276 REPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



and lliiit tlic (ciukMU'V of such schools woiihl he to " iH'asautizc " the 

 fanners as had been done by othci- ML^ciicics in (Jcrniany. 



There was no oijportiinity at that time for the discussion of Dean 

 Davenport's paper, but on the foUowinf; <hiy, in the department of 

 rural and a<rrirultural educaticm, some of his leadin<r ar<riunents were 

 discussed by those who believe in the establishment of a limited num- 

 ber of agricultural high schools to supplement the existing public- 

 school system. Briefly, the considerations advanced were that while 

 there is general agreement that agriculture should be taught in all 

 public high schools attended by rural pupils, there is also a pressing 

 demand and need for a limited number of special agricultural schools 

 for the acconnnodation of boys who have definitely made np their 

 minds that they want to follow the business of farming; and that 

 while it is true chat some of the work in such schools must of neces- 

 sity be narrower than in the public schools, the instruction in agricul- 

 ture sains ereatlv in breadth and thoroughness as well as in the 

 superior laboratory equipment, animals, machinery, and other facili- 

 ties needed in the teaching of agriculture. There is also abundant 

 opportunity in such schools to provide for short special courses to 

 meet the needs of the boy of limited time and means. 



Dean Davenport's arguments that such schools w^ould peasantize 

 farmers was answered by showing that the farmers in Germany, to 

 whom he referred, were peasants long before the establishment of 

 agricultural schools in that country, and that they were peasants not 

 because of the establishment of agricultural schools, but in spite of 

 the uplifting influence of such schools. It was also pointed out that 

 there is a difference between the influence of a school \vhich pupils 

 are compelled to attend and those which they attend from choice. In 

 this country the greatest freedom of choice is given in the selection of 

 courses by pupils attending city schools ; there should be similar free- 

 dom for the country boy. The influence of the special agricultural 

 school which the country boy may attend or not as he may choose, 

 must inevitably tend toward the uplift of those wdio profit by its 

 instruction and subsequently engage in the business of farming. It 

 would of course be a most serious mistake to limit secondary instruc- 

 tion in agriculture to schools of this type. 



Domestic science instruction was also considered by several depart- 

 ments of the association, as well as by the American Home Economics 

 Association, which met at the same time in Denver. Mrs. E. H. 

 Richards read a pa])er before the department of elementary education 

 on The Application of the Household Arts and Sciences to the Work 

 of the Elementary School, and in the department of manual training 

 discussed the influence of domestic science on rural and city home life. 

 At the latter meeting the influence of domestic arts on rural and city- 

 home life was also discussed bv Miss Helen Schurz, of Kansas. The 



