The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-06-10
a AGRICULTURE IN
THE. PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

lures OF the work OF our public schools.
How this might be brought about may
be considered more particularly and 10
better advantage in another paper. tbs
progress made In several States shows
that with suitable text books and proper,
w inspired teachers, agriculture can bt
taught successfully, and this is enough
for us to know at the present time. IA 3
to the grade III which the subject Should
be taught, the third TO eighth, for towE
or city schools, would seem to be the &
most desirable, and 1t should constitute
at least a weekly exercise for all pupils
In rural schools. It may be taught In
connection with animal studies, including i
insects, birds, qundrupeds. etc, or as :
an adjunct to physical geography, or It .
may be taught as a separate study,j
which would be better and preferable a1- '
ways. It should be beginning study, 4
and greater rogress will be made IL !
the child has not acquired his notions
or animals and plants from books.
Let him learn In the beginning to an-
alyze the plant for himself, to study the
functions OF Its various parts. and their
relation to the ultimate development OF q
the plant or animal, as the case may be.
and In this way he can reason out TOR
himself the many useful lessons that
plants and animals teach. Most OF US Y;
60 bllndly through life; we do not uti-
5derstand or appreciate the beauties OF
nature; we do not enjoy the thousand and
one wonderful creations which are placed {
here for our enjoyment because we have
never been taught In youth TO know ana
appreciate these things. How much more
enjoyment there Is in life to the person +
who finds somethtng rew and interest,"
Ing In every phase Of nature.
What d beautiful study agriculture, or
nature study, as some prefer to call tt,S
may be- made, How Important Is Is to-
know how the plant feeds, to Understand
that the plants a living crea ture. thatys
Eits has organized parts. that It ll''es,E
sbreathes and moves, and has Its being
very much lns we + d q; 81 that It YES Its \
little circunlscribed life, serves Its &use5s
3fulS function, produces seed, and disap-S
+ pears very much as the human being.
What difference It would make to 81 e y;
OF us, and particularly to the boy ana
girl who grows up in the country y y. !.
we I'm terstood the true f,nct tons \. ofs
rlants ana 4 anirnals, the uses nix 81 tho
various organs, the processes by which nc
life Is sustained and the rela Ion on . o o1
val ious elements OF plant food TO- des De-
yelopment Of certain organs Of the plant
ana animal. II all the boys and n girls
growing up in our rural districts under l1'le
stood how to manage plants and AMI u
mails II inteligently, how to tieveal ll'
most useful qualities and elirninat e the
,nrnts sfn.tprv trait s through selec t.on: 4
ana the Intelligent fertil izntlon and #cul-s
tivation OF the land, what 9 mar eii g "
Improvement would be effected. not :, only ON
Yin the quality; OF the soil and Its crop
producing ca pacity, but; In the resulting
plants ana animals h hich NJ are s. raised sec
thereon. n The faculty ia OF sBS observat ton
would be- fully developed lin hese boys ~
and girls H and they would 8becO me- fanl-