Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-11-01
BY Robert M. McWade.


Washington, Oct. 31.--From every
section of the country comes an in
sistcnt demand for information re
garding how, when, and where. at
agricultural education mat is of some
account can be obtained. TO meet
tlat popular demand. Dr.. Houston and
his corps Of experts are about to get
ont a brochure telling exactly how
such education may be gained, and
they also offer TO all such folks as de
sire them free reading courses Of the
Agricultural departments WI bull
le,ins.
According to that brochure. which
is entitled agricultural Training
Courses for Employed Teachers" Is
states now require that an eXamina-
ton in agriculture be passed before
a teacher may ohsain his certificate
That's an indication Of the impetus
that has recently beer given to agri,
cultural education all over the coun.
try, largely through the addresses
and efforts Of Congressman James G.
Mclaughlin, OF Muskegon, whose per
sistent fight for farm demonstration
and farm management lecturers for
various counties in Michigan are
well known to Our readers.
In the two years ending March, 1912.
the number Of Institutions giving
courses in agriculture increased at
a rate OF more than 16 a month, and
the total number grew from 1863 to
2.515-a fact. wlicn tells its own
story. "
Now that 10 states require, by law.
the teaching agriculture IN the COM
non schools, the demand for teachers
of The subject is constantly growing.
Normal schools, therefore. are intro.
ducing courses Of agriculture. and
many agricultural colleges are Offering
special lines OF work to meet this
demand. Still. Jhere are hardly en-
Ough teachers for the secondary
schools and the special schools of
agriculture. 1t has been the object Of
the Office OF experiment stations to
discover, by Investigation just how
teachers already employed may ac-
quire the training required to enable
them to teach the elementary phases
Of agriculture.
Without doubt the most popular, as
we'll as the most efficient means Of Civ.
ing this training is the summer
course offered by a college or normal
school. The instruction is usually Of
a high class, and adequate equipment
and apparatus for laboratory and
field work are usually available.
There are also special short cours.
es in agriculture offered in some insti-
buttons during atle regular school SEES
sion, usually the spring term. For
instance, the agricultural and mechan-
ical college, OF North Carolina, holds
a special MAY. School for teachers,
at which agriculture is taught. After
noon. evening and Saturday classes
in agriculture during the regular
school year are offered at Columbia
university, in New York city.
The study Of agriculture by cor.
respondnce has grown rapidly in IA
'vor during the last few years. The
eXDnse incident to a corresUondence
course is usually small; but this meth
cd has its disadvantages, as there is
considerable danger of the students
getting incorrect idas on the more
complex questions which arise. There
are at present, however. thronghOu:
the United States and it's territories,
about q state institutions and 5 pri-
vate schools in which some regularly
established correspondence work may
be done along this line. Many Of the