334 KKl'OKT OF OFFICE OF l■:Xl'ElaMl■:^•T STATIONS. 



Tliinl. Tliat in tlio townshii) or otlu-i- disliiictivcly iinal liigli school, and In 

 tlif villa.uc lii;:li scliools attiMult'd liy a coiisidci'al)!!' imiiilicr oT impils from tlio 

 rtiuiilry. a iiiodilicatioii of cdiirsi's of study sliould he made which sliall provide 

 tor tiu' introdiu'tion of woiic, especially in tlie cloiiuMits of aj?i"icultiire and 

 domestic science, and such furtlicr lines of industrial cducatioii as loc;il <-ondi- 

 tions may make fcasihlo. To make this work a success, teachers naist lie secured 

 wln> have made special pri'i)aration for it. For sucli schools a text-book treating 

 botany from an agricultural and economic standpoint is greatly needed. 



Fourth. That while the agricultural or industrial high school is found in but 

 few localities, the character of th(> work already done in the existing schools of 

 this class, the interest they awakc-n, and tlie hearty support they receive from 

 the agricultural communities maintaining them, the history of these schools in 

 foreign countries, the value of their work both for disciplinary and practical 

 purposes, all combine to ]tresent the strongest reasons for the organization of 

 schools of this type in large numbers in agricultural connnunities. So thoroughly 

 is the committee convinced of the imi)ortance of industrial education in rural 

 conuniHiities, and what is essential for making this education eff«'ctive, that in 

 their opinion the establishment of secondary schools distinctively industrial in 

 their character, and of the type mentioned, is an absolute necessity for the 

 proper development and organization of the rural school system. 



Fifth. That the agricultural colleges and experiment stations have already 

 done nuich in the formulation of a body of knowledge essential in the field of 

 industrial education, but that more yet remains to be done in putting this body 

 of knowledge into available form for use in elementary and secondary schools, 

 and that effort in this direction should be made a prominent feature in the work 

 of tlie agricultural colleges of the country. 



Sixtli. 'Thiit the mastery of such parts of this rapidly developing body of 

 knowledge as is within the capabilities of elementally and secondary school 

 pupils, furnishes a mental training unsurpassed in extent and (luality l)y tlu; 

 mastery of any other body of knowledge now^ regarded as essential in our 

 common school courses and requiring an equal amount of time ; and that for 

 utility value it is not equaled by any other body of knowledge at present 

 acquired through the expenditure of the same amount of time and effort. 



Seventh. That for the improvement of educational conditions in rural com- 

 munities, the people in those connnunities must be educated to see and appre- 

 ciate the possibilities and value of industrial education ; that tjie value of this 

 kind of education in increasing the productive capacity of those being educiited 

 is the argument which appeals most strongly to the rural population. Therefore, 

 in the beginnings of indu.strial education in any community, innnediate, practical 

 results that will appeal directly to the interests of the people who support and 

 maintain the schools must be made prominent by those concerned with its 

 develoiiuient. 



Eighth. That the courses of study in rural schools should be framed with 

 reference to meeting the needs of the children in those communities, and not 

 with reference to preparing a small i)ercentage of these children to enter higher 

 schools whose courses of study are formulated, not to meet the needs of the 

 great majority of those who attend them, but to prepare the remaining small 

 minority to enter some still higher school. 



Ninth. That it is possible and desirable so to organize the rural school system 

 as to present an articulated series of schools from the elementary school to and 

 including the agricultural college, in which the work at every stage shall be 

 planned and administered with reference to the needs of the pupils at that stage 

 without the elimination of any valuable feature in the present school system, 



