106 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



DEPARTMENT. OF HISTORY AND POLITICAL ECONOMY. 



To the President: 



Sir — I have the honor to submit the following report concerning the 

 work done in the department of History and Political Economy during 

 the year 1897-98: 



My duties as teacher during the school years indicated above began 

 with the winter term. A class consisting of twenty-three students, 

 mostly seniors, was given instruction five days per week during this term 

 in economics. A class of seniors numbering nine recited in logic five days 

 per week, also, while the junior class, numbering twenty-three met each 

 school day during the term in the study of civics. The general method 

 of conducting these classes has been much the same as that outlined to 

 your in former reports and in the College Catalogue. The texts used in 

 the classes metioned were, respectively, Walker's Political Economy, 

 Jevon's Logic and Fiske's Civil Government, together with Hoffman's 

 Sphere of the State. 



An additional subject was intrusted to this department during the 

 spring term in the study of General History, given in the Woman's 

 Course. The class during this term numbered twenty-six, using Fisher's 

 History of the Nations as a text, and recited each school day in the term. 

 The customary course in the Constitutional History of the United States 

 was given to a senior class of fifteen during this term and a short course 

 of ten lectures on the history of agriculture in our country was given, 

 as in the two previous years, to the class of seniors in agriculture. 



During this year the study of Logic was transferred from my care to 

 the department of English, where it could be more closely connected 

 with the study of composition than before. 



Not a little attention has been given during the year to considering and 

 selecting desirable books in history and economics for the library. The 

 number of new books in these subjects each year is so vast that a judi- 

 cious selection is almost as difficult as it is necessary. 



In conclusion, I wish to thank yourself and the State Board of Agri- 

 culture for the benefits of a stay of six months in Europe, comprising 

 the autumn term of this year and the preceding vacation. Most of this 

 time was spent in Germany, in a study of Old World society and condi- 

 tions, which I hope will prove helpful in teaching civics and economics. 

 The remainder was used largely in England, where the acquaintanceship 

 made with English places and institutions which constitute so much 

 of English history must be useful in teaching that history as well as 

 our own. 



Very respectfullv submitted, 



WILBUR O. HEDRICK, 



Assistant Professor in History and Political Economy. 



