AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION. 713 



The place of the agricultural and mechanical college in the educational 

 scheme of the South, B. Ayres {South. Ed. Rev., .' {1905), No. 8, pp. f85-498). — 

 Tlif development and present status of agricultural and mechanical colleges are dis- 

 cussed, and a plea is made for a closer union between southern institutions of this 

 class and other colleges and preparatory schools of the South. 



It is pointed out that the college entrance requirements recommended by the 

 Association of Colleges and Preparatory Schools of the Southern States do not take 

 the agricultural and mechanical colleges into consideration. The writer calls atten- 

 tion t<> the rapid growth in enrollment and beneficent influence of the great universi- 

 ties of the West, and endeavors to show how (loser cooperation between all the 

 educational institutions of the South would lead to similar progress. 



Nature study and agriculture ((\mrxr <>/ timl;/ <m<l si/f/n/ms /,,,■ Jnnentary 

 schools. Albany: N. )'. Statt Ed. Dept., 1905, pp. 154-172).— This syllabus presents 

 material and suggestions for nature study extending over the first 6 years of the 

 elementary Bchool curriculum, and agriculture extending over the remaining 2 years. 



Both nature study and agriculture are outlined by years, the former including 

 Btudies of animals, plants, and natural phenomena (weather, water, winds, clouds, 

 etc. . The tirst year of elementary agriculture is devoted to studies of domestic 

 animals and plants of the farm, and the second year takes up the study of the State 

 of New York considered as a great farm, with special studies on dairying; pasture-, 

 meadows, and forage; alfalfa as fodder; fruit growing, and insect pests and methods 

 of destroying them. A list of reference hooks for the use of teachers is appended. 



" The aim in the first five years is to put the child into sympathetic touch with his 

 environment, and to give him certain units of basal knowledge with which he may 

 interpret the facts of geography and agriculture, which later are to be based upon 

 this nature study. ... In the fourth and fifth years nature study, observational 

 geography, and agriculture, beginning in the locality and widening out into the State, 

 are closely related, and they supplement each other." In the sixth year there is a 

 review, and some generalizations are made in preparation for the study of agriculture, 

 which begins in the seventh year. 



There is a logical sequence in the work as outlined. This is not strikingly apparent 

 in the work of the earlier years, but gradually the pupil is led to make a special study 

 of the life of certain plants and animals, the distribution of these plants and animals, 

 and the relation of plants to soil, plants to animals, and of both plants and animals 

 to man. The pupils are led to see that they are studying agriculture "for the pur- 

 pose of finding out how to enhance the animal and plant values to man," and that 

 "these values depend not only upon improved soil conditions ami economic treat- 

 ment of farm products, but also upon intelligent marketing and upon the principles 

 Of economic exchange of home products for those raised in other sections of the State 

 and country." 



Syllabus for secondary schools. Physical geography and agriculture | N. ) '. 

 Stati Ed. Dept., Secondary Ed. Bui. 27, pp. 182-157).— The syllabus for physical 

 geography includes outlines for a study of the earth as a planet, the air. theocean, 

 water other than the ocean, and the land. It is recommended that as much time be 



devoted to the study of the land as is devoted to the four other subjects outlined. 



The syllabus on agriculture was prepared at the request of the Education Depart- 

 ment by representatives of the faculty of the College of Agriculture, Cornell Uni- 

 versity. The outline presents an orderly arrangement of work for three periods a 



week extending over one year, and it is recommended that this work be taken in the 

 second year of the high school after the pupil has completed one year's work in 

 biology and has acquired some knowledge of elementary chemistry. It is also 

 recommended that abundant laboratory work should be provided, at Least one period 

 out of every three being devoted to such work. 



