AGRICULTURALr EDUCATION. 593 



• Leaving the freshman year as at present, the author would in the sophomore 

 anil junior years offer sucli studies as would I)e preparatory to vocational sub- 

 jects and give the science and mathematics a more i)ractical interi)retation. 

 The senior year should ofter the elements of at least six of the great vocations 

 to such students as may elect them, followed by a fifth year wholly vocational 

 in character. 



The argument for tliis additional year is sunnnarized as follows: Its work 

 can not logically come earlier in the course and give the student adequate 

 preparation for its benefits; it would give at least a measure of the maturity 

 of mind and body needed for entering upon a vocation ; and it could be added 

 to the ordinary course without much expense and without instituting a new 

 order of sc-hools or interfering with the regular four-year course of those des- 

 tined for college. 



Studies most suitable for elementary schools (A'/>/. Brit. Amsoc. Adv. »S'ci., 

 niOS, PI). Ji9.')-.'>J.3). — This is a reiiort of the committee of the British Associa- 

 tion for the Advancement of Science on the course of experimental, observa- 

 tional, and practical studies most suitable for elementary schools. Included 

 in this report is the report of a subcommittee on elementary experimental sci- 

 ence dealing with the relation of nature study and observation lessons to ex- 

 perimental science, the training of teachers, the organization of practical work 

 in the school, the preparation of lessons, and the conclusions of the committee 

 with reference to subject-matter and methods of instruction. An appendix 

 to the rei)ort contains a syllabus of work in elementary experimental science, 

 in which the first year's work is the same for boys' schools and girls' schools, 

 but the work of the subsequent 3 years is differentiated. There is also given a 

 contracted scheme of work for small schools where the upper classes are 

 grouped for instruction in experimental science. 



Eighth, annual g'eneral report of the Department of Agriculture and Tech- 

 nical Instruction for Ireland (Dcpt. Agr. and Tech. In.str., Ireland, Ann. (icn. 

 Rpt.. 8 (1907-8), pp. VI +632). — ^A report on the department's administration, 

 funds, and work during 1907-8, including agricultural and technical instruction. 



Under agricultural instruction an account is given of the instruction afforded 

 at tlie lioyal College of Science at Dublin, the Albert Agricultural College at 

 (ilasnevin, agricultural stations, the Munster Institute at Cork, the Ulster 

 Dairy School at Cookstown, schools of rural domestic economy, and itinerant 

 instruction and special classes. The report on technical instruction includes 

 the organization of a system of instruction in experimental science, drawing, 

 manual instruction, and domestic economy in day secondary schools, the organi- 

 zation of technical instruction under local authorities, the training of teachers 

 in domestic economy, and the work of the Irish Training School of Domestic 

 Economy and the Killarney School of Housewifery. 



The appendixes include a table showing the 1908 apportionment of funds for 

 educational and other purposes, schemes of instruction in agricultural subjects, 

 prospectuses of agricultural colleges and stations and schools of rural economy, 

 a program of experimental science, drawing, and domestic economy for day 

 secondary schools, programs of the institutions under the direct control of the 

 department, examples of schemes of technical instruction in nonagricultural 

 subjects, including domestic science, a list of day secondary schools showing 

 grants paid for instruction in tlie subjects of the dei)artment's program during 

 190G-7, a list of home industries classes in receipt of aid during 1907-.8, and a 

 list of science, art, and technical schools and classes working in connection 

 with the" department or under local schemes. 



