The Public High School 23 



four years. When any considerable number of schools are 

 said to teach agriculture, either in the published reports, or in 

 private correspondence, the number usually shrinks materially 

 when subjected to an impartial examination of each case on its 

 own merits. Thus one optimistic state superintendent in 1906 

 reported 200 high schools as teaching agriculture in his state. 

 The report of his successor made the following year, contain- 

 ing the returns from a newly appointed high-school inspector, 

 showed only 60 schools. Personal correspondence with the 

 school principals of this state justifies the conclusion that not 

 over 30 schools taught agriculture that was more than mere 

 book work, without even window-sill or tomato-can experi- 

 ments. Many of them reported that the subject was not taught 

 at all. Recent estimates running into four figures do not seem 

 at all warranted by the known facts. It must be said, however, 

 that the number of public high schools, both general and special, 

 teaching agriculture is increasing with marvelous rapidity. In 

 the school year 1906-7, the number probably did not exceed 

 75 or 80, even including the agriculture taught in training classes 

 attached to high schools. In 1907-8, there were probably be- 

 tween 240 and 250; while in 1908-9, the total had risen to the 

 neighborhood of 500. It seems safe to say that the number is 

 increasing at the rate of about 100 per cent each year. 



Perhaps a better index of the real progress is the number 

 of schools having in actual operation two or more years of agri- 

 cultural instruction. In 1906-7 there were about 15 general and 

 special schools giving instruction for two or more years, most 

 of these being special schools. In 1907-8, the number had in- 

 creased to 22, about one-third of which were general high schools, 

 while several other schools were starting this more extensive 

 work. In 1908-9, the number of high schools and academies 

 that serve their communities as public high schools ofifering 

 such work was at least 24, while 28 more receiving state aid 

 were of mixed character, usually offering more or less classical 

 work, but sometimes calling themselves agricultural high schools. 

 The number of strictly agricultural secondary schools receiving 

 state aid was close to 35. In addition to these, 9 organized the 

 following year would be classified under the first heading, 10 



