33 



Departments of Education for the special purpose of training 

 teachers of agriculture have now been established at many 

 colleges. Many have also announced as a new feature in their 

 catalogues normal courses, in which agriculture has a place. 

 Summer schools for teachers have also been opened this year 

 in connection with a good many agricultural colleges. It is 

 evident, therefore, that a strong effort is being made to provide 

 the teachers required by the new State legislation in respect 

 of agricultural instruction in primary schools. 



With the help of farmers' organisations co-operating with 

 agricultural schools and colleges, boys' agricultural clubs have 

 been formed in various States. The members of these clubs 

 have regular institute meetings and lecture courses, go on 

 excursions to educational institutions and large farms, conduct 

 a large variety of tests with corn, sugar, beets, cotton, and other 

 crops, and exhibit their products at school, county, and State 

 fairs. A very general movement in favour of instruction in 

 primary schools has, therefore, clearly begun to spread over 

 the country, but it is too soon as yet to give any account of the 

 shape it will eventually take or the effect it has had. 



Report of Dr. A. C. True, Director of Office of Experi- 

 ment Stations, on " Progress in Agricultural Educa- 

 tion for the Year, 1905-1906." 

 In this report Dr. True begins by stating that during the 

 year 1906 increased attention had been given to the needs of 

 public high and common schools, which were rapidly increasing 

 their demands for assistance in connection with the study of 

 nature and agriculture. Several hundred lectures were de- 

 livered at the public schools by officials in charge of the Weather 

 Bureau. The Bureau of Plant Industry was active in assisting 

 in school garden work. It supplied a total of 175,000 packages 

 of seeds of flowers and vegetables to schools in many different 

 States, and gave instruction in agriculture and horticulture to 

 normal school students in Washington City. The school 

 grounds in that city are planted on plans prepared by the 

 scholars, and school garden methods are followed at home 

 by the students if the opportunity offers. A small area of 

 land is also set aside on department grounds for practical teach- 

 ing and work. With a view to giving children an idea of the 

 (2427) c 



