274 REPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



cational Unity and Its Preservation while Meeting the Demands for 

 Industrial Traiiiinjr. l>y lMi<j:ene Davenport, of Illinois, and The 

 Ethical \'alne of the \'ocational in Secondary Education, by F. II. 

 Hall, of Illinois. In the dei)ar(nient of normal schools II. II. Seerley, 

 chairman of the special conuuittee on a^rricidtural and industrial 

 education, discussed the Davis bill in its relation to normal schools, 

 and in the department of manual trainin*; President W. J. Kerr, of 

 the Oregon College, discussed the question of trades school courses 

 as related to agricultural interests. In the department of science 

 instruction, a paper on progress in conservation, by H. A. AVinksn- 

 werder, professor of forestry in Colorado College, was devoted largely 

 to an appeal for instruction in forestry in the public schools. 



The problem of relating the country schools more closely to the 

 life and needs of the people was discussed at length in the depart- 

 ment of rural and agricultural education, especially in a round-table 

 conference, which was attended by Doctor Kobertson and other lead- 

 ing educators who have identified themselves with rural school inter- 

 ests. This problem, as stated by D. J. Crosby, leader of this con- 

 ference, involves both a fuller scheme of education and a new kind 

 of education adapted to the real needs of the farming people. In 

 his opinion — 



Such a scheme of public education calls for larger school units, to the end 

 that the per capita cost of education may not bo unduly increased when better 

 material equipment, better trained and better paid teachers are provided, and 

 higher grades of instruction are within daily reach of the homes of all rural 

 children. It calls for instruction in the principles and practice of agriculture 

 and home economics in the rural public schools, and for the establishment of a 

 limited number of new special schools of agriculture and home economics. It 

 demands a new point of view in teaching the subjects now generally included 

 in the public school curriculum, to the end that nonessentials shall be elimi- 

 nated and greater concreteness and effectiveness shall be acquired through 

 problems and illustrations drawn from the farm, the home, and the common 

 things in the natural environment of the children. And, finally, it must have 

 the united support of national, state, and county educational agencies, the 

 bureaus and dejiartments of education, the dciiartments of agriculture, the state 

 universities and colleges of agriculture, the state normal schools, and the vari- 

 ous associations of farmers and teachers, to study the pedagogical and prac- 

 tical problems involved in the redirection of country life education. That the 

 problems are vast and complex no one will deny; that they are worth the best 

 efforts of our most profound students of education is equally beyond question 

 of doubt. 



It was along these lines mainly that the discussions proceeded 

 throughout the conference, which included short talks on the improve- 

 ment of the equipment of rural schools, consolidation, the teaching 

 of agriculture, the organization of boys' agricultural clubs, and the 

 training of teachers to meet the new demands made upon them in 

 rural districts. Among those who took part in the conference were 



