Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-05-08
WELFARE OF NATION AND
PROSPERITY OF THE FARM

The national welfare depends upon
agricultural prosperity; agriculture it.
self is daily becoming more and more
or a science; and those two factors
reinforce the pressing demand for
more and better agricultural education
among the rural population. But
where are the teachers of agriculture
coming from? This question is raised
by A. c. Monahan, specialist in rural
education of the United States bureau
OF education, in bulletin just issued
by the bureau for free distribution.
AT present nearly 1000 high schools
are teaching agriculture, the course
being taken by an aggregate of some
$4,000 pupils" Mr.. Mouahan writes.
But in all these schools, only a very
few besides those giving four-year
courses in this subject have instruc-
tors with a college or normal school
training in scientific agriculture, while
large percentage of the active teach
ers with this training have had no
training in psychology or pedagogy.
Probably no one factor has had greater
influence in retarding the Introduction
of substantial courses in agriculture in
all those high schools whose pupils
are drawn in large numbers from farm
ing districts than the shortage of
properly qualified teachers.
1T will be several years before the
supply Of men available as instructors
in agriculture will be sufficient to meet
the demand. Although the salaries
paid are from so to 100 per cent high
er than are those for instructions in
other subjects in secondary schools,
the state colleges of agriculture are
finding difficulty in persuading men to
qualify specially for teaching, because
even these salaries are not equal to
those paid the graduates of these insti-
tutions in the agricultural Industries.
1T is important, however. that prop
erly trained men be obtained. Agri-
culture as high school science has
not yet been developed into good ped
agogical form and until it is so deveI-
oped higher grade, better trained
teacher is needed for the agricultural
subjects than for any other subject in
the high school curriculum.
Men for this week need a liberal
education in the general culture sub
jects, together with special training:
First, in the physical and natural sci
ences, particularly in their relations
to the science and art of agriculture;
second, in technical and practical az
riculture and farm practice; third, in
rural sociology and agricultural eco
Monies; fourth, in general psychology
and pedagogy; fifth, in special agricul-
tural pedagogy, including the history
of agricultural and industrial educa-
ton, the place and purpose of agricul-
ture in the high school, the function OF
the agricultural high school, special
methods of teaching agriculture, and
other similar aspects of agricultural
teaching. The opportunity for such
preparation is offered by several of the
state colleges OF agriculture"
The bureau OF education's bulletin,
which is entitled Agricultural Educa-
ton in Secondary Schools" will be
1SA4t AicS Hpoh IC9heSt " lue cOmIul5-
stoner of education, department of the
interior, Washington. D. c. Among
the topics covered in the bulletin are
the following: Essentials In a state
system of agricultural education; the
need for reliable scientific data regard
ing the rural problem; and the proper
equipment of an agricultural high
school. A photography of recent pub
locations OF the bureau Of education