130 



scholars each day. coiisultiiij,' with ivyanl to the iiuiirovcinoiit of the coiulitious 

 that exist at his home in the direction in which the instrnction is iriven. 



V\»n\ the completion of the course the teacher would move t<N another center 

 and there conduct a similar school. B.v this method there would he left in each 

 farminj; district where the school is held at least ten or twelve i»ersons fitted 

 for doiuK the thin.sis that had heen taui^ht. forming a corps of resident practical 

 demonstrators and instructors whose influence, example, and teachini,' would 

 he constantly at work for the hetterment of those among whom they live. These 

 schools can he varied and nmltiplied according to the needs of the various com- 

 munities. 



In this way continuous insti-uction could he given throughout the year, and 

 permanent occupation he provided for skilled specialists, to wh'om there would 

 be opened up a career in institute work that does not now exist. 



The iiracticc farm. — The graduates in agriculture in the land-grant colleges 

 lack (lualitication for taking charge of important agricultural interests by rea- 

 son of their inexiterience in business methods, in the control of labor, and in 

 condu<-ting the details of successful farming. Facilities for developing these 

 qualities, essential in successful agriculture, the colleges now fail to furnish. 



If each land-grant institution had under its control from five to twenty or 

 more farms of from 10 to 50 acres each, distributed throughout the State, 

 equipped for carrying on the various operations of agriculture, and would place 

 them in charge of her graduate agricultural students that they might gain expe- 

 rience in the practical operations of farming, a much needed and valuable addi- 

 tion to the present course in agricultural education would be supplied. 



The graduates in charge would be under the general direction of the officers 

 of the institvttion. and would be expected to continue for two or three years, 

 serving at a nominal salary, keeping the Iwoks. directing the labor, planning 

 new work, conducting all of the operations, and reporting results. 



The farms could be s])ecialized to any extent. One might be devoted to dairy- 

 ing in one or all its branches, another to the breeding or feeding of stock, 

 another to poultry rearing, another to market gardening or to greenhouse 

 products or floriculture, another to horticulture, and some to general farming. 



Such practice farms would not only fit agricultural graduates f(U" entering 

 upon their own farms and conducting them successfully, but would also pro- 

 vide a supi)ly of experienced managers for experiment and demonstration work 

 and for the oversight of large estates. 



Is it not the obvious duty of the land-grant colleges to occu])y these fields in 

 college extension work by oi'iranizing their faculties of instruction and otherwise 

 ecpiipping themselves for projjcrly conducting correspondence courses, for enga- 

 ging more fully in the farnun-s" institute work, for conducting movable schools of 

 agriculture, and for establishing lu'actice farms, utilizing these agencies for 

 reaching and assisting the great agricultural class, whose liberal and practical 

 education in agriculture they have pledged themselves to promote? 



FIELD III. — NORMAL SCHOOLS OF AGRICULTURE. 



Experts are needed for : 



(a) Farmers' institute instructors. 



(1)) Teachers in movable schools of agriculture. 



(c) Field demonstration work. 

 There are three sources of supply : 



(1) From the membership of the faculties of the agricultural colleges and 

 the experiment station staffs. 



(2) From a special force of experts employed l)y the agricultur.il colleges as 

 field men. who are also itinerant instructors in agriculture. 



(3) From among cajtable farmers who have notably succeeded in at least 

 one imixtrtant dep.-irtment of agriculture. 



Teachers of the first two classes will necessarily almost all be college- 

 trained men. graduates who have t.aken the full 4-year course and have had 

 experience as teachers, experimenters, or practical demonstrators in agriculture. 

 The ninniier of such men availaltle for .-igricultural extension work will always 

 be inade(|uate. But whether many t)r few. a normal school would be helpful 

 ni training them in the art of jjresentation and in extension methods. 



The remaining resource is to secure from among the most intelligent, capable, 

 and successful farmers such as show aptitude for teaching and give them addi- 

 tional training in the specialty that they have pursued. For this normal 

 schools of agriculture ought to be provided. 



