r.»'2'2.] Agricultural Education in the United States. 988 



act as help and friendly guide to the farmers in all their problems 

 and difficulties. In 1890 the Morrill Act was modified and the 

 necessary funds added to allow for the special preparation of 

 instructors for teaching the elements of agriculture in schools 

 and technical institutes. 



It was not until 1909 that any decided attempt was made on 

 the part of the different States to introduce the teaching of agri- 

 culture into the State High Schools which correspond to the 

 National Secondary Schools in England. In that year the State 

 of New York passed a law encouraging local communities to 

 undertake the teaching of vocational agriculture in the High 

 Schools. A few schools were established about the same time 

 which were entirely devoted to the teaching of agriculture. In 

 1912 the Federal Government at Washington again came to the 

 aid of the farmer and. dispensing with the existing educational 

 machinery, passed the Smith-Lever Act. Upon the fulfilling of 

 certain conditions by the different States, this Act voted a large 

 sum " To aid in diffusing among the people of the United States 

 useful and practical information on subjects relating to agri- 

 culture and home economics and t o en courage the application of 

 the same." In New York State this fund has made possible the 

 building of a bridge between the farmers and the Research work 

 carried on at the Agricultural College in Ithaca, at the Experi- 

 ment Station in Geneva. N.Y., and at the U.S. Department of 

 Agriculture. 



The extension of work thus initiated has developed along two 

 main lines, both outside the State educational machinery : — the 

 provision of lectures dealing with specific problems of practice 

 and business on the farm and in the farm home, and the estab- 

 lishment of a system of Junior Extension amongst the boys and 

 girls up to the age of 14 whilst still attending the elementary 

 schools. The first line never developed into systematic courses 

 of instruction but was generally carried out by professors or 

 instructors of the University on tour. All arrangements were 

 made by the County Agents of whom there is one to each 

 County. The second has developed, largely owing to the stimulus 

 of the War, until there are now County Junior Extension Leaders 

 in sixteen counties in New York State. Under the influence of 

 these leaders and with the help of the County Agent, the boys 

 and girls are formed into Clubs under local, and often untrained 

 leadership, which engage in poultry keeping, gardening, fruit 

 canning or cooking. There are now some 1.200 of these local 

 leaders in Xew York State drawn from the rural school teachers, 



