Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1913-09-17
INTERESTING THE CHILDREN OF
THE FARM.

OF August, a writer tells Of Prof. p.
G. Holden's experience as a school teach.
er aud the means he employed to inter
est his pupils in nature study, and the
splendid results he obtained hope ev.
cry school teacher In Tennessee will read
that article carefully.
Tennessee is disposed to deal literally
with the schools, and when the touchers
can reach and interest their pupils as
Prof. Holden did, the lawmakers of tho
state viii meet their requirements for
funds. The paramount industry in tie
state is agriculture. Our prosperity de.
Ponds upon the producing capacity Of
the farmers.
We can reach and interest and assist
the farmers to better methods through
their children. If we have the prosper.
ity among the farmers we should have,
we must have them to increase the pro
during capacity of their soils. They
must be made TO understand the impor-
lance of seed selection.
IL is easy for the teachers to get their
pupils interested in these questions and
they will not only make more progress
with their studies, but they will get
their parents interested. The child has
seen plants growing all its life and it
has wondered how and why.
We all want to know the why Of
things. We can take more interest when
we understand the object for which we
are working. When the teacher blends
into the lessons the child is to learn
something it comes in contact with dali
ly, the lesson will cease to be dull and
uninteresting. The child will be eager
to learn.
Our text books could be more inter
esting if the illustrations and exercises
featured things that enter into the daily
life of the student. In connection with
every school there should be a seed test.
ing department and a school garden. Get
the children in and familiar with the
life history Of plants.
The teacher who wants results and IL
willing to think and work for them can
so plan the work that they will easily
interest every pupil and have them 50
they will 60 about learning their lessons
with enthusiasm instead of reluctance.
We must begin at the beginning and
take the child a step at time. The
trouble we have today in enlisting tho
adult farmer in scientific agriculture is
in the fact that we have presumed that
he had information that he has had no
opportunity to acquire. We did not be.
gin at the beginning, and have been try.
ing to teach him things that he was not
in position to grasp, telling him to do
things that he was not equipped to do
1t is not so much the fault of the
farmer that he is skeptical of what he
terms book farming" as it is the fault
of those who have been talking over hi.
head AMI suggesting impractical thing:
for him to do. The T. S. department Of
agriculture realizes this fact, and as a re
suit we have the farmers bulletins" and
The field demonstration work When YOU
go to the farmer and show him how he
can build up his soil and incrase the pro
duction of his crops with the equipment
he can afford and you will enlist his IN
terest and active cooperation.
There is an abundance of valuable in
formation that has been worked out by
the experiment stations. What he neet
10 do is to disseminate that information
in practical form so that the small
farmer can practice it on his own farm
with the equipment he can afford.
While it is essential that agricultur,
can be taught in practical way in GU
schools, colleges and universities, t,
broaden and develop the scence of agri
culture, it is equally important to hell
the farmer of today who has been de
prived of the advantages of an agrcult
ural education. There is much that w
can do to improve his condition. l know
many men who have been deprived o
j educational advantages that are prosper
q GUS ldIIutISs lHSN dlS ihCH WIN lllhh
men who profit by thier and others'
mistakes and successes, men who stud
natures plan in the question of soil ret
lamation.
The boys corn club work has been 0
great value not to boys alone, but to tn
bows fathers. | have heard some O
them say that if it was good for the boy
1t would be good for them and they ar
falling into line When our school teach
ers get their pupils interested they wi
get their parents interested and we wi
be making real Roadway towards develop
ing the possibilities both of the farm an
farmers, and with that development wi
come real prosperity for all the peopi
of Tennessee