(5 XLXk flIMamt Bulletin Series viii march, 1910 Number 9 OHIO STATE NORMAL COLLEGE PUBLICATIONS TEACHERS’ BULLETIN No. 13 Rural Industrial Education Announcement of Course Offered in the Ohio State Normal College of Miami University B. M. DAVIS Published Monthly by Miami University And entered at Postoffice , Oxford , Ohio, as Second Class Mail Matter PUBLICATIONS OF OHIO STATE NORMAL COL¬ LEGE OF MIAMI UNIVERSITY. 1. Nature-Study, by George W. Hoke, 12 pp., 3 figs., Octo¬ ber, 1903. Outline for study of trees, weeds, insects, birds, etc., with list of books for reference. 2. Geography, by George W. Hoke, 15 pp., 1 plate, May, 1904. Treats of principles of Geography, and Regional Geography, with suggestive exercises for class work. 3. Evolution of Public Education in Ohio, (A) Legislation, by Harvey C. Minnich, 20 pp., 2 maps, March, 1907. A historical account of school legislation. 4. The Manual Arts, by F. C. Whitcomb, 15 pp., April, 1907. Suggestions as to course of study and equipment, with special reference to needs of small school systems. 5. The Soil and Its Relation to Plants, by B. M. Davis, 35 pp., 6 figs., May, 1907. Subject presented by means of simple experiments. 6. Evolution of Public Education in Ohio, (B) Certifica¬ tion, by Harvey C. Minnich, 23 pp., November, 1907. Con¬ tinuation of No. 3. 7. Experimental Studies of Plant Growth, by B. M. Davis, 31 pp., 17 figs., May, 1908. Forty-two experiments suit¬ able for small high schools. 8. Stories for the Elementary Grades, by Anna E. Logan, 20 pp., September, 1908. Arranged with special refer¬ ence to the needs of teachers, introducing, or increasing story-telling work in their schools. 9. Arithmetic in the Grades, by T. L. Feeney, 19 pp., Janu¬ ary, 1909. General discussion followed by outline of course of study. 10. English in the Grades, by Frances Gibson Richard, 26 pp., March, 1909. Detailed outline including titles of se¬ lections for all the grades. 11. The Soil and Its Relation to Plants, by B. M. Davis, 36 pp., December, 1909. Revised edition of No. 5. 12. Principles Controlling the Course of Study in the Ele¬ mentary School of the Ohio State Normal College, by J. W. Hechert, 12 pp., February, 1910. 13. Rural Industrial Education, by B. M. Davis, 14 pp., March, 1910. A brief discussion, followed by announce¬ ment of two years’ course in Rural Industrial Education. RURAL INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION. REDIRECTING RURAL EDUCATION. In the recent report of the National Commission on Country Life attention is called to “certain corrective forces that should be set in motion.” Among these, and one on which much emphasis is placed, is the need of redirecting rural edu¬ cation : “In every part of the United States there seems to be one mind, on the part of those capable of judging, on the necessity of redirecting rural schools. There is no such unanimity on any other subject. It is remarkable with what similarity of phrase the subject has been discussed in all parts of the country before the commission. Everywhere there is a demand that education have a relation to living, that schools should express the daily life, and that in the rural districts they should educate by means of agriculture and country life subjects. It is recognized that all difficulties re¬ solve themselves in the end into a question of education.” Leaders in educational matters have not been unmindful of the importance of “redirecting rural schools.” In 1903 the National Educational Association appointed a committee on Industrial Education in Schools for Rural Communities. In its report of 1905 the committee presented arguments for in¬ dustrial education as a desirable work in schools adapted to the needs of rural communities. But the committee in its in¬ vestigations of two years was unable to find “that in any of the consolidated rural schools there was anything being ac¬ complished in the way of industrial education worthy of the name. In a few of the rural high schools a limited amount of text-book work in the elements of agriculture had been in¬ troduced, as an optional study in most cases, and covering but a few weeks’ work. The typical college preparatory course, or a cross section of it, was the prevailing type in these schools; the teachers were selected with reference to their ability to handle traditional history, mathematics, language, 3 and science work rather than a knowledge of, or interest in the industrial phases of education appropriate for this class of schools. Such work as was done in agriculture was given as an incidental, permitted because of the growing demand for industrial education, and as interfering least with traditional courses, while furnishing an excuse for the claim that this new demand was recognized and being met by school authori¬ ties. In those cases where the school authorities recognized the importance of industrial education for the country boy and girl, and were really anxious to make provision for it, they found it impossible to organize and carry on the work with any high degree of efficiency because of the lack of teach¬ ers’ having proper preparation for it.” In its second report made in 1908 the commit¬ tee discusses the “continued and growing agitation in all parts of the country for the development of industrial education. This agitation and discussion deep¬ ened the interest in this subject among the farming popu¬ lation and among the school officials and teachers of rural communities. More schools in these communities are intro¬ ducing instruction in agriculture. Improvement in the meth¬ ods and scope of the instruction is being slowly made.” The gain, however, is regarded by the committee as a growth of interest and a realization of the importance of this kind of educational work rather than in concrete and effective results in many schools. “From correspondence with state superin¬ tendents and many other school officials, the committee has been forced to the conclusion that in practically all of these schools (consolidated schools) the condition is the same as in the rural high schools; as yet little has been done to modify the ideals or the teaching in these schools for effectiveness on the industrial side of education. The environment of these schools and the homogeneous character of the student body, coming as it does from the country, seem to make the demand imperative for this work, and to furnish conditions favorable for it within somewhat narrow limits. The lack of initiative on the part of teachers and school boards, the force of established custom in school work, and the lack of enthusi¬ astic teachers competent to give proper instruction, and of 4 funds to employ them when available, and lack of equipment, have been the deterring causes in this as in other fields of educational uplift.” The promotion of industrial education for rural schools, particularly in agriculture, is being encouraged from a variety of sources: The United States Department of Agriculture has set apart one division of the Office of Experiment Sta¬ tions whose entire work has to do with agricultural educa¬ tion, with special reference to elementary and secondary schools. Besides this division other branches of the depart¬ ment are giving assistance to schools wherever and whenever possible. The United States Bureau of Education has recognized the importance of the subject by publishing two special bulletins: one on Agricultural Education, including Nature-study and School Gardens, the other on Training of Persons to Teach Agriculture in the Public Schools. Agricultural Colleges have been actively interested in agri¬ cultural instruction in the public schools. They are render¬ ing assistance in a variety of ways, such as correspondence bureaus, teachers’ and pupils’ leaflets on agricultural sub¬ ject^ personal visits of members of their faculties to schools when called upon, etc. Within two years sixteen of the state agricultural colleges have established departments of agri¬ cultural education for the purpose of rendering more effective service in public education. State departments of education are without exception fav¬ oring the direction of rural education along industrial lines. In some states much assistance is being given schools by these departments in the way of organizing boys’ and girls’ clubs, outlining courses of study and publishing helps to teachers, and in some cases securing favorable legislation. A number of states have expressed their interest in rural schools by recent legislation. Eighteen states require by law the teaching of agriculture (including forestry in one state) in the public schools of rural communities. Thirteen states have provided by special appropriation for agricultural high schools—fifty-two such schools being now in operation. State aid is given in some states to high schools teaching agricul- 5 ture, and manual and household arts; for example, Virginia is giving this year $2,000 to each of ten high schools, and Minnesota $2,500 to each of the same number of schools. In¬ dustrial commissions have recently been appointed in several states. In all cases these commissions have regarded indus¬ trial education in rural schools as essential to any scheme for the betterment of industrial conditions in rural communities. This general discussion of rural industrial education has been given to show the general attitude of the country toward the subject, and to point out some lines of effort that are being made to readjust the rural schools for the purpose of making them a greater factor in rural life. THE TEACHER. The chief burden of the whole movement must be borne by the teacher. There are many instances where teachers have been teaching agriculture in a perfunctory way to satisfy the demands of a community for some readjustment of the school work. The fact that such teachers and such teaching are fail¬ ing to redirect the school life in the interest of the community life is used by some as an argument against the introduction of this work. On the other hand there are many instances of teachers alive to the possibilities of a rural school becoming the real center of the community in all its interests, who have made the school react upon the life of the community both socially and industrially to its great betterment. There are enough of the latter instances to show that redirection of rural education in the sense used by the Country Life Commission may be secured. There are many agencies ready to render valuable assist¬ ance to the teacher, but he must work out the details. It may be even necessary for him to take the initiative and show the community that a departure from traditional lines is essential in making the school what it ought to be to its patrons. He may have to make his demonstration in a very concrete way, and sometimes in terms of dollars and cents. The following incident will illustrate the latter point: A teacher who had been working with his class in agriculture on the subject of pruning grape vines happened to be telling a patron of this 6 work. The patron was wholly out of sympathy with that sort of teaching. He thought the school was running to fads to the everlasting detriment of the pupils. Anybody could prune grape vines and why spend the valuable time of the pupils with such nonsense. He had just finished pruning his own vines and knew what he was talking about. The teacher mildly asked that he might be shown the vines. When this request was granted he found that the vines were ruined for this season’s crop. He asked the man where the fruit buds were. But the man had never heard of them. All buds looked alike to him. The teacher then carefully explained to him some of the principles of pruning and gave the reasons for the various steps in the process. The attitude of the man toward the teaching of agriculture was from that moment changed, and he even lamented the fact that he had had no such advantages in his own school life. He had been touched in a personal way. No amount of argument could have pro¬ duced the results of this simple demonstration. The greatest difficulty in redirecting rural school education is in the lack of teachers who have sufficient sympathy and preparation for the work. Such teachers, owing to their scarc¬ ity, are commanding higher salaries than teachers in other subjects. The demand for such teachers now far exceeds the supply, and this demand promises to continue for a long time. Redirecting the education of a community must be brought about in terms of the daily welfare of its people. For rural communities this must be largely in terms of agriculture. It is for this reason that so much emphasis is placed upon agri¬ culture as a means of increasing the efficiency of rural schools. But the teaching of agriculture, however desirable it may be, must not be regarded as the whole solution of the matter. The question is vastly more complex. It involves the lives and living of a whole community. Agriculture merely serves as a center of community interest which may bring the school closer to its life. If it can be shown that agriculture in the public school reacts upon the community to its industrial im¬ provement, so household arts, principles of personal hygiene and sanitation, and other subjects that are fundamental to good living, may be reflected upon the home in a similar way. 7 Thus each connection between the school and home may bind the two in a closer union to the advantage of both. “The real needs of the people are not alone the arts by which they make a living but the whole range of their customary activities. As the home is the center of our civilization so the home subjects should be the center of every school.” The teacher, therefore, who is to make the greatest success of this work must have a preparation including more than a knowledge of the princi¬ ples of agriculture or any other subject. He needs to have in¬ sight into current educational methods and tendencies in order to organize his work and make the most of the social and in¬ dustrial experiences of his pupils. He must know the school administrative machinery of his own state. He should be familiar also with the various steps in rural progress socially as well as educationally in order to work with the community for better living. And most important of all he must have an abiding interest in all phases of rural life. THE OHIO SITUATION. Ohio has large agricultural interests. A considerable pro¬ portion of its population are farmers. As in other states large numbers of its rural schools are of the single room type, but there is a growing tendency toward consolidation. The organization of the State School System is based on the township unit. In order to increase the efficiency of its sys¬ tem a township may place its schools under the direction of a township superintendent. There are at present over 600 town¬ ships with this organization. Usually in each township sys¬ tem there is either a village or consolidated high school. Often the principal of this high school is also township superinten¬ dent. The relation of the high school to the other school in¬ terests of the township is further strengthened through the elementary teachers and teachers in single room rural schools, Most of these have had no further preparation for their work than graduation from the rural high school. The rural high school, therefore, is doubly important in its relation to rural education: on the one hand through the adjustment of its work in meeting the industrial needs of the community, and on the other in giving its graduates, who are to teach, some 8 preparation for carrying this work into the small elementary schools. There is a growing demand in the state for industrial education in the rural schools, and considerable advance has been made in some places. But Ohio is having the same dif¬ ficulty that other states are having, viz., lack of teachers with insight into the problem of rural education, and with sufficient training to organize and develop industrial education suited to the needs of the schools. The solution of the Ohio situ¬ ation seems to be for the state to make special provision for training teachers in rural industrial education for work as township superintendents, and rural high school principals and science teachers. With teachers having such training, township school systems, both directly through the superin¬ tendent, and indirectly through the graduates of the rural high schools giving industrial training who become teachers, may be organized to meet the present demands for rural in¬ dustrial education. For awhile the emphasis should be placed upon agriculture, and household and manual arts. But gradually through the reaction of these subjects upon the life of the community, as has already been indicated, it may be possible for the school to assume other community interests and co-operate in all that concerns the community welfare. 9 RURAL INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION IN THE OHIO STATE NORMAL COLLEGE. Organization. It is the business of this College to train teachers for effective work in the schools of the State. Its present or¬ ganization provides two-year courses for elementary teach¬ ers, for teachers in manual arts, for teachers in house¬ hold arts, for teachers in music, and for teachers in rural industries. A few years ago the College provided for instruction in agriculture by establishing a Department of Agricultural Edu¬ cation. From the experience so far gained in the work it is thought that the department may very properly increase its contribution to the education of the state by enlarging the scope of its work so as to include the whole subject of in¬ dustrial education in rural schools. A course of two years is, therefore, planned with agriculture as the major subject but to include other lines of work scarcely less important as prepara¬ tion of effective work in rural school systems. The needs of the township superintendent, the principals and science teach¬ ers of rural high schools have been especially considered in offering this course. Equipment. As will be seen in the detailed outline of the course, the work offered is in several departments of the University, each of which is well equipped for the work it offers. Since agriculture is the major subject, special mention should be made of some of the provisions that are being made for the work undertaken: a large, new, well-lighted laboratory connected with a soil room and greenhouse; sufficient appa¬ ratus and other laboratory equipment for the present needs of the course; a. large school garden, including about 200 indi¬ vidual children’s gardens and fifty observation plots of vari- IO ous field crops; a corn-breeding plot in co-operation with the Ohio State Agricultural Experiment Station; a sub-forestry station of about thirty acres, also in co-operation with the State Experiment Station; about 4,000 bulletins and circulars on various phases of agriculture, including almost complete files ot publications of the United States Department of Agriculture, files and current publications of seventeen state experiment stations, and other pamphlets on agricultural education from agricultural colleges and other sources; all the most important books on agricultural subjects. DESCRIPTION OF COURSE. Agricultural Education. Professor Davis and assistants. 14a. Plant Propagation.—Propagation and care of plants based on principles of physiology of plant growth. Noxious weeds. One lecture, three laboratory periods. 4. 14b. Soil.—Principles of soil fertility. One lecture, one laboratory period. 2. 14c. Animal and Plant Improvement.—Biological prin¬ ciples of animal and plant improvement. Laboratory study of field crops. Two lectures, one laboratory period. 3. 15a. Enemies of Cultivated Plants.—Common insects of economic importance; plant diseases; protective meas¬ ures. One lecture, two laboratory periods. 3. 15b. Animal Nutrition.—Animal physiology with spe¬ cial reference to nutrition (rations and feeding). Two lectures, one laboratory period. 3. 15c. Domestic Animals.—Classification of domestic animals, history and development of various types.; stock judging. Two lectures, one laboratory period. 3. 16a. Forestry. — Elementary study of forestry with practical work in University Forestry Sub-Station. Two lectures, one laboratory period. 3. 17c. Farm Mechanics.—Application of physics to farm machinery. Three lecture periods. 3. 18a. School Methods.—Organization and adaptation of various phases of agriculture in elementary and secondary schools. Two lecture periods. 2. 19 a, b, c. Rural Education.—Seminar work on various problems and current practices in rural education. One evening bi-weekly throughout year. 1-3. Botany. Professor Fink. 2 b, c. Dendrology.—Structure of wood, winter aspect of trees, taxonomic and economic study of trees. One lecture and two laboratory periods. (Elementary Botany prerequisite.) 3. 3 a, b, c. Mycology.—Study of fungi, including certain economic aspects. One lecture and two laboratory peri¬ ods. (Elementary Botany and good work in Botany 2 prerequisites.) 3. Drawing. Professor Whitcomb, Miss Robinson and Miss Ross. 14a. Elementary Mechanical. — Freehand sketching, freehand lettering, simple working drawings, tracing and blue-printing. One lecture and five hours’ study and drawing. 2. 18 b, c. Home Structure, Sanitation and Decoration.— General principles of home construction; situation and surroundings of the dwelling; soil and drainage; garden and yard; home plans and specifications; water supply, plumbing, sewers, garbage, heating, ventilation, sanitary cleaning; principles of decoration. One lecture and three hours’ drawing and study. 2. Education. Professor Heckert and Professor Feeney. 11 a, b. Psychology and the Principles of Teaching.— Elementary psychology as an introduction to study of the principles of teaching; concrete applications of psychological principles; observations in practice school and reports on definite questions to be observed. 3. 11c. Principles of Teaching as Applied to the Recita¬ tion.—Teacher’s aim, selection and organization of ma¬ terials, questioning, devices, development of lesson, how to study, etc. 3. English. Assistant Professor Carter. 1 a, b, c. Composition and Rhetoric.—A thorough study of the principles of correct expression considering in order the use of words, sentences and paragraphs; 12 practice in description, narration, exposition and argu¬ mentation ; a brief consideration of poetics. 3. Geography. Professor Hoke. 14 a, b, c. Physical Geography.—(a) Physiography of the Lands. 3. (b) Climatology. 3. (c) Physiography of the United States. 3. Manual Training. Professor Whitcomb and assistants. 14 b, c. Woodworking.—Simple pieces of woodwork and furniture made from working drawings and blue¬ prints; tools, principles of joinery, forms of fastening\ wood finishing, structure and properties and seasoning, of wood; species of wood, North American forest and forestry, including lumbering and saw-milling; building construction; shop methods and care of shop. One lec¬ ture and six hours’ shop work. 3. 15 a, b, c. Woodturning and Use of Power Machines. —The lathe, turning tools, finishing and methods of fin¬ ishing. A variety of woods and finishes are used. The combination of lathe and bench work is introduced . Shop machines are used by the students, and action investigated and explained. Power shafting, and belting are also con¬ sidered. One lecture and two hours’ shop work. 1. 20c. Theory and Practice of Teaching Manual Train¬ ing.—Buildings, rooms, equipment, etc., for different kinds of manual training and drawing, and to meet various school conditions. 2. Mathematics. Professor Feeney. 13a. Trigonometry.—The elements of trigonometry, with especial reference to surveying. 3. Physics. Professor Culler. See Agricultural Education 17c. 3. Physical Culture. Professor Stone. Physical exercise under supervision of the Director. Two hours per week for one year. 2-3. School Administration. Professor Minnich. 12 c. School Organization and Management.—Discus¬ sion of value of studies, distribution of material, adjust¬ ment of time; selection of material and method of pre- 13 sentation; relation of teacher to pupils, to the corps, to the superintendent, to the patrons, to the State; discipline and management of the school. 3. Sociology. Professor Bedford. 3 b. Practical or Applied Sociology with Reference to Rural Communities.—Social conditions in American Ag¬ ricultural communities with a view to amelioration; Sta¬ tistics of rural population; communication and travel; social gatherings; organized movement among farmers; country schools and churches. 3. 14 Manual Training 15 ...,. 1 Sociology 3 . 3 School Administration 12 o BJ >■ > > 3 S 2.1 % 0Q a o n o ShH.cc 15* S' S’ S’ p p p p t -5 WWW Pj pi Oi p p p 000 p p p o’ o’ o’ d d d W \0 QC Os cn & H g H cr. W 2 * C K 2gWWD> 5f p b p* a <5 ^ ^ OTQ P ^ 2 *2. tr {St o 3 o o 2 » & S* d e. | ? fw Bf ■ H. 5 o cr. d n P OJ 00 to Cn> Ck) ! v W o) u oi oj « to g g O w > > p p » 2 . °s °s rt O ft § w § W o’ 3 d P » » H Hj »-t Mt p p S’ s; S’ S’ W CfQ K> M O Cn W d* Cfl g W W d w > d d *3 cr p ts Pi p W P d d*. Q S # £ » is § d Hi P V OTQ P* »◄ p S3 *-t H p JL W 0 1 n *-> r* P d 1 CO -S W W O O 0 d m. ?? s rt ti p. Pi d d 0 0 2 O z G 3 w p p •-*- (-+■ o’ o’ H W -S d d W vO Cn s > ? M g 3 §05 d JL p H ’H* o» on 1 1 I •? cm Cm 00 CM cm 1 1 CM CM CM W > ► w g W 0 OQ CfQ orq d 4 P d ^ p 2 . d o on CM pr H >-t H “ 0 ►? d P. P^ p pH cc e. 00 -£ W W W w CC d d d- Pi Pi Pi M d d d 0 >-i d 0 OQ O O O % p p p H £ cr. cr. cr. w 0 O O M d d d £ M M M S v£) vj cn : : : m Cm h Ol Oi W U U w o w > Pi 2 O orq W p § S’ 2. di G 2 a o o p * 5* d M jf CM CM CM Cm » Oj Oj 15 SCHEDULE OF COURSE. 05657412