Was it something new or something borrowed? I know it was not old (at that point in time) or blue. Even though the title of this Footnote refers to a wedding tradition for brides, it could apply to the introduction of an agricultural textbook for use in the schools of Maryland in 1915. There are numerous intriguing questions about the book (See Figure 1). Why was it introduced and what was so unique about it?
Figure 1. Elementary Vocational Agriculture for Maryland Schools
Last week’s Footnote started our journey through agricultural education in Maryland. We looked at the first high school to teach agriculture in Maryland – Calvert Agricultural High School (established in 1906). This week we are looking at elementary school agriculture and the first agriculture textbook for use by teachers in Maryland.
Elementary School Agriculture in Maryland
In the early 1900s there was a nationwide movement to teach agriculture in elementary schools. In 1915 Monahan and Lane (p. 295) reported that “Agriculture is now required by State legislation as a subject of instruction in all public rural elementary schools in 21 states.” While Maryland was not one of the states with a legislative mandate to teach agriculture in rural elementary schools, a number of schools in the state chose to do so.
In a letter to the Baltimore Sun in 1910 George Melvin wrote (p. 6) “About five years ago the Anne Arundel School Board adopted a resolution directing that elementary agriculture should be taught in the public schools…We have been unable to make much headway in introducing such teaching, however, principally because of the lack of preparation on the part of the teaching force.”
One of the reasons Maryland did not mandate the teaching of agriculture in rural elementary schools was because of the burden it would place on the teacher. In a meeting of the National Education Association in 1905 a committee on industrial education for rural communities made their report. They strongly supported the teaching of agriculture in rural schools but were against having this mandated by law. The committee (Allen, 1905, p. 3) “…discouraged the wholesale introduction of agriculture in country schools having only a single teacher. To require by law that every country school teacher shall give instruction in the elements of agriculture is in the judgment of the committee a serious mistake. It will simply result in… failure.” At the meeting one of the attendees said “…such instruction could be made successfully in elementary and secondary schools and that it only remained to work out a feasible plan for the general introduction of agriculture into the rural schools.”
Perhaps part of the feasible plan was to offer summer school classes for rural elementary school teachers. In a newspaper article in The Baltimore Sun (July 28, 1915) the President of the Maryland Agricultural College, H. J. Patterson, reviewed some of the recent development of the College. One new development was (p. 1) “The introduction of a Summer School for rural school teachers, which gives them an opportunity to better equip themselves for their work, especially in agriculture and domestic science. There are 140 students in attendance at the Summer School at present.”
In addition to the summer school, it is possible that the “feasible plan for the general introduction of agriculture into the rural schools” could be the introduction of a textbook in agriculture that would help the teacher.
Something New
In October of 1915 Elementary Vocational Agriculture for Maryland Schools was published. The book was 236 pages in length and E. A. Miller was identified as the author. This was not the first elementary agriculture book for schools but was one of many. It was preceded by such books as:
- Agriculture for Beginners – 1903 – Burkett, Stevens and Hill – Ginn & Company.
- Agriculture for Common Schools -1909 – Fisher and Cotton – Charles Scribner’s Sons.
- Agriculture for Young Folks – 1910 – Wilson and Wilson – Webb Publishing Co.
- An Introduction to Agriculture – 1911 – Upham – D. Appleton and Co.
- Beginnings in Agriculture – 1911 – Mann – MacMillan Co.
- Elementary Agriculture – 1913 – Nida – A. Flanagan Company
- Elements of Agriculture – 1910 – Warren – MacMillan Co.
- Productive Farming – 1911 – Davis – J. B. Lippincott Co.
The Maryland book was not new, but it took a new approach to the organization of the book. All of the books listed above have chapters on such topics as soils, farm crops, cattle, animal health, poultry, plant growth, tillage and the list goes on. There is typically no rhyme or reason for the order of the chapters except for the preference of the authors.
The topics in the Maryland book are arranged by the order in which the farming activities should occur on the farm starting with September and ending with May. In the introduction we learn (p. 1):
These lessons are outlined after a monthly sequence plan and are intended to be adapted to the seasonal, agricultural and school conditions of Maryland. It is hoped that by presenting lessons in the subject of agriculture at the time the principles in these lessons are practiced or should be practiced on the farms of the community two things may be accomplished; namely, the classroom work may be greatly vitalized by having timely material at hand for practical work and things that are best to do on the community farms are taught at the time they should be done.
What a great idea! While I have not read all the elementary agriculture books, this is the first one I have found that had the lessons arranged in a seasonal order. So to me, this is something new. In September the first lesson was on Winter Cover Crops, followed by Silage, and then Selecting Seed Corn (which should be done in the field).
Another unique feature of the book was the realization that teachers had other things to teach and could not spend all their time teaching agriculture. In the introduction to the book, the author, E. A. Miller writes (p. 1) “After making a careful study of school conditions in the State it is recognized that only a limited number of lessons in agriculture can be taught by the greatly burdened teachers, hence these outlines ordinarily contain two and never more than three lessons a week.” It is nice of the author to recognize that teachers have other responsibilities than just teaching agriculture.
Another new concept was the book was designed to educate and guide the teachers. It was not a textbook to be read by the students, thus eliminating “book agriculture.” It provided some content and had references to other sources of information for the benefit of the teacher. It also contained teaching suggestions and possible activities for the students.
What else is new about this book? The authors of most of the books listed above were university professors. E. A. Miller, the author of the Maryland book, was a specialist in agriculture employed by the States Relations Service of the United State Department of Agriculture. The State Relations Service, directed by A. C. True, was active in promoting and assisting states across the nation in the development of agricultural education programs. It appears that producing this textbook was part of the mission of the State Relations Service. However, it should be noted that Miller enlisted the aid of 14 faculty members at the University of Maryland for technical assistance in the book’s content.
What do we know about E. A (Edward Andrew) Miller? He graduated from the Alabama Polytechnic Institute (Auburn) in 1901 with a BS degree (and a MS in 1903). In 1901 he was hired as an instructor at the Seventh District Agricultural School in Albertville where he remained until 1905. He then served as President of the Ninth District Agricultural School in Blountsville, Alabama until 1911 before returning to Albertville as President of the Seventh District School. He accepted his position with the USDA in 1913.
Something Blue??
Another new aspect of this book was that it was published by the University of Maryland and released as a bulletin from the Maryland Agricultural College. However, in the introduction we learn that the USDA, Maryland Agricultural College and the Maryland State Department of Public Education were all involved in producing this book. The other elementary books listed above were published by commercial publishers or printers. The Maryland book was furnished to schools “at cost”. Perhaps the people who bought the other elementary agricultural books from commercial publishers might have been blue since they paid more.
Information about the book was published in the Maryland newspapers. See Figure 2. Similar articles were published in papers across the state.
Figure 2. The Midland Journal, October 13, 1916
Something Borrowed?
In researching this Footnote I discovered that another state borrowed this Maryland idea. Or was it possible that Maryland borrowed the textbook idea from another state? I discovered a USDA Publication (Bulletin No. 258) with the title “Lessons in Elementary Agriculture for Alabama Schools.” It was released on July 13, 1915. Guess who the author was — E. A. Miller. The subheading under the title was “Outlined By Months.” The first lesson in September was Winter Cover Crops. Hmm! See Figure 3.
Figure 3. USDA Bulletin 258
In the introduction to the booklet it was stated that this publication was an example of what could be done. It demonstrates that states could adapt instruction in agriculture to local needs. It was further stated (p. 1) “Although the department [USDA] does not contemplate issuing publications of this kind for other States, it stands ready to cooperate in making studies as to agricultural and school conditions and in outlining courses adapted to the conditions.” It appears that the folks in Maryland asked for the cooperation of the USDA in producing a book for Maryland teachers.
So it appears that Maryland did borrow the idea of an elementary agriculture textbook from the USDA and Alabama. But in defense of Maryland, their elementary agricultural book contained 236 pages while the Alabama publication was very skimpy on content and contained only 42 pages. An article very similar to the Maryland newspaper article was published in the Union Springs Herald (Alabama) on July 14, 1915. See Figure 4.
Figure 4. Union Springs Herald (Alabama), July 14, 1915.
But wait a minute! The State Department of Education in Virginia published a 143 page book in 1918 titled Elementary Agriculture for Virginia Schools. And would you believe the author was E. A. Miller? The description of the book reads “This is a series of lessons in elementary agriculture, outlined by months for the public schools of Virginia.” The borrowing continues. Is it possible that other states also borrowed this idea?
Concluding Remarks
Back in the 1960s, or perhaps earlier, Purina gave motivational poster cards that could be displayed in agricultural education classrooms. One of the cards said “A Good Idea Doesn’t Care Who Has It.” So perhaps we could say that about the Elementary Vocational Agriculture for Maryland Schools book. Even though the USDA in cooperation with folks in Alabama introduced the idea of a book to help elementary teachers teach about agriculture, it was Maryland who took the idea and built upon it.
References
Allen, E. W. (1905, September 16). Agricultural Teaching. The News (Frederick, MD).
Melvin, George (1910, March 28). Mr. Melvin Explains the Action of Anne Arundel Educators and Farmers on Schools. The Baltimore Sun.
Miller, E. A. (1915). Elementary Vocational Agriculture for Maryland Schools. Maryland Agricultural College, College Park, Maryland.
Monahan, A. C. & Lane, C. H. (1915). Report of the commissioner of education for the year ended June 30, 1915.Washington, DC: Government Printing Office.