PROGKESS IN AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. 19 



prominent topic of discussion at its last convention. The president 

 of the association in his annual adress, delivered before thousands of 

 teachers, commended the teaching of agriculture in public schools 

 in strong terms, pointing out its advantages to the people in rural 

 communities, and to the nation as well, in the greater efficiency of 

 its agricultural population. The subject was also referred to in a 

 report upon the educational progress of the year, and was the main 

 subject considered in the report of a special committee on industrial 

 education in schools for rural communities. In this report it was 

 maintained that the rural schools should recognize the fact that the 

 major portion of their pupils will continue to live upon the farm, 

 and should provide specific, definite, technical training fitting them 

 for the activities of farm life. 



The reports of man}^ other educational meetings have contained 

 numerous papers and discussions on the subject of agricultural edu- 

 cation and so, too, have the columns of hundreds of newspapers and 

 magazines. Three elementary text-books of agriculture and many 

 bulletins, pamphlets, and circulars, containing courses of study and 

 exercises in agriculture, nature stud}^, and school gardens suitable 

 for secondary and elementary schools have been prepared during the 

 year by teachers in our agi'icultural colleges and schools. But the 

 demand for agricultural literature suitable for the common schools 

 ha^ not been satisfied. Book publishers are seeking for men who 

 can prepare the right kind of elementary agricultural text-books, 

 and many county newspapers have been printing syndicated lessons 

 in elementary agriculture. School courses in agriculture have been 

 conducted in a few localities with such a degree of success as to give 

 a strong impetus to the establishment of special schools of agri- 

 culture and the inauguration of agricultural courses in the public 

 elementary and secondary schools. During the past year at least a 

 dozen States have entered the list of those giving encouragement to 

 work of this nature, so that now more than thirty States either en- 

 courage or permit the teaching of agriculture in public schools. In 

 two States high school work in agriculture is now recognized in re- 

 quirements for admission to college and university courses. Chil- 

 dren's garden work has made such a strong appeal to educators in 

 cities that three large cities have given it definite recognition by 

 appropriating public funds for its support and appointing officers 

 to supervise it. 



With the rapid growth in sentiment and action toward placing the 

 benefits of an agricultural education within easy reach of all people 

 in rural communities have come demands upon the Office of Experi- 

 ment Stations for assistance in many forms which, with its present 

 income and staff, it is impossible to give. The Office has continued, 

 however, to represent this Department in matters relating to agri- 



