No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 181 



CAPABLE OF EXPANSION. 



Another feature of these institute normal schools of agriculture 

 is that they are flexible, capable of unlimited expansion at very lit- 

 tle increased cost. No money is needed for apparatus or libraries 

 or buildings or land, animals or equipment. All that is expended 

 goes into teaching and all that is required for expansion is to add 

 from time to time to the faculties of instructors as the students in- 

 crease and the courses of study multiply. A greater or less number 

 of states can unite as circumstances warrant; the number can be re- 

 adjusted as experience demonstrates to be necessary. 



PLACE INSTITUTE EDUCATION WHERE IT BELONGS. 



The union system, moreover, will interest all of the colleges and 

 experiment stations in the institute work; will give the advantage 

 of wise counsel in the preparation of its courses of study; will se- 

 cure uniformity in teaching and in the subjects taught and will place 

 the moulding of institute education where it legitimately belongs, 

 in the hands of institutions whose distinctive work is to give instruc- 

 tion in agriculture. 



INSTRUCTION BY LECTURERS. '! 



The instruction in such a school would of necessity be given by 

 lectures. To make these lectures most useful in their immediate 

 effect as well as permanently valuable, and also that the time of the 

 professors and students may be most advantageously used, full notes 

 and a syllabus should be prepared and printed by the instructors for 

 distribution to their classes before the lectures begin. No lecturer 

 should be engaged to teach who would not supply such a syllabus. 

 It is important that the students shall have the lectures throughout 

 in the exact form in wiiich the lecturer presents them, inasmuch as 

 many of the facts given are to be quoted in their subsequent work 

 as teachers in the farmers' institutes of the country. 



INITIATING THE MOVEMENT. 



Who shall take the initiative in the inauguration of such a set of 

 schools? First — The plan should be approved by the American As- 

 sociation of Farmers' Institute Workers, and second — It should be- 

 taken up by the National Association of Agricultural Colleges and 

 Experiment Stations and thoroughly discussed in all of its details.. 

 If found to be feasible, a meeting of the State institute directors^, 

 with representatives of the National Association of Agricultural Col- 

 leges and Experiment Stations could be had, the plans be perfected, 

 the states be grouped, teachers be selected, and all arrangements 

 made for the immediate opening of the schools. 



