6 ANNUAl^ liEFoHT oK IHE Off. Doc. 



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The policy of this school is determiued to a large extent, and is wisely 

 direeited, by Kabbi Krauskopf. A second reason for calling atten- 

 tion to this institution is that it is fostered by the State through 

 a biennial appropriation of |15,00U. It is believed that there is a 

 considerable field of usefulness for -sAork of Jhe character that t''"*^ 

 school is doing, and it is deserving of the commendation of this 

 Department. 



A few of the rural high schools in Pennsylvania, and particularly 

 that at Waterford, in Erie County, have developed courses of instruc- 

 tion in agriculture. This movement is a very important one, and its 

 development is a thing greatly to be desired. The rural high school 

 reaches rural sentiment in a way that is imi>ossible for a dista.it 

 college. Of course the agricultural instruction furnished in a high 

 school must be rather elementary, but if it is well thought out and 

 systematized it may be made to be of much value. By means of it, 

 the reas'on for things is emphasized and the pupils are placed in 

 position to draw sound conclusions from ascertained facts. Pro- 

 fessor L. H. Bailey, in an address on "The Schools of the Future,'' 

 expresses himself as follows: "In an agricultural community, for 

 example, all the farms of the neighborhood will atford training in 

 the elements of failure and success. There is no reason why the 

 pupils should not know wliy and how a man succeeds with his 

 orchard or dairy or factory, as well as to have the cj'clopedic infor- 

 mation about the names of capes and mountains, dates, and the 

 like; and w^hy should not every good farmer explain his operations to 

 the pupils? Such work, if well done, would vitalize the school and 

 lift it clean out of the ruts of tradition and custom. It would make 

 a wholly new enterprise of the school, rendering it as broad and 

 significant and native as the community itself; not a puny exotic eff- 

 ort for some reason dropped down in the neighborhood. When the 

 public schools begin to touch experience and pursuits in a perfectly 

 frank and natural way, we hope that persons who have money to give 

 for education will bestow some of it on elementary and country 

 schools, where it will reach the very springs of life." Thisi idea is 

 gradually being accepted and it means much for tlie improvement of 

 country life. 



The Veterinary Department of the University of Pennsylvania 

 must also be mentioned as one of the important institutions of the 

 State for furnishing instruction in some of the subjects allied to 

 agriculture. This Department was established in 1884, and has 

 been conducted by the University since that time. It has always 

 been hampered by lack of funds, and its work has been made pos- 

 sible through the generosity' of a few philanthropic citizens of Phila- 

 delphia and by the self-sacrificing devotion of members of its teach- 

 ing staff. It has graduated nearly 400 veterinarians, many of whom 

 are sons of Pennsylvania farmers, and many are located in the rural 

 districts of Pennsylvania. The importance of preventing infections 

 diseases of animals and of developing animnl hygiene is generally 

 recognized. The ruinous losses that have affected many com- 

 munities and countries and that have come from neglect of the 

 teachings of veterinary science are such as to make clear the grea* 

 need for the kind of work that this school is doing. The State lias 

 assisted the University of Pennsylvania in providing a building to 

 house this school, but thus far, no api)ropriation has been nindc 



