George Washington Carver's Traveling Classroom

Written by Studio AM.

George Washington Carver taught agriculture at Tuskegee Institute. Many nearby farmers could not leave their fields to attend lessons. Carver helped bring the lessons to them instead.

He helped develop a movable school carried on a wagon, working with teacher Thomas Monroe Campbell. It held seeds, plants, tools, and examples of healthy soil. At farm stops, teachers could show methods rather than only describe them. They demonstrated ways to protect worn soil, feed animals, preserve food, and use different crops.

The wagon was named for Morris K. Jesup, whose support helped fund it. Yet its importance came from the work done beside fields and homes. Carver understood that useful knowledge must be reachable. His traveling classroom turned a road into part of the school.

Questions

Choose an answer. The explanation appears after you answer.

  1. Question 1 of 4

    What is the main idea of the passage?

  2. Question 2 of 4

    Why were demonstrations useful at the wagon's stops?

  3. Question 3 of 4

    What does “reachable” mean in the final paragraph?

  4. Question 4 of 4

    What did the wagon carry?

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