The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1909-10-18
TEACHING AGRICULTURE.

Teachers, who are not Pre-
pared to Meet Requirements
Many States Seeking Salts
factory Methods of Teaching
Agriculture.
To the Ed;.o- Of The Rob.,sioaian:
The State requires that agri-
culture be taught in the common
schools. By a set OF resolutions
the Farmers Union of this coun-
ty gave emphasis to State re-
quirements by asking Prof. Poole |
to have the schools teach this
subject. Our superintendent has
complied. We thought the public
school course was full to reple- |
ton, but here is another burden
laid upon the teachers. Are they
prepared to meet the require
nents? To teach agriculture as
q science, we, as a body, are not
prepared. Every school would
require a labratory and teacher
familiar with the natural scien-
ces. A teacher cannot succeed
with this subject unless he is
we'll grounded in botany, physics,
chemistry, etc. How many of us
know the local or botanical names
of our neighboring herbs? The
handwriting is on the wall. The
country demands the passing of
the old agricultural methods. The
sooner we prepare to meet the
new requirements the better for
all concerned. When civilization
demanded a prohibitory senti-
ment against the sale of intoXi-
cants a short course on phIsiol-
ogy and hygiene was added to
the public school course. Wit
ness the result.
But we are required to teach
agriculture now and haven't
time to prepare to teach it as a
science. The S ate, at present,
does not require it to be so
taught. The little book on the
subject, while it contains many
important facts which ought to
be known, is more suggestive
than otherwise. It treats Of
Esubjects practically and not sci
entifically. Our State is now max
ing an experiment and we
should heartily cooperate to Sc
cure success. What little success
| have met with in teaching the
book now in use has been as fol-
lows: | leave off as nearly as pos
sible conditions of soils, plants,
animals, and other subjects
\ which pupils have no means of
knowing from personal contract.
| require them to study the To-
cal physical geography Of their
neighborhoods. By this method
they soon learn the fundamental
principles of successful farming
for their immediate sections.
They are easily impressed with
the Importance Of drainage. pro-
> ertillage, fertilization, andadapt-
ability of certain plants and ami
mails to their home conditions. If
= in our common school work we
create q thirst for a more
} thorough knowledge of success
full agriculture, we shall have
accomplished much. Much is be-
ing done and said on nature
study these latter days. Agri-
culture is prominently a nature
study. With us it is in it's in
fancy or experimental stage.
Many States Of the Union are
seeking satisfactory methods of
teaching agriculture. The two
most popular methods at present
? seem to be: o. By adding it to
the common school course, as our
D State has done;a land (2) by estab-
fishing special schools for it's de-
velopment, as has been done in
Alabama and Georgia. The lat
= ter States have established these
= schools, one to congressional
: district. The entireUnion is full.
: ly aroused on the subject, MOI
does the awakening come toe
soon if undisputed data are true.
e At no time has the world had
provisions to last more than sis
months. For the past severa
years farm population has gravi
tated to factories and cities. The
per centage of consumers has in.
creased much more rapidly thar
- the increase Of produce. The
time is rapidly approaching wher
r the supply Of food will not be
- adequate to meet actual demands
unless conditions are reversed
Compare present prices with
w past prices and draw your con,
y illusions as to cause and effect.
Truly. HI, Edens.