EDITORIAL. 205 



jeot of interest inheres in the nature of the subject itself and in the 

 facts of human experience. This is sufficient explanation of its com- 

 mandino; appeal when properly presented to school students. And 

 the effectiveness of the appeal is not strictly confined to any pre- 

 scribed order of presentation. It is, in fact, doubtful whether a 

 specific studj'^ of the soil is the best method of approach. Perhaps 

 animal life, undissected. has the strongest initial interest for most 

 students, and it is just as easy and as logical to go from the horse and 

 its uses to mankind back to the soil and "the original Vermont 

 plow,"" as to follow the reverse order. It is the peculiar advantage 

 of agricultural study that it has b^^ nature these facile "openings" 

 into almost every other subject of school interest or of philosophic 

 contemplation. 



Much has been said in the last year or two concerning a " redirec- 

 tion " of the rural schools, and by implication of many of the urban 

 schools as well, and the need of such redirection to the effective carry- 

 ing out of the fundamental purpose of public education is quite gen- 

 erally conceded. Here again the usefulness of agriculture as a school 

 subject becomes apparent in that it can bring about a large reforma- 

 tion of the curriculum without the necessity of completely recon- 

 structing it. while supplying at the same time an effective means of 

 correlating many other subjects of study. This advantage has been 

 well set forth in a recent educational discussion as follows: 



"A portion of agricultural or industrial practice can be expressed in 

 mathematical form, the stud}' of history may take the form of the 

 industrial and economic development of a nation, geography can be 

 taught in terms of environment, science in its relation to the great 

 industrial processes upon which the lives of the people depend. I 

 can conceive of an elementary school in Avhich no so-called agricul- 

 tural courses exist, yet which will still present the subject vitally 

 from day to day by means of the customary studies and exercises. 

 I would not isolate industry or agriculture in the elementary school 

 from this environment of life in order to teach it. I would teach the 

 entire environment. This will cive the best training regardless of 



JIT o o 



any future environment. Real and lasting progress in industrial edu- 

 cation will be made only when all schools — industrial or otherwise — 

 concern themselves with the needs of human life; and in so far as 

 industrial education tends to vitalize by its example the whole school 

 system, so will its effectiveness be beyond dispute; and no state policy 

 will be complete unless it keeps this end in mind." '' 



With such an attitude and such teachins^ in the lower grades, a 

 definite agricultural course in the high school, as an elective open to 



" That is. the forces of glacial action. See President Buckham's address. 

 *" Arthur D. Dean in Journal of Education, December 30, 1909. 



