SOCIAL PROBLEMS OF AMERICAN FARMERS 755 



instruction; it permits the employment of special teachers, as for 

 nature-study or agriculture; it increases the efficiency of superin- 

 tendence; it costs but little, if any, more than the district system; it 

 leaves the school amid rural surroundings, while introducing into the 

 school-room itself a larger volume, so to speak, of world-atmosphere; 

 it contains possibilities for community service; it can easily be 

 expanded into a high school of reputable grade. 



There are two dangers, both somewhat grave, likely to arise 

 from an urgent campaign for centralization. Even if the move- 

 ment makes as great progress as could reasonably be expected, for 

 a generation to come a large share, if not a major portion, of rural 

 pupils will still be taught in the small, isolated, district school; 

 there is danger that this district school may be neglected. Moreover, 

 increased school machinery always invites undue reliance upon 

 machine-like methods. Centralization permits, but does not 

 guarantee, greater efficiency. A system like this one must be 

 vitalized by constant and close touch with the life and needs and 

 inspirations of the rural community itself. 



Wherever centralization is not adopted, the consolidation of two 

 or three schools --a modified form of centralization -- may prove 

 helpful. Where the district school still persists, there are one or 

 two imperative requirements. Teachers must have considerably 

 higher wages and longer tenure. There must be more efficient 

 supervision. The state must assist in supporting the school, although 

 only in part. The small schools must be correlated with some form 

 of high school. The last point is of great importance because of the 

 comparative absence in country communities of opportunity near 

 at hand for good high-school training. 



Agricultural education is distinctively technical, not in the re- 

 stricted sense of mere technique or even of applied science, but 

 in the sense that it must be frankly vocational. It has to do with 

 the preparation of men and women for the business of farming and 

 for life in the rural community. 



Agricultural education should begin in the primary school. In 

 this school the point of view, however, should be broadly pedagogical 

 rather than immediately vocational. Fortunately, the wise teaching 

 of nature-study, the training of pupils to know and to love nature, 

 the constant illustrations from the rural environment, the continual 

 appeal to personal observation and experience, absolute loyalty to 

 the farm point of view, are not only sound pedagogy, but form the 

 best possible background for future vocational study. Whether 

 we call this early work " nature-study " or call it " agriculture ' 

 matters less than that the fundamental principle be recognized. It 

 must first of all educate. The greatest difficulty in introducing such 

 work into the primary school is to secure properly equipped teachers. 



