230 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan., 



the work outlined in this pamphlet will go a long way toward 

 developing a course of study in agriculture. The State board 

 sends out to those who request it a box of materials for per- 

 forming the experiments suggested. The pamphlet contains 

 also a list of the books which will best serve as aids in this 

 work. To this list should be added "Agriculture for Begin- 

 ners," published by Ginn & Co. 



It is well to recognize that certain difficulties will attend the 

 introduction of the subject into the schools. In most places it 

 will not be successfully developed unless the sentiment of the 

 community or at least of the school committee is actively favor- 

 able. The subject will be a difficult one for the young women 

 who teach the country schools. It lies outside their interests 

 and experiences. Burdened as they are with much other work 

 it should not be expected that they should develop a radically 

 new subject unaided. The committee should, in consultation 

 wuth the teacher, definitely outline the work to be accomplished 

 and should see to it that the teacher is furnished with the 

 materials to work with. I feel confident that valuable work 

 may be done, and effectively done, wherever the community 

 desires it and will support it. 



Henry T. Burr. 



Mr. HoLMAN. Mr. President, I was hoping to say a few 

 words after Mr. Burr had spoken. I remember writing to 

 the Agricultural College, and at the same time to the principal 

 of the Normal School at Willimantic, in regard to this subject. 

 I had come to feel the great importance of the subject. I 

 hoped very strongly that Mr. Burr would put in an appearance, 

 and that we should hear from a practical teacher in the public 

 schools how he proposes to train public school teachers to do 

 this kind of work. At the time I wrote these letters I remem- 

 ber I suggested that the Normal School at Willimantic and 

 the Agricultural College at Storrs take counsel together, and 

 should work together in solving this question, so that it would 

 be of value to the state. The importance of this subject has 

 come to me from my life in the country and from my interest 

 in the responsibility for the schools of the community. 



