386 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



The strength of the agriculturists' argument for the inauguration 

 of courses in the schools has usually pertained to the immense economic 

 significance. But the successful teaching of agriculture in the school 

 along with the traditional courses depends, like all the rest, upon its 

 being regarded and developed as a humanistic subject as well. It will 

 have to " make good " pedagogically if it is to have a permanent place. 3 

 But it is also likely that pedagogy will have to recognize some new 

 educational values before the subject can be considered in good stand- 

 ing by schoolmen. When educational ideals include the highest ideals 

 of social efficiency the economic will, of course, be included. But until 

 there is a recognition of something more than economic ideals there 

 may be danger of the industrial reform getting in the way of educa- 

 tional progress, to the ultimate detriment of both. 



A usable pedagogy is necessary to the solution of this problem. If 

 pedagogy does not afford the principles and terms with which to treat 

 the subject it is a sign that we need a new pedagogy. 4 Those who seek 

 unity in education should insist that the " science of education " pro- 

 ceed to attack the problem with such means as it possesses. The result 

 may be worth as much to education as to agriculture. 



Without guiding educational principles the common mistake regard- 

 ing this subject is to suppose that agricultural materials have inherent 

 qualities which determine how they should be marshaled in the course. 

 The result is the confusing variety of mechanically graded topics which 

 secondary courses in agriculture present. As a matter of fact any 

 purely agricultural theme will have phases which might be appropriate 

 for any grade. The thesis here maintained is that the child's mind and 

 body, rather than the materials, should be the controlling factors that 

 determine all courses of study and that in the high school these must 

 first, in this case, determine the organization of the sciences. For the 



3 " In the study of the concrete problems of education, we need a guiding 

 principle; we need a formula that will cover every case that is presented; we 

 need to know what education means in its simplest terms. Having such a prin- 

 ciple we shall have a basis for interpretation — a criterion, perhaps, for approval 

 or condemnation. Lacking such a principle, our results will be the merest 

 empiricism, valuable it may be as separate facts, but totally inadequate to the 

 needs of constructive effort." — Bagley, "The Educative Process," p. 3. 



' ' Experience in teaching, covering several years in graded-school work, in 

 an academy, and in a normal school, leads to the conviction that no subject 

 requires more sound knowledge of the principles of pedagogy than does the sub- 

 ject of agriculture." — Abbey, "Normal School Instruction in Agriculture," p. 9. 



4 "New and fundamental concepts regarding educational principles are now 

 needed which square with centralized and systematized industry. ' ' — Carlton, 

 "Education and Industrial Evolution," p. 13. 



"If pedagogy or education is to be permanently ranked among the sciences, 

 it must find data in addition to that furnished by cultural imperatives and 

 psychological investigations." — Carlton, "Education and Industrial Evolution," 

 p. 18. 



