hart] AGRICULTURAL COXFEREXCE 185 



Experience is already showing that men of this type cannot be 

 secured for less than $1,200 to $1,800 a year. 



The program on August 3rd was devoted to the general 

 topic of Agricultural Education. The conference was under the 

 direction of David Snedden, Commissioner of Education of 

 Massachusetts. Recent changes in Massachusetts laws enable 

 towns or cities having high schools to introduce vocational de- 

 partments in agriculture. The state will reimburse the town 

 or city to the extent of two-thirds of the salary of the instructor. 

 These vocational courses must conform to standards of instruc- 

 tion, equipment, and qualifications of teachers set by the State 

 Board of Education. The plan involves the elimination of most 

 all work now given in most high schools except English, history 

 and civics. Whatever mathematics and science remain must 

 have special reference to the efficient practice of agriculture. 

 Practical agriculture must occupy one-half of the student's 

 time. In this regard the plan resembles the part time schools 

 for trades, where half of the pupil's time is in the shop and half 

 in school. Persons who do not give promise of continuous and 

 successful work will not be admitted to such departments. The 

 aim of the special agricultural schools as well as the agricultural 

 department in a high school is vocational and not cultural. 

 Vocational education fits one for efficient production. Liberal 

 education enables one to make right choice and good use of what 

 the race has produced. A large amount of what is done as agri- 

 cultural education is not vocational. Text book agriculture may 

 be in a high degree liberalizing. For training efficient farmers 

 the older pedagogical notions must be reversed. The business 

 of teaching must begin with an immediate, concrete situation. 

 The situation must have its difficulties and problems. The pupil 

 must see the problems presented by the situation and the teacher 

 must show him the way towards a solution. In all of this teach- 

 ing of agriculture the pupil must carry on a home project of a 

 practical character under the supervision of the instructor during 

 the summer. 



August 4th was devoted to a consideration of problems 

 connected with children's gardens. The following program was 

 carried out. It was under the auspices of the Home and School 

 Garden Club. 



Aims and Scope of Children's Gardens Ellen Eddy Shaw 



Associate Editor of the Garden Magazine, New 7 York. 



The Home Grounds as a Garden H. D. Hemenway 



Secretary People's Institute, Northampton, Mass. 



