The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-12-28
MAKE SCHOOLS BETTER
Question of Te.chi9g Agriculture
Causes Lively Discussion.


At the common and grade school SEES
sion held in the high school auditor
ium Thursday evening, the BATAVIA
System" was the subject under discus
sion This school system originated at
Batavia, N. Y. The discussion was
opened by Superintendent A. +. Sen
ter. OF Concordia. who said that no one
system would answer the purpose in
Kansas, and that the best fea &Ires of
several well known systems must be
adopted before the state school would
be perfect
Superintendent E E. SIuss of Har-
per, who followed agreed with Super
intendent Senter in these statements
agriculture in the Rural Schools
was the subject taken by DR.. c. W.
Burkett, of the State Normal, who
advocated agriculture as an addition to
the curriculum of every country or
grade school.
Agriculture in this, state said DR..
Burkett, is of more value than the
dead languages or some of the adj
vanced studies in other branches and
should be a part OF the curriculum OF
every school. Educators have not been
back of this movement. but the people
are forwarding the idea all the time,
and it will be a part of the common
school teaching before .ong- l want
my children to know something about
King Charles, but 1 want them also to
know something more about KING
see the value of agriculture in educa-
ton
Prof. S. w. Black. of the Cherokee
county high school. opened the discus
sion by stating that he agreed with
Prof Burkett as far as city schools
were concerned. He thought a course
in agriculture would be of benefit to
the city boys and girls. but rather I'M
necessary in country schools where the
children learned the difference between
a f11r1fr, and a T1TrnDlSiQ bV actual ex-
Prof. A. f. Numer. of the Norton
county high school, said that the coun-
try schools should also come in for
share Of the agricultural teaching, that
the embryo farmers might learn the
chemical laws of the products they
were tilling and handling daily.
Superintendent H. NJ. Cutter of Nor
ton county. opened the subject me
Needs Of the Schools and How Rem
edied'' I'VE need more school, and
fewer schools" was his opening state
ment. He is in favor of increasing the
scope of the country schools to include
many branches of study now round IN
city high schools only.
Chancellor Strong. of the State uni
versity, took part in this discussion. he
said that the university was not Sc
closely related to the common. and
grade schools as to the high schools OF
the state, and that the university de-
sires to raise the standard of all
schools.
President Hill, of the State Normal,
said that more preparation should be
required of the teacher, and that the
teachers wages should be raised &C
cordingly. He also stated that in his
belief, a radical reorganization of the
once popular county, normal institute
system was imminent,
President E. R. Nichols, of the State
Agricultural college, said that consoii-
dalton. would remedy many of the trou-
bles of the rural school He is In favor
of agriculture as an-.addition to the
curriculum Of ALL grade sohPols. and be
lieves that its adoptiensis "a fact Of the
near future. gF - aElsu -ar.s 2, - ~.
The discussion in the department OF
county supervision r was opened by
Superintendent H M Cutter of Norton
county by taking as his subject, What
Can Be Done for the Rural School. and
Who Can DO It?'' He favored a school
Improvement lobby for the coming ses-
sion of the legislature
Superintendent J. E. Baker of Frank
lin county favors a consolidation of
districts.
Mrs. Mary H Kirby, superintendent
Of Usage county. favors the teaching OF
model work in all schools.
SUPERINTENDENT Olive Knowlton OF
Alien county. believes that a teacher
specially trained in primary work
should be attached to every institute