NOTES FROM SCHOOLS 189 



agitation — not always intelligent. Here this phase is passing into 

 that of examination by educational people and withal an attempt 

 to formulate the conditions under which such instruction shall be 

 given, as well as the subject matter to be included. 



" I agree with all of those who have spoken that whatever is done 

 should be done cautiously, thus avoiding the fatal mistakes so apt to 

 be experienced in such a movement. 



" I also agree with those who oppose mandatory legislation to 

 introduce agricultural instruction into all the schools of any state. 

 But I do believe that in some schools, with some teachers, such work 

 in elementary agriculture can be profitably undertaken. Some excel- 

 lent text-books are already out and more will undoubtedly come in 

 response to a demand for them. The texts should be such as will 

 interest parents as well as pupils." 



Dr. True expressed the belief that school-garden work offers 

 peculiar advantages for elementary work. [Excerpt from Western 

 Jourtial of Education, March, 1906.] 



NOTES FROM SCHOOLS 



College Science Transferred to Nature-Study. A teacher in an 

 eastern school was recentlv criticized because she was giving too much 

 advanced science to her nature-study and geography classes. She replied in 

 all seriousness that she had spent time, energy and money in summer sessions 

 of prominent colleges and that she thought she ought to use the knowledge 

 gained by giving it to her pupils Perhaps it is the fear of letting good 

 knowledge go to waste that bads so many teachers to attempt pouring somewhat 

 diluted science courses into elementary-school pupils. 



Agriculture in Normal Schools. No one can graduate from the 

 Wisconsin normal schools without taking a course in elementary agriculture. 

 Furthermore, there are several county training schools whose particular 

 function is to teach agriculture to teachers of country schools. 



Pupils' Knowledge of Names of Plants and Animals. A recent 

 lesson in a fifth grade of a New York City school in the district known as 

 Manhattanville brought out the following facts as to pupils' familiarity with 

 names of common plants and animals. It was not a test in identification, 



