DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 97 



2. I have organized four high schools for the teaching of agriculture 

 during the years 1909 and 1910. These are located at St. Louis, Otsego, 

 Hillsdale and Hudson. The men employed to teach agriculture are A. 

 J. Hutchins, K. G. Hoopingarner, C. W. Mason and B. H. Roberts. 



3. I have organized reading clubs in^ fourteen granges, one Arbor of 

 Gleaners and four farmers' clubs. The total number of readers during 

 the year has been 193 and so far as I can learn all are pleased and satis- 

 fied with the work. 



4. Upon careful investigation I find that a course in agriculture is 

 given in the normal schools at Mt. Pleasant and Kalamazoo, also a short 

 course is given in each of the forty-one county normal training classes. I 

 find also that some nature study and a few of the elements of agricul- 

 ture have been presented in about GOO rural schools of the state. 



In regard to the summer work at the college will say that 20 students 

 were enrolled during the summer of 1908. At this date 26 students are 

 enrolled for the summer courses of 1909. This does not include the for- 

 estry students. Among those enrolled are superintendents of schools, 

 one high school principal, six rural school teachers, five graduates of this 

 college and the balance are teachers of county normal training classes. 

 This is in brief an outline of the work in agricultural education for the 

 past year. 



Respectfully submitted, 

 WALTER H. FRENCH, 

 Professor of Agricultural Education. 

 East Lansing, Mich., June 30, 1909. 



MICHIGAN FARMERS' INSTITUTES. SUPERINTENDENT'S RE- 

 PORT. 



To President J. L. Snyder: 



Sir — The institute season just closed has, in every respect, been one of 

 more than usual success. Not only has the number of meetings been con- 

 siderably larger than in any previous year but the attendance and inter- 

 est were never surpassed. During the institute season regular meetings 

 Avere held in every county in the Lower Peninsula, except in Bay county, 

 and two stops of the institute train were made there. The number of 

 institutes in the Upper Peninsula was also fully as large as in previous 

 years. 



Previous to the opening of the regular institute work, the lecturers 

 were consulted regarding the holding of a Normal Institute at the col- 

 lege and, without exception, they expressed themselves as favorable to 

 the idea and agreed to attend a three-day normal institute at their own 

 exjiense. The meeting was held during the third Aveek in November and 

 all but three of the lecturers were in attendance and they had made their 

 plans to be here but were unavoidably kept at home. This was the fourth 

 in a series of normal institutes and from their very inception they have 

 been very helpful to the lecturers. The program has been largely de- 

 voted to addresses by members of the college faculty reg-arding the dis- 

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