30 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



competent officer, when the work is assigned to the boys, if the 

 officer chances to be absent, that work shall go on as well as in 

 his presence. We recognize the necessity of developing that 

 principle of faithfulness in labor. About a year ago, the rate was 

 increased, so that they are now paid thirty cents for the three 

 hours' labor. That is the maximum price, and the rate is graded 

 according to faithfulness and efficiency ; so that a young man, 

 working his three hours a day, 'five days in a week, if he attain 

 the maximum price, and as my memory serves me now there was 

 no one who fell below eight cents an hour the last season, and 

 ,only one as low as that — it would yield him $1.50 a week toward 

 cancelling his bills ; or if he attained the minimum price, eight 

 cents an hour, it would be $1.20 a week. There are, of course, 

 some advantages occasionally furnished to students, by which 

 they are able to cancel more, but in following the regular routine 

 duties, they would cancel that amount of their weekly expenses. 



Mr. Perley of Naples. What opportunities do they have to 

 teach during vacation ? 



Prof. Fernald. At first we allowed eight weeks vacation, but 

 as most of the young men were wanted to teach, we have this 

 winter allowed ten weeks. A large proportion of our students, 

 perhaps from sixty to eighty per cent., are teaching this winter. 

 By what they receive for teaching and the wages for their labor, 

 they arc enabled to meet nearly all the expenses at the institution, 

 so that no energetic young maa need fear falling behind much. I 

 think no young man of energy need hesitate to enter the institu- 

 tion, and work his way through. If he was industrious and tem- 

 perate, (as all of our 3 7 oung men are) I should not be afraid to 

 guarantee that he would fall in arrears but a very small amount. 



But allow me to add, that in order for all these students to 

 make this weekly reduction in their expenses, it is necessaiy that 

 we be provided with what we have not. Farm labor can only be 

 profitably carried on during certain seasons of the year. When 

 the term opens, two weeks hence, what can be done upon the 

 farm ? How can we employ those boys ? Now if we had a 

 machine shop, as we ought to have, if we are to teach mechanics, 

 there would be a place in which we could employ the boys during 

 this time, before farming operations commenced ; as it is we work 

 along as best we can. I do not know how soon we may be able 

 to supply this want ; I do not know to what extent it can be sup- 

 plied, but certainly there is need. We want the means of furnish- 



