790 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



education lie could aspire to as a man and a citizen " — the full college course 

 with not only the technical training it implies, but also the culture and refine- 

 ment that comes from higher training in history, literature, and other subjects 

 of study. 



Agriculture in the public schools of Oklahoma, E. E. Balcomb (Bien. Rpt. 

 Olcla. Bd. A(jr., 2 (IDOo-G), pij. 270-27.0). — An address before the Oklahoma 

 Board of Agriculture in which the speaker argued for agriculture in all public 

 schools, not to teach the science or the art of agriculture, but the underlying 

 principles of plant and animal breeding, cultivation of crops, selection of seed, 

 etc.. by means of the text-book and ])ractical exi)eriments. 



How agriculture is taught in the schools of other lands, and how it may- 

 best be introduced into the schools of Texas, A. C. Ellis (Texas School Jour., 

 2Jf {1906), No. 3. pp. 2'/-.iJ). — This is an address delivered October 20, lOO'l. 

 before the Texas Industrial Educational Convention by the Associate Pro- 

 fessor of Education in the University of Texas. 



Agricultural education is defined and a course based on the syllabus given in 

 Circular 60 of this Office is outlined and amplified. It is shown that there is ci 

 very definite and useful body of knowledge concerning some of the important 

 phases of agriculture, that this can be taught in public schools, and that it 

 ought to be taught not only because of the information given, but also on 

 account of the training given to the mind and body of the pupils. 



As regards the programme with reference to this work in Texas schools, it is 

 argued that it would be inadvisable to I'equire the teaching of agriculture in all 

 the one-teacher rural schools. Instead of this it is recommended that (1) all 

 teachers be required to learn something about scientific agriculture and how it 

 is taught, and that the capable and fortunately located teachers be definitely 

 encouraged to introduce agriculture into their schools ; ( 2 ) the teaching of agri- 

 culture be required in rural schools possessing more than one teacher, of which 

 there are about 2,000 in the State, and (3) the 1,000 independent districts in 

 the State be encouraged to introduce agriculture. For the 8,000 one-teacher 

 rural schools in Texas consolidation and more efficient superintendence are 

 recommended. 



In order to procure teachers for the work suggested, it is recommended (1) 

 that for the teachers of agriculture in high schools and for the directors and 

 general leaders of this work, the agricultural and mechanical college employ a 

 professor of pedagogy, introduce training -courses, and be allowed to grant State 

 life certificates. It is stated that the State university has not the equipment 

 for training these leaders and the normal schools are not doing work of high 

 enough grade. Furthermore, the university and the three normal schools are 

 unable with their present facilities to train all of the teachers needed for the 

 public schools. (2) "For the training of teachers in elementary agriculture 

 there should be established at once short winter and short summer courses 

 especially arranged for teachers." It is thought that in one short session of two 

 months a teacher can get a fair knowledge of what is taught in elementary 

 agriculture, and in two such sessions, with a year of reading and of practice 

 in the school intervening, he may become a really good teacher of the elements 

 of agriculture, such work as is possible in the elementary rural schools having 

 more than one teacher. Such short courses could be given not only at the agri- 

 cultural and mechanical college, but also at the college of industrial arts, the 

 three normal schools, and, if necessary, at the State university summer school. 



Professor Ellis does not believe in the establishment of special high schools to 

 provide secondary instruction in agriculture. He believes such schools have a 

 tendency to create class distinctions, and cites in evidence of this the schools of 



