The midland journal., 1916-04-21
GUIDE TO TEACHING
AGRICULTURAL IS ISSUED
Agricultural College Bulletin Contains
Many Suggestions Helpful TO Seth
Young And Old.

M&Hy ON09oSrionS Fetpful o 5CSh
Young And Old.
Elementary Vocational Agriculture
for Maryland Schools" the first text
book of its nature ever issued by an
agricultural college, has been pre-
pared by the States Relations Service
Of the United States Department Of
Agriculture, in cooperation with the
Maryland Agricultural College and the
Maryland State Department of Public
Education. 1t is designed to interest
the children Of rural Maryland in the
things that are going on around them,
and the Maryland Agricultural College
has arranged to furnish it to the
schools of the State at cost
The lessons in vocational agrlcul--
ture were outlined by e. A. Miller,
specialist in agricultural education
with the States Relations Service, un-
der the direction of c. H. Lane, chief
specialist in agricultural education
with the service. The technical con-
tents, which have special reference to
Maryland conditions, were furnished
by the following professors of the
Maryland Agricultural College: w. T.
L. Taliaferro, S. S. Buckley, J. B. S.
Norton, Herman Beckenstrater, ]. =.
Metzger, R. H. Ruffner, E. N. Cory, &.
w. Anspon, C. o. Bruce, Nicholas
Schmitz. G. E. Wolcott, Roy H. Waite.
w. R. Ballard and Thomas H. White.
Lessons Are Timely.
The lessons are outlined after a
monthly sequence plan and adapted to
the seasonal, agricultural and school
conditions of Maryland. By presenting
lessons in the subject of agriculture at
the time the principles in these les
sons should be practiced on the farms
of the community, two objects Were
in view: the vitalizing of classroom
work by having timely material at
hand for practical work, and the teach
ing of what is best to do at the time
it should be done.
Recognizing that the school condi-
tions of the State make impracticable
the giving of more than two, and at
the most three, lessons in agriculture
cttCA W0Chy I1lO UOOh LOS OOCA ctNAdPSOA
to these conditions. The work is ar
ranged to cover the nine months of the
school year, although suggestions for
actual management are also provided
for the months of June, July and Au-
gust.
Brings Farm And School Together.
The practical exercises suggested in
the book take the direction very large
ly of club activities and home projects.
1t is urged by the author that the
teachers emphasize this phase of the
work. Teaching agriculture and cor
relating it with other subjects" Mr..
Miller says, cannot be made effective
unless the pupil demonstrates the
principles taught in some kind of farm
project and utilizes the project ex.
periences in vitalizing the other sub
jects in the school course"
The correlation exercises set forth
in connection with each lesson are
largely suggestive. These are intend
ed to indicate how the teacher may
take advantage of the experiences and
problems the pupils meet in their club
and project work to give vitality to the
subjects Of English, arithmetic, geog-
raphy, history. drawing and the like.
Although elementary Vocational
Agriculture for Maryland Schools" is
primarily an outline-to guide ths
teacher, and secondarily as textbook
for pupils, it has a wealth Of informa-
ton of a very practical nature of value
and interest to the men and women on
the farms as well.