East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1907-10-24


scene within the big church has been
a pleasant one. Today the program
was carried out in detail, Rep. w. X.
Newell and Prof. L. r. Landers being
the principal speakers during the
afternoon.
President Kerr Tonight.
Tonight DR.. w. ]. Kerr, the new
president of the Oregon Agricultural
college at Corvallis, will deliver a
lecture and 1t promises to be one of
the strongest of the institute. His
subject will be Education for the
Industries" and 1t is one upon which
President Kerr should be well quail
fled to speak. The lecture will COM
mence at o'clock this evening and
no admission will be charged.
Address by W. X. Newell.
The second day of the institute
opened with even better attendance
and interest than the first. After the
regular routine work w. X. Newell,
president of the state board of hor-
ticulture, gave a highly interesting
and practical talk upon "Horticul-
ture."
In opening he made the remark
that he had heard so much about
more salary for the teachers of Ore
gon that he was almost afraid to sug-
gest a little more work for them to
perform without an extra pay. How
ever, horticulture having just been
introduced as branch of the public
school course, he thought some sug-
gestions as to the methods which
might profitably be used in present
ing the subject might be timely
Farmers and orchardists find it inn
possible to get trained help at the
present time. The average hired man
seems to know how to graft most
everything except the fruit trees. 1t
has long been a criticism of the pub
lie schools that they train away from
the farm instead of towards ii, and
the prosperity of the farmer as we'll
as of the country as a whole depends
upon trained and skillful labor. The
lays OF haphazard agriculture are
,ver in Oregon. Benjamin Franklin
'aid that ignorance is the most in
,xorable taX-getherer, and experience
has proved this true.
The teaching of agriculture in the
public schools includes the study of
trees, gardens, and almost
in natural history except
Inimal industry. How to make this
important matter interesting to chill
L., Il,
eachers. This, Mr.. Newell does not
hink will be at all difficult.
He would not advise that il should
'e taken up as an additional branch
f the already crowded common
chool studies, but thinks it could
asily be combined with the lessons
\ the ordinary branches, and so be
lade of direct interest.
1t would not be we'll to begin with
ny of the abstract laws of the COM
osition of the soil or dull theories
n how the ground should be treated.
father let the child actually plant a
rec and watch it grow; or let him
tart something, strawberries for ex-
mple lat home. A few strawberries
! window garden will do more for
lie study of horticulture than several
ext-books. This would give them
to watch all winter and
rove a never-failing source of de-
ght.
Prof. Landers Spoke.
Superintendent ]. S. Landers spoke
n points on School Management"
nd gave many hints of practical
llue to teachers. Among other
lings he spoke of the care of chill
ren's eyesight and their hearing;
lie proper degree of temperature and
ow to maintain it without creating
the number of recitations
lie rural teacher should expect to
'owd into day, etc. The matter
special tax for school expenses and
lie necessity of at least eight months
school was also touched upon.