In 1907 a boys' club was organized in Holmes County, Miss., by W. H. Smith, a school superintendent. The following year clubs began to be organized in connection with the farmers' cooperative demonstration work in the Southern States under Seaman A. Knapp The clubs were formed on the basis of each boy's growing an acre of corn or other crop. In 1909 there were more than 10,000 boys enrolled in the competitive corn contests, and in 1910 over 46,000 boys were connected with the clubs. These clubs spread rapidly and ultimately became a prominent feature of the cooperative extension work under the Smith-Lever Act. School teachers and officers in many places cooperated from the beginning in the organization and work of these clubs.

Clubs for girls paralleled those for boys under various auspices. The girls' clubs dealt with gardening, canning, and household arts. In 1909 the Office of Experiment Stations reported that club work for boys and girls was organized in at least 395 counties in 29 States, the membership totaling more than 150,000.

STATE COURSES IN ELEMENTARY AGRICULTURE

About 1905 the State superintendent of public schools in Wisconsin issued a manual for the common schools of that State which contained an outline course in elementary agriculture, and a similar course for the schools of South Dakota was published. The New York State education department issued a course of study and syllabus for elementary schools which contained an outline for nature study in the first six years of the elementary course and agriculture in the remaining two years. This was further elaborated in 1909, when it was presented as the study of birds, animals, and plants. The nature study and agricultural features were combined throughout this course. Much of the course was based on the study of the hen, the cow, and the pea as interesting living things in nature and as having agricultural value.

The report of the office of Experiment Stations for 1910 states that

In Massachusetts a committee of five appointed by the conference on agricultural science at the Massachusetts Agricultural College in 1908 prepared and the agricultural college published a course in elementary agriculture which consisted of a series of practical exercises, for each of which appropriate materials and directions were suggested.

In 1919 the State superintendent of public instruction in Missouri undertook to meet the difficulty arising from the great variety of work which the rural teacher has to do in the school by trying a rotation plan of teaching elementary agriculture. He selected 15 counties for this experiment. The work was for boys and girls and included not only subjects directly pertaining to farming but also those relating to the life and welfare of children and adults, such as health, sanitation, home conveniences, social conditions, and community interests. The course covered four years. Each year there was in each school only one agricultural class made up of children in grades 5 to 8. The teachers were aided by a preliminary week of intensive training and by weekly conferences for practice under direction of the county superintendent (465).

In an analytical survey of State courses of study for rural elementary schools by C. M. Reinoehl, of the University of Arkansas, made in 1922 and published by the Bureau of Education (474), it appeared that all the States except California, Florida, Arkansas, and Rhode Island had issued such courses. The 35 State publications containing the most complete and detailed outlines were used in this survey. Agriculture has been given a prominent place in those State courses.

The materials have to do with plant culture (47 per cent), animal husbandry (20 per cent), farm management and improvement (27 per cent), and plans and methods of teaching (6 per cent). Facts about farm work are emphasized.

The most common method of teaching agriculture is the textbook method. Teachers have been encouraged in the use of this method by the type of outlines in some States. There are few method topics. The project and the problem methods are coming into use (474).

The development of the home project in connection with the secondary schools and the extension clubs has had an increasing influence on the teaching of agriculture in the elementary grades, particularly in the consolidated schools. Many of the children from 12 to 15 years old have been in the clubs and thus have been encouraged to study agriculture in the school as an aid to their club work. The development of the vocational instruction in agriculture under the Smith-Hughes Act has also stimulated more interest in the elementary instruction on the part of school officers and teachers. The Federal and State officers in charge of the Smith-Hughes work are increasingly impressed with the desirability of encouraging the elementary instruction on a prevocational basis.

The division of agricultural instruction, in the Office of Experiment Stations and later in the States Relations Service, aided in various ways the movement for the introduction of agriculture into the elementary schools. In cooperation with the State agricultural colleges and State departments of education it prepared outline courses of agriculture for elementary schools in Maryland, Ohio, North Carolina, and Arkansas. Lessons on corn, potatoes, dairying, and gardening were also issued. Leaflets were prepared showing how teachers could use the farmers' bulletins in their school work. Classified lists of department publications and suggestions for illustrative material and sets of lantern slides on agricultural subjects have been distributed.

Along with the movement for the teaching of agriculture in public elementary schools there was similar teaching in special or private schools. Among the early schools of this kind were the Thompson's Island Farm School, near Boston, the Baron de Hirsch Agricultural and Industrial School, at Woodbine, N. J., the School of Horticulture, at Hartford, Conn., the School of the Youths' Directory of San Francisco, at Rutherford, Calif., and schools for negroes at Hampton, Va., Tuskegee, Ala., Atlanta, Ga., Manassas, Va., Enfield, N. C., and elsewhere.

STATUS OF ELEMENTARY AGRICULTURE IN RURAL SCHOOLS

The recent status of elementary agriculture in the rural schools of the United States has been shown in the report of a committee, of which E. H. Shinn was chairman, presented to the American Association for the Advancement of Agricultural Teaching on November

12, 1923 (62). This report was based on replies to a questionnaire from State superintendents of education, supervisors of rural schools, presidents of State normal schools, State supervisors of agricultural education, and heads of teacher-training divisions in the land-grant colleges. The findings of the committee are summarized as follows:

(1) On the basis of the returns it appears that about 28 of the States require by legislative acts that elementary agriculture be taught in the rural schools. A few other States have special rural aid laws, etc., looking to the betterment of rural schools.

(2) Thirty-five of the 48 States report that the State departments of educa tion are sympathetic and are encouraging better rural school education while a few replies say that nothing particular is being done in this direction. Examples of well organized programs on the part of State departments of education for improving agriculture and nature-study in rural schools are rare. (3) In about two-thirds of the States the returns show that courses are offered in elementary agriculture for rural teachers. The other replies say that very little or no teacher-training work is offered. A number of returns say that there is no demand for training of this kind. As a rule the courses are offered in normal schools or teachers' colleges, high schools, and special agricultural schools.

(4) Returns from only 20 States indicate that the teaching of agriculture and nature-study in rural schools has been effective.

(5) The type of school in which the work has functioned best, according to the returns, is the consolidated rural school. A few returns say that the work has functioned best in no particular type of school, that it is the teacher rather than the school that counts most.

(6) Returns from more than half of the States say that agriculture and nature-study when properly taught have vitalized other school subjects.

(7) In reference to problems and difficulties, about five-sixths of the returns say that lack of competent teachers for the work is the great problem.

(8) Returns from about half of the States regarding suggested solutions say that better trained teachers is the greatest need. Various other suggestions are offered, such as consolidation, supervision, better organized courses, higher standard for teachers, and establishment of departments of rural education, etc.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

The bibliography herewith includes only such works as have contributed in some way to the preparation of this general history of agricultural education in the United States. For collateral information only a few standard works were used. To a very limited extent have State and local reports and other documents been cited. There is a vast bibliography of agricultural education in State and local reports and bulletins, and in magazines, agricultural and other papers, textbooks, etc., to which no reference is made here.

1. Andrews, B. F. Washington,

2. Atkeson, T. C. 364 p. illus. 3. Bailey, L. H.

York, 1909.

GENERAL

The land grant of 1862 and the land-grant colleges. 63 p.
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Semicentennial history of the Patrons of Husbandry.
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Cyclopedia of American agriculture.

v. 4. 650 p. New

4. Bailey, L. H. The nature-study idea, being an interpretation of the new school movement to put the child in sympathy with nature. 159 p.

New York, 1903. 2d ed. 1909. 3d ed. rev. 246 p. New York, 1909. 5. Beginnings of education in agriculture and home economics. Journal of home economics, v. 2 (1910), p. 29-31.

6. Bath and West of England Society. Journal. v. 1. 282 p. London, 1853. 7. Bevier, Isabel. Home economics in education. 226 p. Philadelphia [1924]. 8. Bishop, E. C. The present status of agricultural education in public schools. (In Proc. Nat. Educ. Assoc., v. 47 (1909), p. 976–982.

9. Blackmar, F. W. The history of Federal and State aid to higher education in the United States. 343 p. Washington, 1890. (U. S. Bur. Educ. Circ. Inform. (1890), no. 1.)

10. Blauch, L. E. Federal cooperation in vocational education. The evolution of the Smith-Lever and the Smith-Hughes Acts. Ms. in Univ. of

Chicago. 1923. 375 p. (Also copy in Bur. Educ.) Contains extensive bibliography. A thesis for the degree of doctor of philosophy. 11. Bogart, E. L. Economic history of the United States. 2d ed. 597 p. illus., New York, 1914.

12. Brewer, W. H. Manuscript of statement on the intent of the land grant act of 1862. (Copy in Div. of Agr. Instr., U. S. Dept. Agric.) 13. Brown, E. E. The making of our middle schools; an account of the development of secondary education in the United States. 547 p. New York, 1903.

14. Browne, C. A. A sketch of agricultural chemistry in America from 1663 to 1863. Manuscript in Bur. Chem. 16 p. (Abstract in Science, n. s. v. 60, p. 87. July 25, 1924.)

15. Browne, C. A. The life and chemical services of Fredrick Accum. 58 p. Portrait. (From Jour. of Chem. Education of Am. Chem. Soc. 1925.) 16. Buck, S. J. The Granger movement; a study of agricultural organization and its political, economic, and social manifestations, 1870-1880. 384 p. Cambridge, Mass., 1913. (Harvard historical ser., v. 19.)

17. Butterfield, K. L. Chapters in rural progress. 251 p. Chicago, 1907. 18. Carrier, Lyman. Dr. John Mitchell, naturalist, cartographer, and historian. Washington, 1921. (In Agricultural History Society papers, p. 199-219.) Also in Ann. Rept. of the Amer. Hist. Assoc., 1918.

19. Carrier, Lyman. The beginnings of agriculture in America. 323 p. illus. New York, 1923.

20. Citizens Trade School Convention. Proceedings and addresses. dianapolis, June 10-12, 1907.) 53 p. Indianapolis, 1907.

(In

21. Coman, Katherine. The industrial history of the United States. New & rev. ed. 461 p. illus. New York, 1911.

22. Davenport, Eugene. Education for efficiency; a discussion of certain phases of the problem of universal education with special reference to academic ideals and methods. 184 p. Boston, 1909.

23. Davis, N. M. Agricultural education in the public schools. 163 p. Chicago, Ill., 1912.

24. Dexter, E. G. York, 1904. 25. Fellenberg or manual labor movement (The). (In U. S. Bur. Educ. Ann. Rept. (1891-92), v. 1, p. 506–510. Washington, 1894.)

A history of education in the United States. 656 p. New

26. Fisher, M. L. Instruction in farm

v. 3 (1911), p. 40-41. 1912.

crops. In Proc. Amer. Soc. Agron.

27. Gillette, J. M. Constructive rural sociology. (New ed.) 408 p. New York, 1916.

28. Goode, G. B. The origin of the national scientific and educational institu tions of the United States. 112 p. New York, 1890. Reprinted from the Papers of the American Historical Society.

29. Greathouse, C. H. Historical sketch of the United States Department of Agriculture, its objects and present organization. 97 p. Washington, 1907. (U. S. Dept. Agr., Div. of Pub. Bul. 3, 2d revision.)

30. Grimes, W. E. Report of the committee on teaching for the year 1920. (In Jour. Farm Econ. v. 3 (1920), p. 100-102.)

31. Handschin, W. F. Report of the committee on teaching for the year 1919. (In Jour. Farm Econ. v. 2 (1919), p. 172-174.)

32. Hanus, P. H. Beginnings in industrial education and other educational discussions. 199 p. Boston, 1908.

33. Highland Society of Scotland. Prize essays and transactions of the Highland Society of Scotland. v. 1-6. Edinburgh, 1799–1824. 34. Hunt, C. L. The life of Ellen Richards. 328 p. illus. 35. Industrial Education. American Federation of Labor. 1910.

Boston, 1912. 68 p. Washington,

. 36. Kandel. I. L. Federal aid for vocational education. 127 p. New York. 1917. (Carnegie Found. Advanc. Teaching Bul. 10.)

. 37. Keith, J. A. H., and Bagley, W. C. The Nation and the school-a study in the application of the principles of Federal aid to education in the United States.

364 p.

New York, 1920

38. Kelley, O. H. Origin and progress of the Order of the Patrons of Husbandry in the United States; a history from 1866 to 1873. 441 p. Philadelphia, 1875.

39. Kern, O. J. Among country schools. 366 p. illus. New York, 1906. 40. Kingsley, C. D. College entrance requirements. 110 p. Washington, 1913. (U. S. Bur. Educ. Bul. 7. 1913.)

41. Knapp, S. A. Experiment Stations. 7 p. [1883]. (Text of Holmes bill and statement indorsing it. Copy in U. S. Dept. Agr.) See also (201). 42. Lacy, Mary G. An early agricultural periodical. Agr. Hist. Soc. papers, v. 2, p. 443. Washington, 1923. Reprinted from annual report of Am. Hist. Asso., 1919. v. 1, p. 443.

43. Lake Placid conference on home economics. Proceedings, 1st-10th, 1899-1908. Lake Placid, N. Y., 1901-1908.

44. Learned, H. B. The president's cabinet, studies in the origin, formation, and structure of an American institution. 471 p. New Haven, 1912. 45. Liautard, A. History and progress of veterinary medicine. Vet. Rev., v. 1 (1877), p. 5-19.)

46. Lipman, C. B. A thorough training for specialists in agronomy.

Amer. Soc. Agron., v. 4 (1912), p. 53–58, 1913.)

(In Amer.

(In Proc.

47. Monroe, Paul, ed. Cyclopedia of education. 5 vol. New York, 1911-1919. 48. Monroe, Paul. Textbook of the history of education. XXIII+772 p. New York, 1911.

49. Myers, C. E. Effectiveness of vocational education in agriculture; a study of the value of vocational instruction in agriculture in secondary schools as indicated by the occupational distribution of former students. 63 p. Washington, 1923. (Fed. Bd. Vocat. Educ. Bul. 82. Agr. Ser. 13.)