274 KEPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



In order to secure proper instruction for teachers in tlie elements of agriculture, 

 -there seems to be a necessity for some normal department or separate normal school. 

 The commission lias considored two propositions: One to estalilish a normal school in 

 the agi-icultural college, and another to establish a separate normal school. The 

 agricultural college has the plant and all the facilities for giving instruction in the 

 elements of agriculture to those desiring to become instructors in such elements. It 

 has therefore been considered the wiser plan to recommend a normal department in 

 the existing agi-icultural college, thus saving expense and avoiding the necessity of 

 duplicating plants. It is undoubtedly a fact that some of the seniors in the agricul- 

 tural college are qualified to give instruction, thus utilizing the facilities of the college. 



The latter recommendation of the commission has been approved 

 by the general assembly of Massachusetts and an appropriation of 

 $5,000 given to the Massachusetts Agricultural College to initiate its 

 normal work. A further recommendation that a commission on 

 industrial education be appointed to serve five years has been approved 

 and Prof. Paul Hanus, professor of the history and art of teaching 

 in Harvard University, has been appointed chairman. 



In New York at the annual meeting of the State Association of 

 School Commissioners and Superintendents, held at Cornell Univer- 

 sity in October, 1906, the best means of adapting rural schools to 

 their environment was discussed, and it was generally agreed that 

 agriculture should be taught as a part of the general scheme of ped- 

 agogy, of which it should be the basic factor. 



In Indiana the county superintendents in twelve counties have 

 organized clubs for the study of crops, and the Association of County 

 Superintendents has asked Purdue University to organize a training 

 school for teachers in agriculture and nature study. 



At the annual meeting of the department of superintendence of the 

 National Educational Association held in Tj()uis\nlle, Ky., in Febru- 

 ary, 1906, O. J. Kern, superintendent of schools of Winnebago 

 County, 111., presented a paper upon The Form of Industrial Training 

 Most Practical and Best Suited to the Country Child. A round-table 

 discussion on agricultural education was held tliiring one afternoon 

 and evening, at which there was general agreement as to the necessity 

 for introducing agrictiltural study in some form into tlic ])tiblic 

 schools, and that tliis may 1)0 ediciontly done op])ortunity must be 

 afforded teachers to receive instruction in agriculture in the normal 

 schools. 



The committee of the round table appointed to draft resolutions 

 summed up the points agreed upon in the following declarations, 

 which were afterwards adopted hy t lie department of superintendence : 



Resuhed, That tlu' department of superintendence of the National Educational 

 Association is in hearty accord with that part of the report of the Hon. James Wilson, 

 Secretary (if Agriculture of the Untied States, in which lie encourages the teaching of 

 elementary agriculture in the pul)lic scliools, and respectfully requests Congress to 

 grant the api)ropriation of $1:5, (120 wliich he has a.-^ked for to enable him to investigate 

 and report upon the progress and present condition of agricultural instruction and 

 institutions in Ihis and foreign countries. 



