STATE AND OTHER TEACHERS' ASSOCIATIONS 61 



of the atmosphere, mineralogy, and chemistry were included. 

 Another portion of the report is devoted to the "farm as the 

 center of interest," and a great many things which we now find 

 in all textbooks on elementary agriculture are mentioned (80). 



During the latter part of the second period (1897-1903) 

 agriculture appeared as a topic for discussion at nearly every 

 meeting. At the meeting of 1902 five papers were read as 

 follows: "The Value of a Large Agricultural School in Indian 

 Service"; "Correlation of Schoolroom and Farm Work"; "The 

 Education of the American Farmer"; "The Practical Value of 

 Teaching Agriculture in the Public Schools" ; "The Teaching of 

 Agriculture with Reference to Future Employment." 



In 1903 a committee on "Industrial Education in Schools for 

 Rural Communities" was appointed. The committee made its 

 report at the meeting of 1905 and represents the most important 

 contributipn of the Association to agricultural education in the 

 third period (1903-6). A considerable part of the report deals 

 with agricultural subjects and their adaptation to elementary 

 and secondary rural schools. Among the recommendations of the 

 committee are the following: "A modification of the course of 

 study should be made for the introduction of work, especially 

 in the elements of agriculture and domestic science, and such 

 further lines of industrial education as local conditions make 

 feasible The establishment of schools distinctly indus- 

 trial (agricultural high schools) in their character is absolutely 

 necessary for the proper development and organization of the 

 rural-school system." 



A detailed course of study for all the grades is submitted. 

 It is an interesting contrast to the course of study reported by 

 the Committee of Twelve of 1897. In the latter the idea that 

 agricultural subjects should receive attention in the rural schools 

 is suggested rather than definitely stated and outlined. In the 

 former this idea is expressed in a definite and concrete outline 

 with illustrative lessons. 



The work in agriculture for the secondary schools is particu- 



