EDITORIAL 157 



a subject for teachers' examinations. Half that number insist 

 by law that it be taught in the schools. The Page Bill, carrying 

 its millions of appropriation in aid of agricultural education is 

 before the national legislature. Senate bill 109 in Kentucky pro- 

 vides for teaching agriculture in the common schools. Senate 

 bills 7 and 118, and House bill 205 in Massachusetts have to do 

 with the establishment of agricultural schools. House bill 152 in 

 Mississippi provides for agricultural demonstration work in ele- 

 mentary rural schools. These few instances illustrate the fact 

 that east and west and south legislatures are vying with each 

 other to make speedy provision for agricultural instruction. 



The whole movement seems but another expression of the 

 realization that education is for the masses, not for the few. 

 American schools are for all Americans all the time. Since our 

 citizenship is prodominantly agricultural in its interests, the school 

 must reflect this condition. Yet the movement in its haste throws 

 large responsibility on the teaching force for popular demand in- 

 sists on immediate results. Legislators are prone to curry favor 

 with their country constituents by standing as champions of bills 

 that make agricultural education mandatory, regardless of school 

 conditions. 



Fortunately scientific agriculture is merely the application of 

 our scientific knowledge to the problems of the farm. The 

 teacher who, as a graduate of any good Normal School, or even 

 Higli School, undertakes to teach in a rural community, carries 

 with him these days enough of the proper scientific attitude of 

 mind and sufficient knowledge of the elementary laws of chem- 

 istry, physics and biology to materially help the community in 

 the solution of its problems. He must be alert to see, unafraid 

 to ask questions, apt to teach his elementary science by use of 

 the materials that are common about him. This is the Xature- 

 Study idea. Nature-Study with farm material is the best sort 

 of agriculture for the grades. Let us remember, however, with 

 it all, the caution that Whittier voices in his portrayal of farm 

 life in the prelude to "Among the Hills" : 



"How wearily the grind of toil goes on 

 Where love is wanting, how the eye and ear 

 And heart are starved amidst the plentitude 



Of nature. 



******* 



And. in sad keeping with all things about them. 

 Shrill querulous women, sour and sullen men. 

 Untidy, loveless, old before their time, 



