FIFTH NATIONAL, CONSERVATION CONGRESS 155 



From an examination of the above tables it appears that the present trend 

 in secondary forestry education in the United States is in four directions, or, at 

 least, it may be placed in four groups, namely: 



(1) Forestry subjects for public schools and other schools of similar grade. 



(2) Forestry subjects for college students in the arts and sciences. 



(3) Forestry subjects for college students in agriculture and horticulture. 



(4) Ranger schools. 



It is the opinion of the Sub-committee that instruction in forestry in the first 

 two of the above groups should have for its, chief purpose the familiarizing of 

 the student w^ith the principles of forest economics and other fields of forestry 

 most useful to the layman. The training should in no sense aim to prepare the 

 student for the practice of forestry even in subordinate positions. When taught 

 as a part of nature study in primary grades ; in connection with geography, civil 

 government, shop work and botany in grammar schools and high schools, when 

 but a limited amount of time can be given to it, the training, first of all, should 

 be of a character that will give the student accurate information in relation to 

 forestry, or some branch of forestry, as a science. Elementary work in den- 

 drology and silviculture can be made a part of practical field work. Beyond this 

 it is doubtful if field work illustrating the actual methods of forest practice should 

 be undertaken. 



When forestry is taught as a separate subject in collegiate courses in agri- 

 culture and horticulture, more time should be given to it and the art or practice 

 of forestry should be more fully emphasized in so far as it relates to the farm. 



Instruction in the last of the four groups mentioned above differs funda- 

 mentally from that in the other three, in that its aim is to train men to practise 

 forestry. Not only is a general knowledge of the science of forestry desirable 

 but instruction in the art or practice of forestry should be made the major part 

 of the training. 



PUBLIC SCHOOLS 



Forestry Subjects for Primary Schools, Grammar Schooes, High Schooes, 

 AND Other Schools of Similar Grades. 



THE public and private schools, academies, and other institutions, through 

 which the great body of American citizens receive their early intellectual 

 training, should give more attention to forestry. We believe that the 

 importance of forestry is such that it deserves attention in all grades of primary 

 and secondary education. Due appreciation of the importance of forestry on 

 the part of the public and the place that it holds in our economic development 

 can best be developed in the primary and secondary schools. Although we believe 

 that forestry should have a place in primary and secondary schools, it is only in 

 agricultural high schools, agricultural academies and institutions of similar 

 character that it should be taught as a separate subject. 



In primary grades it should be taught as a part of nature study, as is now 

 becoming the practice in some of the public schools of the country. In the 

 grammar schools it should be taught as a part of geography and civil government ; 



