244 REPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



of agricultural education in the United States. The long struggle 

 for the adequate recognition of agriculture in colleges and universities 

 is essentially won. The influence of our leading agricultural insti- 

 tutions is now being felt in every quarter of our land. A healthful 

 competition to secure the best men and facilities for agricultural 

 instruction and research is rapidly spreading among the States. A 

 narrow and illiberal policy toward agriculture on the part of college 

 authorities is now possible only where college trustees and presidents 

 do not often get beyond their oa\ti door^^ard. College professors who 

 do not recognize the validity of the claims of agriculture to good stand- 

 ing in college and university programmes thereby proclaim themselves 

 mossbacks. 



The effort for the introduction of agriculture into the public 

 schools has reached the point where educators generalh' admit the 

 importance and desirability of such an enrichment of school pro- 

 grammes. The great body of school officers and teachers is rapidly 

 awakening to the fact that the ideals of education have actually so 

 far changed that studies in nature and the industries are now to be 

 considered essential parts of primary and secondary education, and 

 that if this is so agriculture in some form must be brought into the 

 public schools in both rural and urban communities. The questions 

 which remain to be answered relate to the details of carrying out the 

 conceded principles, including such matters as the extent of agricul- 

 tural instruction in secondary and primary schools, methods of 

 teaching, preparation of teachers, etc. ' 



The rapid growth of popular appreciation of the value and impor- 

 tance of agricultural education and research is putting a heavj^ 

 responsibility on the leaders of agricultural progress in this coun- 

 try. It is no longer so much a question of stimulating public interest 

 in agricultural education as of guiding a rapidly accumulating 

 public opinion along the safest and most beneficial lines. The 

 friends of agricidtural education and research have aroused popular 

 expectations to a high pitch. Tlie most important question now 

 is. Can they meet these expectations? Will it be possible to seciu-e 

 and maintain an adequate supply of well-trained and efficient 

 leaders and workers in this great cause? Some recent events have 

 reminded us painfully that the older generation of leaders, the men 

 who in large measure have made the science of agriculture, and 

 given agricultural institutions their })resent form, is even now begin- 

 ning to pass away. Can we be assured that Iheir equals or superiors 

 will be found to l(>a(l the divisions of the much greater army of 

 agricultural progress in the days to come? With the development 

 of the science of agriculture and its practicnl applications, leadership 

 in agriculture is a nuich mor(> specialized pui-suit than it has been in 



