TO THE TEACHER 



1. The Point of View 



SUCCESSFUL teaching of agriculture, more than that of 

 any other subject, depends on the spirit and methods of 

 the teacher. Agriculture is so thoroughly concrete a subject 

 that only a small part of it can be effectively taught by text- 

 book and in class room without the assistance of field and 

 farm. The teacher of agriculture must remember first of 

 all that there is no real agriculture in the text-book. 



The place of the text. Real agriculture is out in the 

 fields, gardens and pastures, and among the herds and 

 flocks of the farm. The text-book can only serve as a 

 guide to point the way, showing the pupil what to look for, 

 and teaching him to understand what he finds as he meets 

 the problems of preparing the soil, planting and tilling the 

 crop, or feeding and caring for the stock. Agriculture can 

 therefore not be taught from the text alone, no matter how 

 complete or well arranged it may be, nor how generous the 

 illustrations. The text-book is very important in class 

 room and laboratory, but it must be supplemented by ex- 

 tension methods and agencies to the immediate interests of 

 the farm. 



2. Public School Extension Work 



This point of view suggests a method for connecting the 

 work of the school with the home. The children should 

 actually do the things they study about. For a number of 

 years the colleges of agriculture have been engaging in 



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