The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1908-12-19
School Courses in
Agricultural Problems

One of the most highly appreciat-
ed addresses given during the recent
session of the State horticultural asso-
citation in Spokane was by President
E. A. Bryan of the Washington State
college. in which be chose as his sub
ject Educational Needs of Country
Life" and referred with particu ar
emphasis to the need for establishing
agricultural education in the rural
country schools of the state.
MEN nowadays are coming to un-
derstan. that education in the high
est aud most pra atlcal sense of the
word can be derived from the study
of such subjects as agriculture aud
horticulture. said President Bryan.
"When I was boy l saw a fungus
growth upon an orchard tree. and.
like many men of that time. gave no
thought to it. except. possibly. mere
ly rejecting that the fungus was put
there by special act of divine Pro-
vidence. and that there was nothing
to do but to walt for the tree to die.
"Nowadays We know better. Men
realize today the value of an educa-
iton of the kind that has to do with
the vital problems of agriculture: and
they further understand that educa-
tion of this character should begin
early in the life of child.
The code commission of this state
now has in hand the preparation of
school code which will. l understand.
affect quite considerably the school
system Of the state. Doubtless. if
adopted, the provisions of this code
will govern in education for many
years to come. The provisions of
the code should be such that agricul-
tuarl education in the rural schools
will be amply provided for.
"WEen we mention education we
nearly all of us think of school edu-
cation. though. as a matter of fact,
the school is only one Of the means,
the most important single means, but
not the only meaus. The crops and
animals and activities of the farm
offer the most varied and the most
stimulating means of such mental de-
velopment. But the key to the accu
mulated stock of knowledge. past and
present. is to be found IN books. And
pitiable indeed. with all his shrewd-
ness and mental force, will the coun-
try boy be and become. if he does not
use the school and use it we'll. And
first of all and most important of all
be must be we'll grounded in the rudi-
ments. We laugh at the three Rs.
but there is almost a round world
within them.
Education develops the mind large
Iy through its environment and renders
it capable of dealing with its envir-
onment. The great neglected field
In rural schools is the use of agri-
culture as means of that education.
There is no better means of education
than the common things about US if
they are rightly used.
ssTo have a good rural school they
must be large enough to lay the basis
of good work. A very small school
is nearly always poor school. Bet
ter he large enough for two or more
grades. To this end the rural schools
should be consolidated. Districts
should be reorganized along topo
graphical lines and the area included
be enlarged. To this end means for
hauling the children to the school
center should be provided. To this
end good roads should be built. In
fact. the consolidated school is an i'm
possibility without the construction
of good roads.
1--WE should reach the point where
the same teacher should teach the
same school for several years. so that
there might be continuity of the work
and continuity in the development
of character as we'll as in imparting
instruction. Good salaries. when
measured by the yearly return. are
essential to continuity of service.
The teachers must be trained for the
peculiar task of using rural things as
q good educational means.
It may be surprising for many to
learn that London is not the greatest
seaport in the world. Figuring ton
mage entered and cleared. New York
stands first. with Antwerp. HonRkonR.
Hamburg. London. Liverpool. Shang-
hal. Rotterdam, Singapore. Cardiff.