Omaha daily bee., 1903-04-13
HOES FOR SCHOOL TEACHERS
Secretary Wilson Puts One Of His Plans
Into Operation.
'9lcULTURE TO BE MADE POPULAR
Z in, Public schools TO BE
II sht How TO Plant, Raise,
Harvest and Market
the Crops.
(From a stafr CorresnondentN

structing the pupils of the schools OF
Washington along the lines laid down by
very great naturalist to q thorough un-
derstanding Of plant life and the uses to be
derived therefrom. The secretary ever
since he came to Washington has been try
ing to elevate and develop the department
over which he presides. There has never
been time when he failed to get the best
results from his department, and his force
fulness and his practicability have shown
themselves throughout the department in
the new propositions he has originated. Ae
a result of his new thought he has now a
class of forty girl pupils from the Washing
ton normal school receiving instructions
under several of the experts of the depart
ment as to the planting and reaping Of
seeds. The secretary believes that every
school teacher should have some element
ary knowledge OF agriculture and horti-
culture and hopes that when the class
that he has selected graduates 1t will be
thoroughly we'll acquainted with all the
essential elements Of practical agriculture
and horticulture, and to be able to diffuse
knowledge to the pupils under them.
Outline of His Idea.
What we most need just now is teach
ers who are competent to teach the great
lessons of plant life to the classes In the
elementary grades" said Secretary Wilson.
ITO inculcate In the minds of our boys a
love and knowledge Of growing things will
tend to lead more young men to complete
the elementary studies thus begun in the
great agricultural colleges which now
nearly every state in the union maintains
The tendency has been too alarmingly
marked of our young men and women in
the rural districts to forsake their homes
and seek pursuits in our cities. The back
bone Of our prosperity is in reality in
agriculture. Upon the farmer we depend
for our food products and should not drift
into a purely commercial nation dependent
upon others for our breadstuffs, as Is the
case with England, for instance. am
thoroughly convinced that the only plan
lies through teaching the young in our
elementary schools In a practical manner
the use Of the hoe, to use an expression
which covers the point I am endeavoring
| to make. Take my own state, Iowa, how
could 1t, one Of the great agricultural states
of the union, better expend money than in
diffusing practical knowledge in the minds
of the boys and girls on agricultural and
horticultural matters. At the great normal
| school at Cedar Falls, for example, the
| teachers there could be taught upon agri-
cultural subjects and they IN turn when
| they go forth to teach could diffuse their
knowledge among the very young pupils.
1 know of no money that Iowa or any other
state for that matter could possibly ex-
| pend which would produce such returns
as to train all teachers in a practical way
the elements of agriculture and horticuI-
ture. They would thus be equipped in an
important branch of knowledge. The agri-
/ n
supply competent instructors to the normal
schools and 1t would also be well to have
such instructors in the secondary schools.
The University of Missouri now holds
summer schools for the instruction OF
teachers in primary and secondary schools
In agricultural matters. Alabama appro-
PIRATES money each year for instruction OF
those in the elementary grades in every
congressional district in the state, thus
making feeders for their agricultural col
lege."
Encouragement for the Boys.
In addition to the classes from the
normal school Of this city, who are being
taught under the direction of the Depart
ment OF Agriculture, Secretary Wilson will
cause a class of twenty-three boys to bC
chosen from the public schools to bt
taught practically truck gardening durinl
the coming summer. The class will be II
charge Of one of the practical gardeners
of the department and each boy will b'
given a plot OF ground to SOW and culti
vate. These miniature farms" will b,
located at the experiment station in thi
city and the boys for their labor will b,
permitted to carry home or sell what the,
raise, 1t is believed that the sight of thest
boys from the public schools to be selected
through some method of competitive ex
animation will encourage other boys TO en-
deavor to do something along the same lin,
and many a waste backyard may durin,
the sumer as a result bloom into a minia
ture truck farm.
SILK Culture for the south.
In speaking OF his southern trip a few
days ago Secretary Wilson said that hi
department is doing all 1t can to en-
courage the culture of the silkworm il
: : such localities where 1t can be accom-
plished.
"The culture of the silkworm," he said
has become quite a profitable industry Il
many sections OF the south and we ar
willing to encourage and foster it in ever
| way possible. We have recently receive
consignment OF eggs and are now en-
. gagged in distributing them where the
ing out quite a number Of slips OF the whit
mulberry tree, the species OF mulberr
best adapted for the silkworm The de
partment has also taken another importan
step to aid the silk culturists We ar
importing the latest improved reeling ma
chine from Italy and will have peopl
. trained to use II and then they in turn wi
: teach others. We expect upon the arriva
OF the new reeling machine to secure
= young woman from the Tuskegee institut
In Alabama Booker 7. Washington
schoo) and she will be taught the art {
= silk reeling in the department. As 500
% as she becomes proficient in the workine
OF the machine, or an expert, in othe
words, we will send the reel and the opeI
ator to Tuskegee and there others will /
taught"
The secretary is very enthusiastic owe
the future Of silk culture industry in II
q south and during his southern trip wi
. personally investigate the whole subjec
visiting the various places where the rail-
~ ing OF the silkworm is being tried.
Pension COmmIssiOner's Mistakes.
Commissioner Ware. head OF the Pei
sion bureau OF the government, suceeedir
n Henry Clay Evans, who is now consul gel
20 eral in London, according to the men wi
D have dealings with the pension ofice