PROGRESS IN AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. 215 



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(1) To aid the agricultural colleges to reduce the results of the investigations made 

 by this Department and the experiment stations to pedagogical form for use in agri- 

 cultural colleges and schools of different grades. This work is now proceeding too 

 slowly to keep pace with the accumulation of material, and the lack of well-ordered 

 manuals and illustrative materials is a great hindrance to the effective organization 

 of agricultural instruction. 



(2) To promote the efficiency of agricultural instruction in the negro land-grant 

 colleges, in order that the funds granted for negro education by the Federal Govern- 

 ment may contribute toward keeping the negro on the farm and making him a more 

 efficient factor in agricultural production "or his own good and that of the nation 

 rather than, as is largely the case at present, drawing him away from the farm into 

 the uncertainties and dangers of city life. 



(3) To aid the agricultural organizations in the several States in promoting an effi- 

 cient organization of agricultural high schools, consolidated common schools, and 

 other educational agencies best adapted to secure a high state of prosperity and con- 

 tentment in rural life. It is along these lines that the great educational effort of the 

 immediate future is to be made. The forces behind the movement for industrial 

 education have hitherto devoted themselves very largely to the promotion of instruc- 

 tion in the city industries. It is now apparent that a similar work needs to be done 

 for the great fundamental industries grouped under agriculture. Much work will be 

 required to bring the masses of our agricultural population into sympathetic touch 

 with the progressive movement in education and to secure for them a school system 

 in harmony with their environment and their relations to the world's work and civili- 

 zation. As the nation's representative of agricultural enlightenment and progress, 

 this Department should be in a position to render effective aid in this enterprise, on 

 the success of which depends so largely the permanent prosperity and contentment 

 of our agricultural people. 



(4) Since the success of agricultural instruction in the public schools will depend 

 very largely on the teachers, this Department should aid the agricultural colleges 

 and other State educational institutions in preparing and inaugiirating training 

 courses for teachers of agriculture in secondary and elementary schools. 



(5) Since agriculture as a fundamental industry is of vital importance to all our 

 people, this Department should present such results of its work and that of the experi- 

 ment stations at home and abroad as are adapted to instructional purposes in connec- 

 tion with nature study and elementary agriculture in a form available to teachers 

 and pupils in both country and city, the object being to impress our youth with the 

 dignity, value, and attractiveness of country life and pursuits. 



The Chief of the Weather Bureau reports as follows concernmg 

 the teaching of meteorology: 



The officials of the Weather Bureau have had their attention forcibly drawn to the 

 teaching of meteorology by the increased recognition of that science as a branch of 

 study appropriate to high schools, normal schools, colleges, and universities. * * * 

 Elementary climatology considered as a part of geography is taught in about 1,000 

 graded schools. Elementary climatology and meteorology are taught in connection 

 with geology in about 7,000 high schools, or seven-eighths of the whole number that 

 are catalogued by the Bureau of Education. 



Specific courses in meteorology or climatology are given in about 140 out of 177 

 public normal schools, although in some of these the subject is taught in connection 

 with physical geography. Out of 311 colleges and universities from which direct 

 replies have been received 59 state that they have specific courses in meteorology, 

 133 teach this in connection with some other subject, and 119 pay no attention to it. 

 The corresponding percentages are 19, 43, and 38, and probably the replies from other 

 colleges will not alter these ratios very much. In fully one-half of these institutions, 



