Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-02-10
THE PLACE OF AGRICULTURE IN HAWARS
SCHOOLS

Much is said nowadays about the teaching of
agriculture in the common and high schools,
which teaching is supremacy Important, but on
account Of it's very Importance must hr under
taken with great care.
A school is maintained primarily to serve the
Interests Of it's community; in other words, to
do the greatest good to the greatest number \g-
riculturr is the predominating interest of Ha-
waii, hence it is obvious that agriculture cannot
Pightfully he neglected. When we say agricul-
ture, we necessarily mean the whole scope of
rural activities from canc-producton to home
comforts and the general education Of the rural
people. Bearing this in mind it is not right to
decry the thorough teaching of such branches as
English, history geography, etc, for without a
fair degree of proficiency in such branches the
man is handicapped in business.
A further consideration that is necessary is
the absolute unfitness Of the vast majority of
teachers for teaching agriculture properly Some
have advocated law requiring the teaching Of
agriculture in all the schools, but upon the pas
sage of such law, nearly all our teachers would
find themselves confronted by task for which
they were quite unprepared and as a consequence
they would proceed to blunder, the result being
ultimately loss of confidence in scientific agr-
culture by the farming public
For the present the best method undoubtedly
lies i'm the introduction of agriculture into the
high schools and other institutions of similar
rank. Provision should he made for the en-
ployment of well-trained teachers of agriculture
in such schools and for the installation of reason
ably good equipment to aid them in teaching.
The teacher is the main consideration for. after
all, the teacher himself is the school He should
not be expected TO give advanced teaching in any
particular branch, but should be able to get a
few correct principles correctly placed in the
minds of his pupils.
Such things as the food necessary for plant,
growth, what The soil itself is, what its deficien
Gle are, how these deficiencies can best he cor
rected, what is meant by permanent fertility,
how depleted soils can best he reclaimed, the inr
portanee Of proper physical condition of soil
what constitutes a balanced ration for each class
OF animals, the, merits of various classes of ami
mails, how to select good eed, how to contend
with insect enemies how to produce good fruits
and vegetables, how to sew and how to adorn the
house, etc, etc.
About ninety-fiye percent Of our pupils never
reach an institution of learning beyond the high
school, hence the great iniportance of reaching
this vast majority with The above enumerated
useful teaching by placing It in the secondary
or high schools.
As a matter Of fact, large proportion of our
common school teachers receive their training in
these high schools, and therefore if we reach
them There with this useful instruction, the pro6-
lem of teaching agriculture in the common
schools will in time do much to solve itself. and
in due time legislation requiring the teaching of
agriculture the common schools will be really
beneficial.
Contributed.