Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1906-06-07
THE GRANGE
Conducted by
J. w. BARROW. Chatham, N. r..
Press Correspondent NeW York State
Grange
NATURE STUDIES.
PROFESSOR |. H. BAILEY OF CORNELL
WRITES ON SUBJECT.
tie Thinks Farmers Should Not be
Impatient In Demanding Concrete
Results, but Rather Make Haste
slowly and Permanently.
Especial correspondence

Slowly and Permanently.
Especial Correspondence
There is now decided movement
looking toward the introduction OF agri-
culture and related subjects into the
public schools. More than thirty OF the
states and territories have taken some
kind of official action in this regard.
Just how these subjects are to be IN
troduccd is not yet determined, and 1t
may be several years before any efh-
cieLt body of agricultural thought Is
introduced into the greater part OF the
public schools. There is no question,
however, that this introduction is
sure to come The whole tendency OF
our civilization is to put the educated
man into the work of the world and to
give every person training Tor ell
cheney in the life in which he is to
engage.
| All this does not mean that we
are to neglect the fundamental prin-
ciples of education. Rather we are
to work out the fundamental princl-
ples of education in a new way.
| We are to work them out in terms
| Of other subjects from those that
we customarily have used. | doubt
whether distinct separate courses In
agriculture will be found to be prac-
ticable in most of the elementary
schools. In the primary grades the
nature study idea will be the leavening
| influence putting the child directly in
to touch with the things with which
| he lives The nature study movement
endeavors to use common affairs ana
objects and phenomena as means or
training the mind.
In the intermediate grades the proba-
bility is that agriculture will be taught
| by giving agricultural applications to
! the general fundamental subjects that
already are in the course of study. we
| have introduced too many subjects INTO
the schools. We need to simplify rath-
er than to complicase the school course,
! Lat we cen introduce local applications
| in the s,u,aeS tllat are now Il part of
the school work. For example, after
the Fundamental work i'll number is ac-
ullired the problems can be very large
" IL ii h, e are suaieient agricul-
,utal III ~ icl prs 10 ms to afford
III { .,r lG practice hat ars now
aflorled by the copartilels nip ahd Mid
| dleman problems that are in use in the
| schools. The geography teaching now
attam0'; to hc.g.sl whh the local en-
VIZ 9nI ent / god part of this local
cnr y Jnmeni is fiG farms, and good
dea. Of the f.riuilly can be taught in
! the ..eogra, ~ class. Manual training
raA - given nNagricultural trend
whsn l, .cessary. The same can be said
! Of draw ing and other subjects
When the high school is reached, sep
arute optional courses in agriculture
may We'll be given as soon as teachers
and facilities are provided. This work
should be of scientific character, of
equa! training value with physics or
chemistry or botany, and it should lead
directly to entrance credits in the ag-
ricultuiul colleges and universities.
believe III every effort that tends to
arouse The public to the necessity OF
| introducing these subjects into the
schools. and | shall use all my efforts
TO extend the sentiment. However,
! hope that the farming population will
not be too impatient in demanding con-
crete results or in forcing formal agri-
cultural Subjects into the schools. We
must make haste slowly and i'll doing
50 make ii fundamentally and perma
| nently. We must not forget that
schools are schools and that their gen
era tone must be elevated and their
| g2lC1al efficiency increased before we
can ho,e fJr any successful results in
the teaching OF common life subjects.
Merely to introduce agriculture into the
! ruftl iools as they exist at the pres
elit day Will be of no particular conse-
| qCalcc Tho whole tone of the school
ma3t he raised This elevation must
come from Ike elevation of the senti-
ment - the community. More money
must > had for the schools in order
that better facilities and better teach
cr5 may be employed and the whole at
mosplere of the school be made attrac-
tive L. H. BAILEY