grow from the seed to full ma.
turity. The nature charts used in the
schools TO teach plant and insect life
are supplemented by observation of
real plants. flowers, fruit trees, insects,
birds and bees
Mr.. c. B. Smith, of the Office of ex-
pertinent stations, United States de-
partment of agriculture, has given us
the benefit of his observations at ALT
ter, village of 1000 inhabitants, in
the German Rhine province. between
Bonn and Cologne. Mr.. Smith, who
visited this village in 1899, gives the
following account of it: The whole
region lying about the village is inten-
sively farmed and forms practically
one vast garden. Vegetables alternate
wit horchards, with occasional strips
of grain or forage plants. The school
is what is known as peoples school.
This is the common school of Ger
many. Only the fundamental branches
are taught in these schools, and the
whole course is completed in eight
years. Abe After common school con.
tains 400 pupils and six teachers. In
this school, as in all others in this
province, two hours instruction week.
ly in fruit culture, gardening and gen.
eral farming during the last two years
of the course is required. This has
been compulsory by law since 1895.
Outline suggestions for this work are
sent the principal of the school by
the provincial government, as follows:
First Year.
April and May a. Inner structure
of plants, plant cells and tissues and
their functions. (2) Other divisions Of
plants: (a) the roots, their function in
the nourishment of plants by the alb.
sorption of mineral matter, as phos.
phorous, potassium. sodium, iron, chic.
rim and water; (b) the trunk, its
branches and buds, the structure of
the cambium and the occurrence Of
ring growth"
The course goes on through every
month of the year, describing plant
| life in all it's stages, the Improvement
of the soil, the using up of plant food
and its replacement by fertilizers of
various kinds, the influence of the eli.
mate on plants, fruit culture and the
management of fruit trees, the enc.
mics of fruits and vegetables and how
to get rid of them.
In February and March of the next
years course the various minerals are
discussed. In April, May and June
garden work is discussed from the lay.
ing out of plats to the utilization OF
| vegetables.
In the latter part of June of the
second years course the pupils study
field work, blowing. narrowing and
rolling.
In July they study the various field
crops, including clovers and grasses;
in August crop rotation and methods
of manuring.
In September and October they dis
cuss the various enemies of the differ.
ent crops. In December the subject
| of study is domestic animals, and in
January, February and March the
physiology of man.
The plan thus laid down is meant
to be suggestive, the teacher being al
lowed to exercise his individual judg.
| ment as to time and method of pre-.
senting the different subjects and to
make his instruction conform to the
agricultural needs of the district in
which his school is located.
Thus at this German village nearly
| every owner or renter of even a small
| piece of ground is an experienced gar.
dner, understanding thoroughly the
value of cultivation and the money
worth of every pound of compost. The
| farmers wife and children assist him
in his labors and the children at an
! early age have very clear under.
/ standing of garden operations.
The school garden is intensiyely
/ farmed and made a source Of revenue,
The bees are also made subject
! of special study.
| 1t is not to be inferred that every
German neighborhood is fortunate
enough to have such school, and the
teachers who make use of the school
garden for instruction are the excep
ton. But the success of the few
schools Of this sort prove their worth.
The interesting article of Mr.. G. B.
Smith was recommended for pu5lica
ton by Mr.. A. c. True, director Of ex
pertinent stations, and it's publication
was authorized by Hon. James Wilson,
United States secretary of agriculture
In view of the fact that the desira.
| bility Of an agricultural course for the
+ schools In rural districts is being SO
generally discussed we thought that
some useful hints might be derived
I