798 EXPEEIMENT STATION RECOED. 



c-ollege, (5) to relieve the agricultural colleges of secondary and preparatory- 

 work, (6) to serve farming communities more directly than the colleges iti 

 various forms of extension work, and (7) by their limitation and number to 

 I'rovide for specialization to some extent along different lines of agricultural 

 work adequately illustrated by a more complete equipment than can be provided 

 in the ordinary high school. 



Agricultural education: Its relation to the whole industry, J. M. W. 

 Kitchen (Country Gent., 15 {1910}, No. SOW, pp. 929, 930).— This article is 

 written from the standpoint of one of the trustees if Gilmanton Academy, Gil- 

 mantou, N. H., which is cited as the first institution in New England " to adopt 

 the idea of secondary agricultural education as a local and national need of the 

 present and the future." 



The author holds that the decline of prosperity on New England farms and 

 the present " disproportion of consumers to food producers " is due to two 

 causes, "(1) poor judgment in forming and carrying out national plans and 

 policies, and (2) educational mismanagement." He believes that few farmers 

 will rally to the call for more extensive production raised by railroad presidents 

 and city consumers, without as.surance of greater profits, "as a mere matter of 

 patriotic altruism." The problem of right rural education must be solved by 

 centralized schools suppoi'ted largely by outside aid. "As a rule this financial 

 aid should be given by the National Government, and the more this fact is 

 realized, the sooner will matters be in trend for a development of the future 

 prosperity of the country." 



Agriculture in the schools, A. A. Brigham {Ann. Rpt. Mo. Bd. Agr., If2 

 (I'JO'J). pii. 73-85). — An address empliasizing and illustrating the feasibility of 

 agricultural teaching in the public schools as a means of stimulating interest 

 in other school studies. The value of special agricultural schools for those too 

 old or backward for the regular schools is particularly pointed out. 



How agriculture may be taught in the public schools, F. W. Howe {Ann. 

 Rpt. Mo. Bd. Agr., J,2 {1909). pp. SC-fl.:?).— This address contains many illustra- 

 tions of successful methods of developing an interest in agriculture in the 

 public schools. The teacher is advised to put herself in the attitude of a 

 co-learner with her pupils, and a practical program for such work is suggested. 

 The author believes that agricultural teaching has great value for urban as 

 well as rural schools, and that "the pedagogical, practical, social, and cultural 

 reasons for teaching agriculture as the basic industry of mankind exist alike in 

 fill the conmion schools." 



The course of nature study in the elementary school, F. L. Holtz {Nature- 

 Study Rev., 6 {1910), No. 7. pp. 189-192).— In answer to the criticism often 

 made that nature study is usually fragmentary and unorganized, the author of 

 this paper sets forth the following principles as a guide to the construction of 

 courses: (1) The ethical aim should not be ignored, (2) the course should give 

 isractical information adapted to tlie child's present interests and contacts as 

 well as the future, (3) it should train to careful observation and logical think- 

 ing, (4) it should be adapted to the child's psychological stage of development, 

 (5) it should go "from the familiar to the less known types" of ob.iects, (6) it 

 .should follow the line of least resistance as to community interests and avail- 

 ability of illustrative material, (7) it should follow the order of the seasons in 

 order to preserve the true setting and significance of objects studied, and there- 

 fore (8) it will always lack complete coherence from the standpoint of any one 

 science, but there should be a reason for every element at the point where it is 

 iiilrctduced, so that the course as a whole may " hang together logically." 



Agriculture for young folks, A. D. and E. W. Wilson {St. Paul, 1910. pp. 

 S'lO, figs. 125). — This school text on agriculture gives special attention to corn, 



