55 



" In such communities the country church, for instance, has 

 gone backward, both as a social and religious factor. Now we 

 cannot too strongly insist upon the fact that it is quite as un- 

 fortunate to have any social as any economic falling-off . . . . 

 Everything should be done to encourage the growth in the open 

 farming country of such institutional and social movements as 

 will meet the demands of the best type of farmers. There should 

 be libraries, assembly halls, social organisations of all kinds, 

 The school building, and the teacher in the school building, 

 should throughout the country district be of the very highest 

 type, able to fit the boys and girls, not merely to live in, but 

 thoroughly to enjoy and make the most of the country." 



In addition to this, the President emphasised the vital neces - 

 sity for farmers to co-operate with each other and with the 

 Government. 



Enough has been quoted from this speech by Mr. Roosevelt 

 to show how great an importance he attaches to the extension 

 of an agricultural education of a new type. This is to teach 

 agriculture, not only from an industrial, scientific, and economic 

 point of view, but to take a broader line as well and to appeal 

 to the ethical and social instincts of man, in other words, to use 

 the President's own phrase, " To fit boys and girls not merely 

 to live in, but thoroughly to enjoy and make the most of the 

 country." 



America has already in her agricultural colleges and experi- 

 ment stations splendid institutions for the formation of the 

 agricultural teachers required for this wider development of 

 agricultural education. It may well be hoped that, starting 

 from such a point of vantage and running on the lines indicated 

 in the President's speech, the new movement will be successful 

 in achieving the object it has in view. 



APPENDIX No. I. 



Summary of Laws Passed since 1905 with Regard to 

 Agricultural Education. 



Elementary A gri culture . 

 Laws were passed in 1905 by Massachusetts, which authorised 

 the Agricultural College to establish a, normal department for the. 



