374 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



The committee recommended the formation of farmers' 

 clubs, the delivery of public lectures, and the circulation of 

 tracts broadcast over the State as a mode of agricultural 

 education. The committee closed their report with the 

 following : — 



In conclusion, the committee would most earnestly urge 

 upon the Board and the friends of agricultural education 

 generally, not to suffer the present session of the Legislature to 

 pass away without attempting, through a legislative enactment, 

 should any be found necessary, to ingraft the first measure in 

 the plan submitted upon our present school system. It appeals 

 so strongly to the good sense and to the sound patriotism of 

 every citizen, whatever his profession may he, it is impossible 

 to believe that the measure, if recommended by the Board, can 

 fail of being adopted. 



In the House of Representatives, on Jan. 16, 1862, Mr. 

 Sewall of Medfield offered an order that the joint standing- 

 committee on education consider the expediency of including 

 the "elements of agriculture " among the branches to be 

 taught in all the public schools, in which the school com- 

 mittee deem it expedient. This order was considered, and 

 a bill was reported, which, after amendment, was enacted as 

 chapter 7 of the Acts of 1862, being "An Act concerning 

 the Public Schools." This act simply provided that " Agri- 

 culture shall be taught by lectures or otherwise, in all the 

 public schools in which the school committee deem it expe- 

 dient." 



Farmers' Institutes. 



At the third meeting of the State Board of Agriculture, 

 Sept. 7, 1852, a committee on the best means of promoting 

 the interests of agriculture in the State by public lectiu-es 

 was appointed. At a subsequent meeting on December 1 

 this committee submitted a report favoring the calling of the 

 attention of the people to the importance of having lectures 

 on agriculture form a part of the course of all lyceums and 

 similar associations in the rural districts of the Common- 

 wealth. This report was accepted and referred to a com- 

 mittee, who subsequently issued, through the agricultural 



