104 EXPERIMENT .STATION KECOKD. 



short special courses to meet the needs of the boy of limited time and 

 means. 



Dean Davenport's arguments that such schools would peasantize 

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

 whom he referred, Avere 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 Avhich pupils 

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

 In this country the greatest freedom of choice is given in the- selec- 

 tion of courses by pupils attending city schools ; there should be simi- 

 lar freedom for the country boy. The influence of the special agri- 

 cultural school which the country boy may attend or not as he may 

 choose, must inevitably tend toward the uplift of those who profit 

 by its instruction and subsequently engage in the business of farming. 



The reorganization of the departments of the National Education 

 Association and their reduction to less than half the former number, 

 was undoubtedly a wise measure. New departments had been added 

 one at a time, to meet the demands created by new conditions in our 

 public schools but without much reference to their relations to exist- 

 ing departments, until there were so many departmental meetings 

 and so many conflicts in their programmes as to make it extremely 

 difficult for a member of the association to follow the discussions on 

 even one line of educational thought or endeavor. Under the new 

 arrangement there are departments representing the different grades 

 of schools, the administrative affairs of education, and groups of 

 related subjects. Thus practically all general matters relating to the 

 elementary schools will be considered in the department of elementary 

 education instead of in two departments (kindergarten and ele- 

 meiitary education) as formerly. This is largely true also of general 

 matters relating to secondary education and higher education. 



On the other hand ample provision is made in such departments as 

 music education, professional training of teachers, and industrial edu- 

 cation, for the consideration of important special j)hases of education. 

 For example this grouping of special subjects brings together those 

 interested in agricultural education, manual training, home economics, 

 and technical instruction Avho formerh' were much inconvenienced by 

 conflicting progrannnes. This new arrangement ought to be highly 

 satisfactory to all concerned. "All of the subjects included in the new 

 department of industrial education are closely related, and their con- 

 sideration in one department where such relationship will have to be 

 recognized will have a tendency to harmonize and correlate work 

 which has thus far suffered from conflicts which were much more 

 apparent than real. 



