340 ANNUAL BEPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



and Fourth Years) and the other on Judging Sheep as a Subject of 

 Instruction in Secondary Schools, were published. Eleven circulars 

 were also published in which up-to-date subject matter in a number 

 of branches of agriculture, prepared in cooperation with the bureaus 

 of the department, was presented in suitable form for use in sec- 

 ondary schools. A bulletin on the home project as a phase of voca- 

 tional agricultural education was prepared at the request of the Fed- 

 eral Board for Vocational Education, and submitted to the board for 

 publication. A bulletin on Lessons on Pork Production for Rural 

 Elementary Schools and a revision of one on Lessons on Corn for 

 Rural Elementary Schools were issued. A similar bulletin on Les- 

 sons on Dairying for Rural Schools was prepared. The series of 

 leaflets on the use of individual Farmers' Bulletins in elementary 

 schools was continued and 10 were prepared, of which number 8 were 

 printed. The classijfied lists of publications, lists of references, 

 sources of material, etc., for school use increased in number. Be- 

 cause of the necessity of frequent revisions these lists are now multi- 

 graphed. 



Wliile the anticipated work under the Smith-Hughes vocational- 

 education act has stimulated certain secondary schools, it is quite 

 evident that there is an awakened interest in agricultural instruction 

 on the part of the elementary schools, normal schools, and other insti- 

 tutions. The number of schools reported as engaged in teaching agri- 

 culture has not increased at a phenomenal rate, but in many cases the 

 quality of the work has greatly improved. This was shown in an 

 increased demand for assistance on the part of many schools and col- 

 leges and has included the call for illustrative material, publications, 

 and information as to ways and means of teaching agriculture. 



The demand for lantern slides has been far in excess of that of any 

 other year, and the available sets have proven entirely inadequate. 

 The office has prepared lantern slide sets with lecture syllabi on How 

 to Teach Poultry Lessons, Sheep Judging and Breeds of Sheep, 

 Tomato Growing, and one set on phases of instruction in garden 

 practice. Sets which were previously in use are being revised and 

 lecture syllabi prepared for those which have none. Lantern-slide 

 circuits are being tried out in Wisconsin, North Dakota, and Texas 

 in cooperation with State officials. By this means sets of slides reach 

 many institutions in succession before they are returned to the office, 

 thus requiring less lost time for transportation. Plans have been 

 developed by means of which illustrative material of various types 

 may be made more available to schools in the several States, especi- 

 ally to help State officials to prepare duplicates of the material. 



The beginning of the administration of the Vocational Education 

 Act brought demands for a large amount of service which has been 

 rendered through correspondence or personal conferences. A mail- 

 ing list of the schools receiving aid has grown rapidly and the re- 

 quests for assistance have increased in proportion. Not less than 

 3,000 secondarj^ schools giving bona fide agricultural courses are now 

 on this list. 



A memorandum of cooperation between the Federal Board for 

 Vocational Education, the Bureau of Education of the Department 

 of the Interior, and the States Relations Service contemplates a 

 series of investigations under the Smith-Hughes Act, a part of which 



