Gloucester County Democrat., 1909-04-22

animals, the destruction of insects,
enemies, etc. These facts are acces-
sible and should be carried to the peo-
pie. What other or better or more
suitable means are there than the pub
lie schools?
No other subject is more adapted
to accepted pedagogical ideas. It
deals with life with which the farm
child is already familiar. 1t deals with
things and not with words alone. AS
it is inter-related with all of the
sciences which are already taught the
child, these sciences could be brought
home to them much more forcibly if
given the concrete application to
agriculture than when taught as a
mere theory. Geology studied in re-
lation to the forming of the soil for
the growing of the crops by which
the child is fed and clothed is a liv-
ing subject. Geology theoretically
is a dead subject. Chemistry in re-
brought home to us. Bring down
each and every science taught the
child to it's homely, everyday appli-
cation, and you have UNIV ittingly
taught the elements of agriculture.
This teaching on broad scale with
the end in view which is it's natural
outgrowth will make of farming a
profession and the farmer profess
sional man, no longer subject to what
seem to him in his ignorance of
cause and effect the vagaries of most
often seemingly unkind nature.
1t would be just as easy to teach our
children sciences from the standpoint
of the life with which they are in
daily contact as it would be to teach
them as do most of our text books
about things the children have never
seen. An incident will illustrate this
A class of three was given a lesson
in arithmetic on stocks and bonds.
The next day the teacher asked MARY,
what is meant here by sstocks?" Mary
answered in all eagerness, well, I
think cornstalks." The members of
that class had never heard of stock
and bonds but had all lived in inti-
nation relation with. cornstalks. We
in asking for education along agricul-
tural lines are not asking for innova-
tions, we are simply asking for a
more reasonable order of things.
That this study may be introduced
in our schools the teachers must first
become acquainted with the subject.
This is being made possible in other
States through county training schools,
summer courses in agriculture and
short term courses in the agricultural
colleges, lectures, correspondence
schools, Institutes, normal schools.
The teachers testify that the applica-
tion of subjects to agriculture has ad-
ded greatly to the interest that the
children take in their work and that
the pursuit of this study has been
great preparation for science work in
the high school. Many States have
hoped to solve the problem of training
the teachers for this work through
requiring a course in agriculture at
the normal school but most of the
normal school trained teachers go to
the city schools and most of the rural
school teachers are drawn from the
rural high schools, therefore special
efforts should be made to teach this
great branch of industry in our high
schools so that the teachers of the fu-
ture may be prepared for this work
Some of the States have added sec
ondary schools In agriculture which
are scattered throughout the State.
Agriculture, if properly handled, can
be shaped into a course that will lead
to true teaching in all subjects instead
of that stilted mechanical routine
which by it's hollow Gathering rings
the death knell of the enthusiasm of
the children, therefore the introduce
tion of the study of agriculture and
the practical application of the studies
rrrt. f,, f<,,1 r1,+ soI,
lated to this industry means great
help to the teacher. It is not an add
ed burden but by the testimony of the
teachers in the States which have tried
it we'll spring of interest and an in
centive to study and attendance, an
aid to the instructor When our teach
ers teach little more of plant root,
and little less of cube root, calcu1-
ate more of the exchange of soil mois-
ture and fertility for bountiful crop
production and little less of foreign
currency, compute more of the par
tial payment of a poor cow in return
for her feed and care instead of tax
ing days to determine the exact num-
Der of cents due John Jones on that
miserable note that has been hanging
fire for the last five years, the objec-
tive first hand material will so vital
ize the country and town schools that
they will no longer be burden and
drag to the scholar and the teacher,
but will be an interesting and active
centre of knowledge and growth and
the educational centre of the whole
community.
This work can be planned by a few
leaders, but the teachers are the ones
who must carry it to the children and
to do this the teacher must believe in
the work, she must learn it, she must
know how to plan it SO that the chill
dren can understand and do it. She
must not only know enough about corn
to talk intelligently about it but she
must be able to give directions how
to prepare ground, plant, tend and se-
lect corn. 1t is for the State to give
the teachers the opportunity for gain
ing this knowledge, and to train fu-
ture teachers to put it in practice
The Importance of this matter has
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