Putnam patriot., 1908-11-06
Teaching Agriculture in Public Schools.

tSs>Hthk SkfNhiihfS tu fnuu~ SNnpotss The undersigned committee of the state Grange and the Secretary Of the State Board ot Education, invite your attention to the teaching of agriculture in the public schools,
 The following considerations justify making this subject part of the course of study in all schools:
 1, The widespread interest in this sahlec, manifest in every section of the country.
 ,. The economic and comuercis d va. iue of aeanaintancc with a few simple principles underlying successful culti- vation of The soil.
 & The intrinsic usefulness as a school exercise of observing aud thinking about the common operations of na- tare.
 l. The lively interest of children when properly guided and taught the elementary truths ot seieuec. To the end that these suggestions may take definite form the committee recommend certain books and pam phlets on agriculture to be used in all public schools. What methods Of sa. stfuction and what books should be used should be left entirely to skilled instructors.
 Correspondence k solicited with the Grange State committee, namely q. S. Wood, Ellington; J. Il. rntnam, Litehlield, II. F. Potter, North Haven. \ I4 untst State Board of Education.
 Public attention has been called to the importance of instrueting ehil- dfen in some trade CT calling dur ing their school days, in order te he fitted, at their close, to engage in some calling, whereby they may be enabled To begin supporting themselves. This has led to the establishment of trade schools in many of our States. Booker Washington has set not only this eoun- try but the entire world, an example institution colored boys and girls and edueates and trains them 50 that when they are graduated they are enabled to eng age in a variety of callings as skill ed workmen and workwomen. And the demand for their services all over the South k so great that the institu- ton cannot supply the demand. If the genius of poor colored man can enter upon a career of that kind, taking members of dcspised race and by self-devotion and unremtling toll can build up an institution which now sends forth yearly thousands of those helpless and despised beings, trans l formed into educated, skilled workers, | with . consciousness Of independence and self-respcct that neither whites nor hlaek k ever dreamed possible, what may not the enll 9htened white race at the North accomplish, with their un- bounded wealth, hy simply copying the plan and method of that once hlaek i bondman2
 Children are not all adapted to be- come farmers. They are endowed by nature with divers talents and mental gifts, fitting them for the various ser vices the human race require In their com plicated existence, When, there fore, young man engages in an ayo- cation congcnial to his natural endow- ments, labor becomes a pleasure. On the other hand, if he is compelled to engage in some uncongenial employ ment, it becomes slavish duty. His natural endowments which by proper exercise would have made him happy in being useful to the world in another direction, become dwarfed and deaden- ed .Ile Is thus deprived the joy in Ia bor to which he was entltled-for 1t i' our belief that every human being l. gifted to fill one place in the worlds complicated eallings better than my other for his greatest usefulness and happiness.
 Thus we question the benefit to con. fine the public schools lo the study Of where young men and women can bc educated and trained in agricultural pursuits, which are doing grand ser. vice, because il attracts to them such as desire that calling AS their life work.
 Some day there will be advanced public schools where all possible avoca. tions will be taught, So that when the boy or girl graduates his or her services will be prcferentiaIly in demand, as