George Washington Carver: A National Agricultural Library Digital Exhibit

1904

National Agricultural Library

In accordance with the apparent wishes of the association as expressed in an informal discussion of the report of this committee, at the meeting in Washington last November, this ninth report of the committee on methods of teaching agriculture is devoted to a discussion on the feasibility of teaching agriculture in the rural common schools, and suggestions regarding the nature and extent of such teaching. In this discussion the term "common schools” is taken to mean schools giving instruction in grades below those of the high school, and the term "rural schools" will include not only the schools in extremely rural districts, but also those in village and small towns which draw largely on the adjacent country for pupils and financial support. It should also be understood that in this report attention is confined to matters relating to the teaching of agriculture in the rural schools as ordinarily organized in our public school system. We have not undertaken here to discuss the advisability of the establishment of county or district elementary schools of agriculture as separate institutions or the courses of instruction suitable for such schools.

The Teaching of Agriculture in the Rural Common Schools