14 T H E C U B A n E V I E W 



Agricultural Instruction in Cuba 



1 



By Carlton Bailey Hurst ^ 

 United States Consul General, Habana, Cuba 



On March 19, 1923, at the Quinta de los Molinos, Habana, a short, practical course in 

 agriculture was inaugurated for the school inspectors and teachers of the Province of 

 Habana. The classes are held every Saturday morning from 8 to 10 o'clock until the 

 end of the school year. On the opening day the attendance numbered 105 pupils, 19 of 

 them being inspectors, while the remainder comprised rural and city school teachers, 

 the majority of whom are women. 



This course was organized under the direct supervision of the inspector of educa- 

 tion for the Province of Habana, Sr. Gaston de la Vega, and instruction is given by the 

 head of the agronomical school of the university, Sr. Jose L. Concepcion. Last August 

 the school inspectors of the six Provinces of Cuba took a course in agricultural theory 

 and practice at the Quinta de los Molinos, under professors of the school of agronomical 

 engineers of the university, and the success of this course led to the question of offering 

 a similar opportunity to teachers. . . . It is recognized that a practical course in 

 agriculture will tend to increase the efficiency of school teachers in carrying out the 

 provisions of the Cuban educational requirements in rural schools and to stimulate inter- 

 est in this branch of public instruction. 



Since the year 1914, agriculture has been included in the curriculum of the rural 

 schools of Cuba, with the object of imparting to children in rural districts a fundamental 

 knowledge of farming and preparing them to become intelligent agriculturists. In 1915 

 a circular issued by the Board of Public School Superintendents of Cuba, prescribing 

 courses of elementary instruction in agriculture for the rural schools of Cuba, became 

 the basis of the present courses, which since then have been amplified and improved. 

 The purpose of these courses as outlined in the circular is: To teach the pupils to what 

 sources of information an agriculturist may turn for knowledge, advice, or public aid; to 

 foment and stimulate broad lines of rufial economy; to increase the love of country life, 

 animals, and plants. 



While it is not intended that the instruction should be professional in character, it 

 must none the less be complete and comprise a minimum of fundamental principles which 

 will permit pupils to develop ultimately into intelligent agronomists. They must be 

 taught that by using selected seeds better crops are obtained; that the physical conditions 

 of land have an influence on crops; that the cultivator must understand that proper fer- 

 tilizers are indispensable to supply any deficiency in the soil; and that particular care is 

 required for the improvement of the cattle and stock. Especial stress is laid on the 

 necessity of science as well as experience in farming; on the economic value of producing 

 fruits and vegetables rather than buying them; and the advantage of cooperation among 

 farmers in the development of domestic resources. 



Each rural school is required to have a field devoted to agricultural experiments 

 which the school children shall cultivate themselves under the instruction of the school- 

 teachers, and this program naturally necessitates the possession of considerable practical 

 knowledge of agriculture by the teachers. 



It was not until the year 1921, upon the reorganization of the rural schools, that 

 noteworthy improvement was made in elementary courses in agriculture. The aim of 

 the course being to give practical demonstration of modern methods of cultivation, gardens 

 were provided in which the scholars should work, and each one is supplied with a set of 

 light-weight garden implements, consisting of a spade, rake, hoe, and fork. According to 

 the latest statistics, the school gardens now under cultivation number 396, distributed 

 as follows: 



Province of Habana 109 



Province of Pinar del Rio 102 



