Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-12-05
/ "A TASK FOX SCHOOLS.


At the hearings before the Presidents
commission for the Investigation Of
conditions of farm life, the testimony
all conversed finally to one point-the
need of better education and of q high
er appreciation OF the beauty and value
of rural life.
Modern sanitation, good roads. cheap
or capital, and the organization of
farmers--these improvements We're all
advocated, the emphasis placed on each
one corresponding with the order in
which they arc enumerated here; but
each Of these proposals in turn re-
3 verified for real and lasting conditions
OF success to the necessity for adequate
training in the various branches Of
learning which they cmbody.
Z 1t became amply apparent that good
2 sanitation is perhaps the most press-
ing of the immediate problems; but 1t
was also made clear that u comprehcn-
sion of the principles OF sanitary sci
enco depends upon several important
branches OF study.
The proposition to teach agriculture
In the schools was heartily endorsed,
and the work OF the Agricultural coll
lego and tho State Normal school in
this direction was highly commended.
How to adapt the schools to this work
is tho greatest problem Agriculture
does not seem to be easily taught III
the lower schools, and few of them
do much at it, Lady teachers. who
constitute n large majority of those
engaged In school work, are said to be
somewhat disinclined to the active tax
ling of practical training in agriculture.
Moreover, the large majority of lady
teachers do not remain long enough
Z In the work OF teaching to become first
class teachers or to learn how to pre-
sent, in a really effective way, the ele-
Z 1nents OF agriculture and gardening.
Neither can it be said that male
teachers have as yet shown any mark
ed aptitude toward effective teaching
in this line of work. Tho subject is SO
broad and involves so much general
and scientific knowledge that a special-
list Is really required for each separate
division of the work. In order to make
agriculture available to the pupils in n
practical way at home on their own
land, teachers must possess sufficient
y technical training and be good peda-a
gogues besides. Much might be done.
however. by making the science and
art of elementary agriculture attractive
4 to the teachers. The study of nature
Is Immediately fascinating to perhaps
nine out of every ten people, and
among teachers the proportion that
would take readily to this kind of work
must be much greater.
Nature study, therefore, including
weather, plant-life, bird observing. in
sect collecting, and school gardening,
has already made a profound impress
sion upon many OF the eastern schools,
and appears to be the most available
ana inexpensive way OF creating and
sustaining an interest in those forms of
knowledge most essential to successful
agriculture, This subject appeals as
well to the scientific and artistic inn
3 pulses of the child as to the motor ac-
tivities and the social activities, and
Z
practical work Of agriculture itself.
There is another drawback, and per-
haps it is the principal one, to the
successful Introduction of real as OPP
posed TO boolish agriculture in the
schools The subject requires SO much
technical learning and so much skill in
teaching besides. that few men can be
Ia, ,s,,t,,r
sary to prepare for It. The teachers
wages are usually much below those OF
the mechanic, In tho School Review
y OF November Prof. Frances w. Kelsey
OF the University of Michigan says
truly that I'm the profession of teach
ing outside OF the colleges and uni-
versities there Is uncertainty Of tenure,
with which is coupled insufficient re-
enumeration. Every year men OF
marked success. with an equipment
representing large outlay of time.
energy, and moneS, are forced out of
the profession, and young men of
promise are deferred from entering it,
because they can foresee no time when
the rewards of faithful and successful
effort will be assured To them"
Herein consists the whole difficulty.
1t Is not difficult to get such teach
ing as we desire to have introduced
into the school, if only we are able and
willing TO pay for it. Thus far, either
the ability or the disposition seems to
be largely lacking.