Standardization of Instruction. 389 



ferent classes of public lands, as those best devoted to agriculture, 

 the production of forests, mining, grazing, water power, and other 

 special uses. Special consideration should be given to the estab- 

 lishment and development of the National Forests and the broader 

 questions of policy in their administration. It should be the aim 

 to present to the student the principles underlying governmental 

 forest policies. He should become acquainted with the main 

 features of certain of the more important public land laws. These 

 should be taught from the standpoint of giving a grasp of govern- 

 mental policies rather than from the standpoint of a student of 

 law. 



There should be a discussion of the functions of the federal 

 government relative to educational work in forestry, the develop- 

 ment of the science of forestry through investigative work, and 

 the promotion of the practice of forestry through demonstration 

 and through co-operation with the States and private owners. 



The subject of State forest policy may be handled in much the 

 same way as federal forest policy. After presentation of the 

 functions of the State relative to public forests, education, co- 

 operation with private owners, etc., there arises the question of 

 specific policies in the different States. Scarcely two states in 

 the Union have the same forest laws. There is a great difference 

 in the way the different States are going about the solution of their 

 forest problem. Some are headed in the right direction ; some 

 in the wrong direction. It would be exceedingly difficult in the 

 time ordinarily at the disposal of an instructor to enable his 

 students to master all the details of the forest laws in the different 

 States. The aim should be to show what the different States are 

 doing in connection with the discussion of underlying principles 

 of policy. Thus, for example, when the problem of an organized 

 fire protective system is discussed it would be shown that there 

 are a number of different methods in practice in different States. 

 The instructor could then show which States have adopted the 

 specific principle of organized fire prevention, and discuss so far 

 as may seem desirable local practice and the results accomplished. 

 The aim should be to give the student such a foundation as will 

 enable him in case later on he has anything to do with State 

 forestry to work toward the application of correct principles of 

 policy. 



