698 EXPERIMEXT STATION RECORD. 



The conference endorsed the policy of holding a general session at the time 

 of the Association of American Agricultural Colleges and Experiment Sta- 

 tions for men engaged in secondary agriculture, and also the coutinuatioa 

 of sectional meetings, these to be held at Chicago. The topic recommended 

 for the next meeting was the general relationship of the agricultural college 

 to the problem of secondary agricultural education. The conference also 

 advocated the gradual adoption of a four-year course in agriculture by second- 

 ary schools ; the largest possible oppoi'tunity for practical work and experience 

 in connection with all secondary courses in agriculture, first, through home 

 projects, and second, where possible, through the school plat ; and the reiiuire- 

 ments that teachers of secondary agi'iculture must have preparation equivalent 

 to a four-year college course, including special professional training and at 

 least one year of farm experience, and that the supervision of secondary agri- 

 culture should be conducted by the college of agriculture with the cooperation 

 of the state department of e<lucation. 



On February 26, 1916, the third conference for the North Atlantic States was 

 held in New York City. One session was given over largely to the discussion 

 of a suggestive outline of a four-year training course to be offereil in the 

 agricultural colleges of this region. It was maintained in the di.*?cussion that 

 the agriculture needed in .secondary schools is not technical but practical 

 agriculture, and that highly specialized courses in the college do not give the 

 best preparation for prospective teachers. 



Limited specialization was deemed imiwrtant for teachers in high schools, 

 but the perspe<'tlve, outlook, and appreciation that comes early from the pur- 

 suit of a fundamental, broa<l course in their field of instruction was regarded 

 as more important. The first two years of this course provides for cretlit to 

 those men who have ha<l good agricultural courses in the high school and offer 

 introductory or fundamental courses in each of the various divisions of agricul- 

 tural science, such as soils, farm crops, animal husbandry, etc. The mininuim 

 for the two years, based on 18 hours per semester, is agricultural subjects 24 

 hours, sciences 24 hours, humanistic subjects 1.5 hours, electlves from science 

 or agriculture 6 hours, and optional 3 hours. 



For the junior and senior years a minimum is suggested of agricultural 

 subjects 12 hours, sciences 12 hours, humanistic subjects 12 hours, professional 

 subjects 9 hours, special methods in secondary agricultural education 12 hours, 

 electlves from the above groups 9 hcmrs, and optional 6 hours. The 9 hours 

 of electlves provide to some extent for specializing in some one field of agricul- 

 ture during the junior and senior years, and the 6 hours optional take care of 

 a deficiency in some department. 



The content of courses in special methods and practice teaching at the New 

 York State College of Agriculture was discus.sed by G. A. Works. These courses 

 include the organizing of the subject matter from the standpoint of the sec- 

 ondary school, a consideration of the time which should be allotted to the 

 different topics in a given coninumity, and the organization of sui\iect matter 

 for home projects in agriculture, with special reference to the plan outline*.! by 

 the New York State Department of Education. 



Some time is also devoted to a study of the (>\tension work of the high school 

 teacher of agriculture, a method of cataloguing station and government publica- 

 tions for instructional purposes, the selection of chart material and the actual 

 making of charts for high school purposes, visits to high schools where agricul- 

 ture is being taught, a study of text-books in agriculture, and the planning of 

 rooms for agricultural instruction in high schools. Actiml practice in teaching 

 as an assistant to a regular instructor in agriculture in one of tlie public high 

 schools is also offered. This year ten seniors have spent one-half year iu this 



