Land Problems and National Welfare 



the rudiments of agriculture. Agriculture sur- 

 rounds us all, it is the greatest industry of the 

 nation; it supplies our daily food and it is there- 

 fore only logical that instruction in its rudiments 

 should form part of the scheme of any code or 

 schedule of education. This principle has been 

 accepted by France, Germany, Spain, and the 

 United States." 



" Starting with the principle that the instruc- 

 tion in an elementary school should be influenced 

 by the requirements of local conditions — and 

 this applies to boys and girls alike — it is impos- 

 sible to have a hard and fast schedule for the 

 whole country. The authority can, however, 

 most usefully issue a memorandum that will 

 serve as a general guide to teachers who will then 

 be able to make out specific schedules from it. 



We now give a suggested scheme of studies 

 which divides itself into three groups, or rather 

 concentric circles — 



(i) Children from 6 to 8 years old. 



Theoretic — Study of wild and cultivated 

 plants, trees, insects, and animals. 



Practical — Planting a few common plants in 

 the garden. 



(2) Children 9 to 11 years old. 



Theoretic — Observation and comparison, 

 weather, soils, plants, trees, animals, insects, 

 their manner of life, uses, etc. 



Practical — Garden work, observing different 

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