798 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. IVol. 37 



Washington College and Station, — F. J. Sievers, superintendent of the 

 county school of agriculture at Wauwatosa, Wis., has been appointed professor 

 of soils and soil physicist to succeed C. C. Thorn. A. B. Nystrom, dairy hus- 

 bandman, has resigned to accept an appointment as county agriculturist of 

 Lewis County, effective October 1. 



American Association for the Advancement of Agricultural Teaching. — The 

 eighth annual meeting of this association was held in Washington, D. C, 

 November 13, 1917. Special prominence was given to problems affecting sec- 

 ondary education, including developments under the Federal Vocational Educa- 

 tion Aid Act. 



W. H. French, of Michigan, president of the association, traced the develop- 

 ment of secondary school agriculture in this country from 188S to the present, 

 calling attention to the prominence now given the subject through the passage 

 of the Federal Vocational Aid Act. J. P. Monroe, of the Federal Board for 

 Vocational Education, discussed the act in operation. He laid emphasis on the 

 fact that this act provides for normal education for normal persons. It is not 

 an inferior kind of education but aims to make broad and intelligent citizens. 

 He also described the present Federal organization, and outlined some of its 

 policies. L. S. Hawkins, assistant director of agricultural education for the 

 board, under the subject What Constitutes Proper State Supervision of Home 

 Projects, showed how the supervision should stimulate progress and encourage 

 the teachers rather than merely standardize and contribute a check as to 

 formal requirements. 



F. B. Jenks, of the University of Vermont, showed how practical and valuable 

 extension service might be the logical outgrowth of the high school work in 

 agriculture and how this might cooperate with the work of the county agent 

 within the territory of the school. Numerous examples of this service as 

 rendered by high schools In Vermont were cited. 



In a paper on Minimum Laboratory Equipment for Agriculture in Public 

 Secondary Schools, by J. A. James, supervisor of secondary agriculture of 

 Wl.sconsin, emphasis was laid on the nece.ssity for useful apparatus which In 

 many cases might be found and u.sed at the home farms. The list of absolutely 

 essential apparatus was very brief and for the most part comprised material 

 useful in farm operations. 



The relations of the association to the National Society for the Promotion of 

 Industrial Education were discu.ssed. and resolutions adopted declaring that 

 the association should continue, but take steps looking toward the proper recog- 

 nition and representation of agriculture in the society, and possibly to an 

 amalgamation of these organizations. The Incoming president, together with 

 W. R. Hart of Massachusetts, and Z. M. Smith of Indiana, were appointed to 

 represent the association In this matter. 



The standing committee on the cooperative use of equipment and illustrative 

 material presented a report by H. P. Barrows on Illustrative Material Through 

 the States Relations Service. The committees on essential laboratory equip- 

 ment for teaching agriculture in secondary schools and the relation of general 

 science to agricultural Instruction reported progress and were continued with 

 the same personnel for another year, but a resolution was adopted substituting 

 annual committees for standing committees. 



The officers elected for the ensuing year were as follows : President, G. A. 

 Works, Cornell University ; vice president, W. G. Hummel, field agent of the 

 Federal Board for Vocational E3ducation ; secretary-treasurer, F. E. Heald, 

 States Relations Service; and additional members of the executive committee, 

 L. S. Hawkins, Federal Board for Vocational Education ; G. M. Wilson, Iowa 

 State College; and Dean Alfred Vivian, Ohio State University. 



