The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-05-21
FARMING EFFICIENCY

AS indicating the diversity OF meth
DDS employed to keep the United
States in its position as the greatest
agricultural nation in the world the
United States Bureau of Education
notes that instruction in efficiency
methods on the farm is now given in
this country through no less than
eleven main agencies. These agencies,
according to a publication just issued
for free distribution by the bureau,
are elementary and secondary schools,
and agricultural high schools; county
schools of agriculture; travelling
schools teaching the same pursuit;
farmers educational trains; farmers
Institutes; agricultural clubs and like
organizations; gardens for city
schools; normal schools OF agricul.
ture; and colleges OF agriculture.
In order to supply the basis for a
complete understanding Of this move
ment Edward D. Greenman, In
charge of the reference section OF the
United States Bureau of Education,
has prepared a comprehensive bibliog-
raphy on the subject. The bibliog-
raphy includes 377 entries dealing
with every type of activity designed
to promote agricultural education N
this country and abroad.
The majority of these references
are Of comparatively recent date, for
the reason that the movement toward
agricultural education itself has at
tanned considerable proportions only
within a very few years. Thus, it is
interesting to note that the first chair
in agricultural education, as such, in
this country was founded by the Mas
sachusetts Agricultural College in
1907. Now about two-thirds of the
agricultural and mechanical colleges
in the United States are offering some
opportunity for special preparation for
teaching agriculture. Agricultural in
situations of college grade have OF
course been in existence for many
years, but the agricultural education
of children is a movement Of such re-
cent growth that like the pupils, it
may almost be said to be even now In
its teens.
In addition to a photography on
agricultural education In all its
phases, the Bureau of Education's
monograph contains the most exhaus-
tive compilation of literature on the
teaching of domestic science, cookery,
and home economics yet brought to-
gether. This part of the bulletin,
which was compiled by Miss Edith A.
Wright, of the Bureau of Educators
library staff, consists of POI entries.
The nationwide movement for the
instruction Of young girls in the
household arts as parallel courses to
those in agriculture which are taught
their brothers is even more of an In
noyation than the teaching of agricul-
ture itself to children. Nevertheless
the newer subject has made such
rapid strides that today practically
every elementary school or high
school which offers agriculture to its
pupils also includes domestic science
in its course as well. Indeed the
two courses are regarded as SO inti-
mately related that in many colleges
the domestic science courses are in
cluded in the department OF agricul-
ture, the girl graduates from the cook
ing school receiving the same agricul-
tural degree as do the boys who take
the instruction in agriculture.
The government publication, which
is entitled photography of Education
in Agriculture and Home Economics"
will be sent free upon request to the
United States Commissioner of Edu.
cation, Department of the Interior
Washington, D. C.