The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-05-09
By FLORA nILNER HARRISON

eracy have resulted. or progress has been arrested.
 TO develop and retain rural leal- ership, agriculture a vocation must De put on plane with other honorable and profitable callings. To accomplish this the rural population and city resi- dents must be brought to recognize the true place of this subject Such a sentiment can be developed only by be ginning with this generation of chill dren and by making the subject of agriculture the very heart of the course of study in the country school By agricultural study I mean the study of plant and animal life called nature study in the primary grades as we'll as the formal or textbook work of the upper grades. During the first five or six years of the course the pG p1ls should be engaged in study Of the common things of the home ard the farm. the roadside and the school with a view of developing their pow CTS of observation and stimulating a lively interest in the phenomena Of na- ture- and the operation of natures laws. To make this work with nature Soth interesting and profitable and to | enable it to give vitality and direction to other subjects of the course a monthly or seasonal plan should be fol- | lowed Teachers should follow an out line providing study of plants and ani-
 mals when striking or characteristic | features are in evidence"
 Continuing, Mr Miller spoke of agri-
 cultural education as it is related 10 | the actual classroom and concerns the
 teachers work in rural schools. He l recommends that the teaching of ag.i- culture be related to the problems of
 the community and that the classroom work be presented at time when the l principles involved are being prac-
 tlced or should be practiced on the | farms of that particular section. By | this method of procedure two things 1 may be accomplished: The classroom 1 work is vitalized by having timely material at hand for work and the
 things that are best to do on the com 1 Dunitys farms are taught at the time | they should be brought to the atten- tion of the children and the parents
 For the teacher he advises that the | textbook be supplemented with the | abundant supply of free and avail | able agricultural literature, such as the 1 publications of the state experiment | stations. the United States department | of agriculture and valuable material found in farm papers These publica- tions and bulletins are used in many | schools where the teachers are seri-
 ously interested in teaching agricul-
 ture and avail themselves of the op- rortunity to secure additional material for classes and for their patrons who study farm problems. The country
 school library should contain some books on farming and on country life.
 both for classroom reference and so that the pupils may become familiar with the sources of reliable informa- | ton concerning the farmers business and may learn how to secure and use | this information.
 Mir. Miller urges that besides the | study of agricultural literature there
 be actual contact with agricultural
 ri riaterials. simple exercises with soils l and plants: excursions to farms for the purpose of observing good practice | good animals and good equipment: re- rorts from pupils regarding methods practiced at home and projects with
 vegetables crops, fruits poultry, pigs and bees.
 "The demonstration club" says Mir Miller, "has proven the educational | value of projects for boys and girls. ii it be good for a few, it is good fnr all. Each pupile should be required ] to choose and carry on a project ac- coroing to scientific instructions, and 1t may be added that any person will
 find considerable interest in conduct ing some project as a hobby or as g | diversion aside from his office work or profession. This work should be a part of the prescribed course in ele- rIentary agriculture and proper recog- hilton should be given 1t by assigning
 suitable school credits. It appears to B-e that there is an opportunity fol
 the public school system of the state to vitalize the rural common schools and cause them to function as real living forces in the rural uplift moy O. nlent.
 Speaking of vitalizing the rural
 common school brings to mind one ot o-f tvrat1 4,v, | ouiring agriculture in the school
 tourse; that is it's influence by cor relation on the other public school subjects. In language the children should talk and write about the farm. They can express themselves better in that subject than in any other and il | should be the one In which most in- should sketch the products of the gar den, orchard and field. Countries, sec tions cities, lines of transportation, 1 industrial centers, peoples and cli- nlatic conditions are readily fixed in the minds of pupils when associated in the matters of production, distrihu- tion and consumption with the agricul. tural products of their community The importance of arithmetic Is made self evident to pupils and patrons when ii Is used as a means of solving the iproblems of the project and of the farm.
 Tt is true that such course as this means breaking away from our edu- cational traditions and it will meet l much opposition. Such work, if made to serve it's purpose, must be presented | by teachers who have a sympathetic attitude toward it. They must feel themselves of the country, for the country and must believe in the coun- try. They must see in the intelligent citizen-farmer real benefactor and fhe embodiment of an honorable, dig nified vocation.
 While the attitude of the teacher toward rural life is the first essential. preparation for the work is second only to it as a qualification. A thorough
 knowledge of the fundamentals of ele- tmentary agriculture Is necessary.
 Knowledge of its practical application as manifested in the school and home garden, the club activities, and the
 more common practices of the farm should supplement the theory.
 I with such an attitude and such
 training the teacher of the country school becomes a recognized leader. With such a leader and with such T vitalized course of instruction the