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Show State School Superintendent Follows Lehi's Left! Sexoral months nKo tho Lchl school board decided that In order to mnlto mole e'llcneloiiB the lessons of ngrl-cultti!,' ngrl-cultti!,' being taught In the public bcIiooIj, it would supplement tho work b hiring two Instructors to suporxlsc the work of the bo)s In tho fields lining the summer. Accordingly Professors llennlon and Hunks wcro hired to devote one-half of their summer sum-mer mouths to tho work. Tho professors' profes-sors' services will also bo nt" tho command com-mand of the farmers generally, who desire to obtain their vlow8 nnd nl-vlce nl-vlce Mr Hanks' efforts will b'o large ly with the boys' clubs, whllo Mr. llennlon will he. more In tho fields." State Superintendent Mutheson.-ev', dently getting his Inspiration" fr6m tho l.ehl schools, has Issued ti general circular to all the school boardsiof the state IIIh article gives "such n thorough suppoit t0 the Lehi bonrd's action that wo print IiIb nrtlclo'ln full. It follows; To the Public School Hoards of Utah,' In Agricultural Districts: For a number of years ngrlculturo has been taught both In tho common schools and in the high schools of the state. Experience has demonstrated demon-strated that agriculture is n subject which cannot bo taught effectively by employing only tho long established methods of the school loom. Tho Btudy of a text book, work in tho laboratory, and lecltatlon in tho class room are all valuable aids In acquiring acquir-ing u knowledgo of this subject, but thesu alone do not give a young man a full or fair opportunity to learn well this important science. In addition ho must participate Intelligently In tho work on tho farm. There Is considerable dlscusBlon theso days about educational ro-ad-Justment and vocational training, here Is widespread conviction that the school would do woll to mnko some of Its work u little moro concrete con-crete ami practical. Wo feel sure that this result can bo secured In agriculture nnd that school boards havo It largely within their power to bring nut this desired result. In tho rural districts of our stole by far tho largest part of vocational education must necessarily mean education in the science of farm life. To bo tho direct means of Improving this important im-portant part of school work would bo a distinct credit to our school boards. Should He Practical. - Tho boy who studies ngrlculturo should bo given an opportunity, under un-der skillful direction anil supervision, to put tho theories and Information which he acquires In tho school room Into practice on the farm Tho teacher teach-er or supervisor should be with tho boy ou tho fnrm In summer, nB well as with him In tho school room In winter. Tho boy would thus pnso through a thorough-going educational process In his study of agriculture; Ho would be doing prodncth-rmlr which would also stimulate his Interest Inter-est In school work and add to his determination to succeed therein To bring about such an opportunity, 1 respectfully recommend to school boards, at least In high school districts dis-tricts where the finances will permit, that they engage the services of their teachers of agrlcultuie for the calendar calen-dar yenr, Instead of for the school yenr, I. c, for twelve months Instead of for nine mouths of tho year. During Dur-ing tho summer months the boards should havo this teacher supenlno the farm work of all school boys within with-in tho district, take charge of ngrlculturo ngrl-culturo club work, and with the boys work out tho projects and problems of the farm. Duo euro should be exorcised In tho selection of tho teacher. Ho should, If possible, be a man whoso kuo.wlctlgo of agricultural sclenco has como from actual participation partici-pation In farm life, nnd from a comprehensive com-prehensive course of Instruction In one of our best agricultural colleges. Ho should, moreover, bo In nutlru sympathy with all meritorious school work and sco clearly the relationship oi" his work to all or tho activities of tho school. Such li man would co-oporato co-oporato readily and happily with parents par-ents nnd would give valuablo guld-r.nco guld-r.nco nnd demonstrations to tho boys. Furthermore, his Instructions could not fail to lie, at least incidentally, bor.oficlnl to tho fathers of tho boys Will Help l.ntlre Slate. The schools, I nm sure, enn bo ory effective agencies In bringing about Improved ngrlculturo throughout our state Tho countries whoso schools havo taught most effectively nnd most gendrnlly the subject of agriculture, hnvo given nmplo proof of the truth fulness of this nsscrtlou. Denmark, for example. Is only nbout ono-elgh-teenth tho slr.n of Toxns; It has nearly three millions of people; ovor CO per cent of Its population Is rural. Largely through Intensive cultivation of the soil and tho establishment nnd successful suc-cessful operation or co-oporatlvo enterprises, en-terprises, this vast population Ib sustained sus-tained in comfort ou this small tract of land. Similar cultivation. of tho Boll In rinh would not only result In Increased production, but It would also provide homos of comfort and plonty for many or our young people who too ofton think It necessary to remove from their home stnto to find profitable employment and unliable homes elsewhere. , I sincerely trust thnt tho school bonrdB of tho stnto, especially th" high school boards, may glvo careful consideration to tho question or em ploying their teachers or ngrlculturo throughout the cntlro year. Very truly yours, t . A. C. MATI1ESON, Stnte Superintendent of Public In-Btructlou. |