The Lehi sun. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1913-1949, 1922-10-05
AGRICULTURE
IN THE SCHOOLS
Material Supplied by the Utah Aari-
cultural College. Department
Of Education

The methods OF education have I'm.
dergone, and are still undergoing. con-
slant change. In the past, courses
were often begun by teaching sub
jects that were fnrthest from pupils
experience, such rs, giving the child
facts about distant lands. the rein.
deer In Siberia, and the rings around
Saturn instead of directing his atten-
ton to the cattle on the hillside and
the soil beneath his feet.
Today we are coming to realize
that the proper way to teach a child
Is to build wisely on the knowledge
nich he already has, and gradually
.ead from the known to the unknown.
This is true OF the entire school cur
riculum. The early studies OF the
ND should have some connection
hth his daily life. the abstract be-
ing LETT until his mind is more ma
tuTe.
The study of agriculture lends It.
self particularly well TO this Idea.
Practically everything with which II
deals the child may be familiar with.
This may not be entirely true OF the
child in the large city. He is not so
familiar with these things as the one
raised In the open country: hence his
interest in them win not bo the same.
but this interest may be aroused by
awakening in him deslre to know
just where the things with which he
is familiar come from. the clothes
which he wears and the food which
he eats.
The old Idea Of education was to
get away from the practical, the
things which the common people knew
about. Today we are aiming TO study
the commonplace things of life. Not
entirely. but enough to give the pupil
the proper point OF view TOWARD the
work OF the world. II he does not
have liking for the commonplace
n his surroundings. his education has
ALLEN short II he is to realize the
yreatoFt happiness out of life he must
feel klnshlp for all that is about
him, both animate and inanlmnte.
Agriculture cannot be made a force
for good in the schools by simply de-
string II 20 be. In the first place the
right kind OF teachers must be had.
The teacher must have love Cor It
and be able 10 give that same love to
the pupils. He must establish the
right attitude and stimulate obserya-
ton on the part OF the student.
Not only must the teacher OF ag-
riculture have liking for his work
but he must have proper training.
especlalls in view of the fact that this
field of study Is new and the subject
matter not well organized. IL must
be made living subjecr or II 10
worse than useless. Excursions to
nearby fields, gardens, dnhfes. and
hills are always enjoyed by chlldren
and II properly conducted are one OF
the most useful phases OF agricultural
instruction. Little experiments. even
when conducted under difficulties viii
be found 20 stimulate great interest
and give the subject practical APP
pllcatlon that is impossible where only
classroom methods are used.
When school boards fully realize the
place that agricultural instruction can
I'LL in the public schools. and when
teachers with adequate preparation
and ability can be secured to give that
Instruction, WALKING OF rural edu-
cation may be looked for such as
never has been known I'm the history
of the world.