The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1916-09-22
AGRICULTURE FOR
MARYLAND SCHOOLS
Specially Prepared Text Book
For County Schools
Adopted
Home and School Interests
Brought in Close Touch
Lessons Relate To Activities In Cur.
rent Farm Life-VaIue To Pupils
Depends On Practical
Application.

College Park, Md, Sept. 21.-Many
| Maryland Counties are including the
teaching Of agriculture into their rural
schools this fall. This has been made
| possible through the introduction Of
a specially prepared text book issued
at cost under the joint authority Of
the U. S. Department of Agriculture
and The Maryland State College of
Agriculture. This text book is so pre-
pared as to increase the efficiency
of instruction in other subjects rather
than being the means of adding to the
teachers burdens. The purpose of this
text book, which is entitled, "Elemen-
land Schools" is well presented in the
preface, which reads, "These lessons
are outlined after a monthly sequence
plan and are intended to be adapted to
The seasonal, agricultural and school
conditions of Maryland It is hoped
that by presenting lessons in the sub
5ect Of agriculture at the time the prin-
ciples in these lessons are practiced
or should be practiced on the farms
of the community, two things may be
accomplished; namely, the classroom
work may be greatly vitalized by hav-
ing timely material at hand for prac-
teal work and the things that are best
to do on the community farms are
taught at the time they should be
done
"The lessons are developed quite
fully, but in addition to this, refer
ences are made to the text books most
commonly used in the State as class
assignments and to the available pub
locations Of the United States Depart
ment Of Agriculture and the Maryland
State College of Agriculture as teach
ers' reading. By carefully studying
the reference literature, the teachers
are able to supplement the lessons
outlined to the advantage of the pupils.
After making careful study OF
school conditions in the State, it is
recognized that only limited number
of lessons in agriculture can be taught
by the greatly burdened teachers,
hence these outlines contain ordinarily
two. and never more than three, les
sons a week. It is considered advis-
able to combine the sixth and seventh
grades in agriculture and some other
subject, as physiology, and alternate
the lessons in these subjects. That is,
when two lessons in agriculture are
provided for a week, assign three les
sons in physiology, and when three
lessons in agriculture are provided, as
sign two lessons in physiolgy. In this
way, the work may be carried on and
still not overburden the teachers
schedule.
"The practical exercises suggested,
take the direction very largely of club
activities or home projects. 1t is urged
that the teachers emphasize this phase
of the work and in making up class
records, give it equal weight with the
recitation grade Teaching agricul-
ture and correlating it with other sub
iects cannot be made effective unless
the pupil demonstrates the principles
taught in some kind of farm project
and Utilities the project experiences In
vitalizing the other subjects In the
school course"