Lanterna Rally

Author: Erwin Hopt

Publisher:

Published: 2015-08-04

Total Pages: 198

ISBN-13: 9781332148615

Excerpt from Laboratory Exercises in Principles of Agriculture Although laboratory instruction in agriculture is relatively new, it is surprising to observe how little it has gained from pedagogical progress in other sciences. This is particularly true in the matter of carefully prepared laboratory exercises and supplies. Our present methods of teaching other sciences have resulted from long and trying experiences, but is it not a fact that the teaching of agriculture, especially in the more elementary forms, instead of profiting by these experiences, is tending strongly to repeat the same mistakes ? For example, it is but a few years since the laboratory teaching of elementary physics was lamentably weak. The principles of the subject were poorly organized and usually obscured in a mass of details, not infrequently being entirely lost sight of in over-exacting methods of experimentation and elaborate apparatus. Today the abandoning of these errors is making physics a practical laboratory study for the average student. To ignore these facts will, in the opinion of the authors, materially delay the time when laboratory work in agriculture will be effectively taught in secondary courses. Much as the authors have felt the seriousness of the situation mentioned above, they have tried not to err in the opposite direction, namely, that of simplifying the work to an outline of mere suggestions, too brief to be of much value to teacher or student. Such suggestions as to laboratory work have come mainly from two sources: (1) d104 books in agriculture, appearing as in other sciences, before laboratory manuals, have frequently and not improperly suggested laboratory work to accompany text study. (2) Many brief outlines of laboratory work have been written by state superintendents of public instruction and by specialists in the various branches of science. Unfortunately for the success of these outline plans, the already over-burdened teacher seldom has either time or facilities to carefully prepare in detail lessons merely suggested. Without the aid of carefully prepared lessons, the average student studies to little advantage. This lack of prepared exercises and corresponding supplies results in bluff and disgust on the part of the teacher; inattention, disorder, and equal disgust on the part of the student. The naive outline suggestion, "Study the grasses growing in the field," has about the same meaning and effect as if one would say to a Hottentot, "Go into the jewelry store and study those fine watches which you will find there." The object in writing this course in Agricultural Laboratory instruction has been: (1) To present some of the more important agricultural facts in such a way as to interest the student, encourage him to think clearly and consecutively along practical agricultural lines, and to help him so organize facts that broad general principles are established. (2) To so organize agricultural supplies that fairly complete scales or standards are established from which the student can reason and judge. (3) To make supplies readily available to schools at moderate cost. The work as presented in this manual had its beginning in at least two independent sources: (1) The method of preparing detailed exercises for teaching elementary general agriculture in secondary schools had its origin largely in the teaching and direction of H. B. Brownell, Professor of School Sciences, University of Nebraska. (2) The idea of preparing laboratory exercises in field crops and making available to schools the necessary supplies for teaching the same, originated ten or twelve years ago with Professors E. G. Montgomery and T. L. Lyon, both formerly of Nebraska, but now at Cornell University. The manual of these two teachers, "Examining and Grading Grains," has done much to encourage and systematize laboratory study in field crops throughout the United States.