The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-08-02

farmers must be better trained than
the present generation.
To be an up-to-date farmer a knowI-
edge of the physical condition and
chemistry Of the soil is required. To
secure this knowledge l would weave
into the course of study the study Of
nature and agriculture. This should
be done in the most interesting way 80
as to make the boy DESTROYS to learn
more about agriculture. Educate him
toward the farm rather than away from
it. In the existing one room district
school a limited amount of nature
study and work in the elements OF
agriculture may be undertaken. The
school garden may be easily introduced
and under the direction of an enthu.
siastic teacher, much may be accom-
plished.
Consolidated Schools.
In consolidated schools having three
or four teachers, one of whom is pre-
pared to teach agriculture and man
ual training, very much more in the
field of industrial education may be at
tempted than in one roomed schools
and with far better results. In village
schools of North Dakota nature study
should be given an important place so
that by the time boy reaches the
eighth grade he will be able to take
up the work in agronomy and animal
husbandry.
An education Is the fitting of boy
or girl to take his place in society or
the community to the best advantage.
Eighty-f1ve per cent of the pupils in
the rural districts of North Dakota
never go beyond the grammar grade,
yet our common school course of study
Is planned with the idea of preparing
the boy for high school and the high
school course prepares for college en-
trance. If our Interpretation of edu-
cation is correct, then our course of
study is in part at least wrong. 1t is
true that the great majority of the
boys in the rural districts spend their
entire life in that section, why should
they not know something of their nat
ural surroundings, a knowledge of the
elements of agriculture and husbandry.
Fit Student For Life Work.
Let us arrange our course of study
so that it will fit the boy for his life
work, instead of preparing him for
some college. Make him acquainted
with some of natures secrets so that
he will learn to love her beauties. In
clude the elements of agriculture and
husbandry in his course of study which
should be formed with reference to
meeting the needs of the children In
those communities and not with refer
ence to preparing a small percentage of
these children to enter higher schools
whose courses of study are formulated,
not to meet the needs of the great ma
jority of those who attend them, but
to prepare the remaining small minor
ity TO enter a still higher school. Some
hold that the study of agriculture dis
interests the boy and does not enlarge
his thinking capacity as does the same
length of time spent in the study of
Latin and Greek. But the opposite has
been proven true. The mastery of the
elements OF agriculture furnishes a
mental training unsurpassed in extent
and quality by the mastery of any other
body of knowledge now regarded as
essential in our common school courses
and requiring an equal amount OF time.
For utility value 1t is not equaled by
any other body Of knowledge at pres
ent acquired through the expenditure
of the same amount OF time and eff
fort.