wilsonj corn coxtests and agricultural work 51 



question of the value of an admixture of earth, growing plants, 

 fresh air, blue sky, and warm sunshine to growing boys and girls. 

 The human race, like Antaeus, renews its vigor every time it 

 touches Mother Earth. 



CORN CONTESTS AND AGRICULTURAL WORK 



By G. M. WILSON 

 Superintendent of Schools, Danville, Ind. 



I became convinced some years ago that there existed a pre- 

 judice against the farm among common-school and high-school 

 graduates. After considerable study and research and some 

 experimenting, I decided that agriculture in our schools would 

 overcome this prejudice and would also do for our country boys 

 what manual training is doing for our city boys. 



The work being done in other States and other countries was 

 especially encouraging to me. The elements of agriculture and 

 domestic science are being taught throughout the length and 

 breadth of Italy in rural schools. The people heartily support 

 the movement. Thousands of small tracts of land (valued at 

 over 1,000,000 lire) have been donated as school-gardens and 

 experimental fields. The present minister of education says: 

 "Agriculture now succeeds where manual training failed, because 

 the people are interested." The course in agriculture is further 

 adapted to local needs. Silk culture is emphasized in one dis- 

 trict, stock raising in another; the vineyard in one part, the 

 olive and orange trees in another. 



In France, Germany, in Scandinavia, agriculture is thoroughly 

 established, the people's high schools of Norway being a special 

 feature in that country. Even old Spain is w^aking up and is now 

 planning for half a dozen agricultural colleges, after the Ameri- 

 can pattern, these to form the apex of a system that shall reach 

 downward and outward to the district schools. 



To come nearer home, what is being done in our country? I 

 had long known of the Hampton and Tuskegee schools. I was a 

 little surprised to find agriculture established in the district 

 schools of Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Tennessee, and in 

 the high schools of Vermont and Alabama. I was pleased to find 

 the movement encouraged by such able men as Dean Russell of 

 Teachers College, Columbia University, and the late President 

 Harper of Chicago University. 



