NINTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART XII 725 
work of organization, and while other lines of business have been organ- 
ized, systematized and syndicated he has remained largely an individual. 
The work of the secondary or agricultural schools would remedy this by 
an enlarged conception of the importance of farming as related to co- 
operation. 
As a result of the benefits of teaching agriculture in public schools, I 
desire briefly to call attention to the work done in Page county, as told 
by the county superintendent in the "Iowa Year Book of Agriculture." 
The work began in 1907, at a county educational rally. Prof. Holden 
was present, and in talking to the rural teachers suggested that it would 
be a good plan for the strongest and most successful teachers, thoroughly 
interested in the w^ork, to meet later and make definite plans for work 
that spring. The county superintendent selected fourteen of his best 
teachers w ho met with Professor Holden, who entered the room with some 
corn stalks under his arm. Together they spent several hours planning 
for the work to be done. The germination test box was explained, and 
before leaving every one present had caught from Professor Holden the 
spirit that is proud to be seen carrying corn stalks. They took this 
spirit back to their schools, and to judge by results imparted it to their 
pupils. In all of the schools seed corn tests were carried out and work 
along other lines inaugurated. One day of the county teachers' institute 
was set apart for a report of the work done. There was an address by 
Professor Holden and some actual milk testing. The reports of the 
teachers were interesting. One reported that his boys had walked five 
miles in a snow storm to secure the saw^dust for the germination boxes; 
another reported a boy who had used his lap robe to save his box from 
freezing, and another told of a girl teacher w'ho had gone back to her 
school after supper to build up the fire to preserve the even temperature 
of the room. Patrons of the schools, who had been inclined to scoff at 
first, have become enthusiastic advocates of the work. Germination tests 
in the schools resulted in germination tests at home, which enlarged the 
knowledge of the older farmers. As a result of the reports of the teach- 
ers, practically every teacher in the county caught the spirit and were 
anxious to take up the work. They realized that it could be done, that 
the children enjoyed the new world it opened up to them; that untold 
good would result from it to the neighborhoods in which they taught. 
In the fall w^ork was taken up in regard to harvesting and caring for 
seed corn. The pupils were furnished with circulars from the state col- 
lege, and it was suggested that each child go into his father's field and 
select the best ear of corn he could find and bring it to school, w^here it 
would be labeled and hung up to dry in the approved manner. Very 
often, when the county superintendent visits the rural schools the first 
question asked is, "which ear is the best?" Before planting time each 
school will have a germinating test, using the corn selected by the chil- 
dren. In addition to this, the superintendent has purchased a milk tester 
and a complete testing outfit, which will be passed to different schools, 
both in the country and towns, who wish to learn how to test milk. 
There is a wonderful field for work in this line and the general weeding 
out of worthless cows could be secured though the schools much more 
