CROMWELL] BOOKLETS 213 



It is for the enthusiasm shown by every pupil for gardening, the 

 practical training given minds and hands, and the economy thereby 

 demonstrated ; for the cooperation of this subject with other school 

 studies and for the very close relation to and dependence upon 

 members of the animal kingdom as admirably shown by gardening, 

 that we unreservedly urge it to be a dignified part of every curri- 

 culum. 



Booklets 



Arthur D. Cromwell 



The term "Booklet" is used for a new kind of a note book. This 

 new kind of a note book is attractive to small children. The idea 

 came to us from Germany where in some places, the children make 

 the text books. If we can save agriculture from our "text-book 

 cripples," if we can get teachers to teach the subject instead of a 

 book, then Agriculture will be a leaven that will help leaven the 

 whole lump. The "Booklets" offer opportunities in so many 

 directions. They are to have attractive covers and this enables us 

 to appeal to the child's love for color, it enables us to let him be 

 original, that is to do things somewhat as he pleases, in school. 

 Our schools from top to bottom put a premium on conformity to 

 standards instead of on originality and invention. I understand 

 that no school or college in America has a course on invention. 

 Well in the "Booklets" we may let the child be an inventor. Then 

 again we are rearing a generation of property-less children and we 

 have a crime bill that costs us about $2,500,000,000 each year. It 

 is said that 85% of this crime is committed by children and about 

 50% of it against property. The child is to own his "Booklet" 

 and to have his property rights rigidly respected by teacher and 

 school. 



There are many subjects that make good booklets. How to Win 

 in an Acre Com Contest, How to Manage Poultry, How to Win 

 in a Bread Making Contest, or any other of a hundred topics, make 

 a good topic for a booklet. The children should be told that their 

 "Booklets" will make a record of their work and be used for school, 

 county institutes, fairs and other exhibits. These "Booklets" 

 change at once the will of the child. Instead of being driven like a 

 slave to do his school work, he has implanted in him the desire to 

 write well, to spell correctly, to use good English, to have his work, 



