and die. Give us many such schools, and the
farm youth is in no danger of leaving the farm."

Although agricultural teaching has been slowly winning its way into our
American schools, it has been a feature of even the primary schools in
France since 1879 and in most other European countries more recently. The
wonderful agricultural revival of Denmark dates from the introduction of
this subject in the schools. Elementary agriculture is taught in every
rural district of the land, and it gives the children that love for the
very soil which makes Danish patriotism unique.

The Macdonald movement in Canada, backed by the government, has put that
country well in the lead on our continent in this matter. It is spreading
fast now in the States, however. Seven states in the South alone require
by law agricultural instruction in rural schools. Many states now require
normal school students to prepare to teach the subject as an essential
branch of rural education; so that its future is assured.

The laboratory work in school gardens is a most interesting feature of
great value. Only recently has the garden movement developed in America,
beginning in Roxbury, Boston, in 1891; but every European nation but
England popularized it long ago. Comenius believed that "a garden should
be connected with every school," and his country, Moravia, early enacted
this conviction into law. The rural schools of Prussia introduced school
gardens as early as 1819; and they are now common everywhere in
continental Europe. The movement is now spreading fast in this country and
has proved very successful in stimulating interest in listless boys. In
Dayton, Ohio, school gardens were established in 1903, and it has been
observed there that boys taking gardening make 30% more progress than
others in their studies. The moral effects are sometimes notable,
especially in vicious surroundings.

III. Allies of the School in Rural Education.

_School Improvement Leagues_

This movement started in Maine, where it has over 60,000 members, and has
spread to other states. It seeks to stimulate the loyalty of pupils,
teachers and patrons to the schools in every feasible way. It gives
coherence and direction to a rising local pride in a successful school and
helps greatly to develop a local school spirit. When once aroused, this
interest can be directed in any useful way which is most needed at the
time. It often finds most natural expression in beautifying th