New-York tribune., 1909-09-26
TRAINING OF FARMERS
PROGRESS IN AMERICA.
Great Results of Educational Work
an Last FetC Years.
LFrom rhe Tribune Rureau.l

Washington, Sept. 25.-Dck J. Crosby. specialist
IN agricultural education in the Department OF Agri
culture just concluded his study Of the advance
of agricultural education in the United States in
the last eleven years. He is convinced that no ma
tion has made such progress, and in report
TO the Secretary of Agriculture he says:
'"The progress made in agricultural education in
the United States during the last eleven years
result of popular demand, stimulated by the work
Of the state agricultural colleges and experiment
stations this department, is unprecedented in
the history of the world. In 1897, when the pres
ent administration OF this department began. all
but one OF the land grant colleges were in running
order and doing excellent work, but their total in
come was only s50O0,000; to-day it is $1S0OO.000.
Tho property of these institutions was then valued
at s51 900 600: now II is s1O6, 900. Then there
were less four thousand students in agricult-
ural courses: now there over fourteen thousand
Ninety of the graduates of these courses In 1907
accepted positions in the agricultural colleges and
experiment stations in this department, at sal
aries ranging from $500 to $1.70O, and averaging
SS &C. 1t stated by presidents OF the agricultural
and mechanical colleges that of late the graduates
of agricultural courses find remunerative employ
ment much more readily than the graduates from
engineering courses
But the most rapid progress has been made in
the field Of secondary and elementary education in
agriculture. In 1897 Minnesota had the only state
agricultural high school, and Alabama had just
provision for the last of its nine district agr
cultural schools. The teaching of agriculture in
the public elementary schools scarcely thought
Of To-day there are fifteen agricultural high
schools of the Minnesota type and forty other agri
cultural high schools receiving state aid, sixteen
privately endowed colleges and high schools giving
instruction In agriculture 115 state and county nor
mai schools preparing young people TO teach agri-
culture, and, on lists, over two hundred and
fifty public and private high schools and academies
giving some instruction in agriculture. There are
sixteen institutions offering correspondence ana
reading courses in agriculture. and twenty-six pri-
vate or special elementary agricultural schools.
1.-THE National Education Association has organ
ized department of rural and agricultural edu-
cation and has a standing committee investigat-
ing the desIrability and feasibility of teaching ag-
rculture in rural schools The constitution of the
new State OF oklahoma requires the teaching OF
agriculture in all its public schools, and the Leg
isature of the state has provided for four state
normal schools. with departments of agriculture,
and an agricultural high school in each judicial dis
trict of state The Legislature of Virginia has
appropriated $4,000 for instruction in agriculture,
home economics and mechanic arts in ten district
agricultural high schools. and Michigan and Mis-
sissppi have made provisions for county agri-
cultural high schools.
In thirteen states the teaching of agriculture in
the rural schools is required by law. II is
encouraged by state and county school officers,
and taught in some of the rural schools of thirty
one other and territories. FOrtyfour states
and outlying possessions, then, making some
effort to teach their youth the underlying princi-
ples of our greatest productive industry
Partly as a result Of this remarkable growth OF
sentiment in favor Of secondary and elementary in
| struction in agriculture in public schools. and
partly in response to the stimulus given by the
Nelson amendment allowing the land grant coll
Ieges to devote a part of their increased federal
aid to the special preparation of instructors for
teaching the elements of agriculture and the
chanic arts" about half of these institutions now
offer training for teachers of agriculture
I ranging from summer courses of a few weeks
10 regular four-year courses, with additional grad
uate work
This department has aided materially in pro-
| noting the rapid development of agricultural edu-
cation in the different states and territories In
this work the department has been represented pri-
| mary by the office Of experiment stations but
all of the other bureaus and divisions have aided
| In the work through their Investigations and
| through active cooperation with the educational
agencies in the different states and territories
| The Weather Bureau is endeavoring TO aid in
eradicating the superstitions everywhere prevailing,
with regard to the weather, and with this object in
| view encourages its officials to give popular ect-
| ures, and when practicable to offer systematic
| courses Of instruction. During the last year nu-
merous for the benefit of high schools have
been given, and regular courses of instruction at
agricultural colleges and other collegiate nstitu-
tiOns have been offered in California Connecticut
| Illinois. Maryland, Missouri, New York North
| Carolina, Ohio, Vermont, Washington and Wis
| consn.
| Popular instruction has also been given az ev
positions by means Of exhibits and lectures and
the Department Of Education of the State OF Neu
York has introduced as part Of its visual educa
| ton scheme popular lecture on meteorology pre
pared by ]. R. Weeks Of Binghamton N Y This
lecture, with the accompanying slides is loapad
for repetition before any school or academy Tho
Weather Bureau has also given attention during
the year TO the improvement Of the literature OF
meteoroogy for students and investigators tbrou.b
the translation Of special technical articles on the
mechanics Of fhe atmosphere the revision ~ tho
| Smithsonian meteorological tables the ampuhca
ton Of the handbook OF laboratory experiments
! and the supp!ementing OF collection Of nrob.
lens for advanced students of the physics ~ ~.
atmosphere published in The Monthly weather
| Review for December 1906"