Rural School Leaflet i399 



THE SCHOOL AND THE HOME 



Editors' note. — The following is a scries of communications and articles 

 dealing with various jjhases of work in natural histor^^ agricidture, and 

 home making. These subjects are the means of uniting more closely the 

 school and the home, and of affording boys and girls an opportunity for 

 practical endeavor under educational direction. 



University of the State of New York 



Albany, New York, July i, 191 5 



To the Editors of the Cornell Rtiral School Leaflet: 



In response to 3^our request for a statement concerning contest or club 

 work, I make the following suggestions to all those interested in the boys 

 and girls who live in the country. 



1 . Let us use the educational possibilities of the countr}^ for the develop- 

 ment of our boys and girls rather than use our boys and girls for the 

 development of agriculture, an idea, an institution, or an individual. 



2. Let us change the name contests or clubs to projects. The term 

 club implies an organization separate from or at least not identical with 

 the school. The word contest implies a primary aim to beat some one 

 else rather than to secure the greatest individual development. A proj- 

 ect is a piece of productive or constructive work with study directly 

 related to that work. 



3. Let us minimize cash prizes, but magnify honesty and personal effort. 



4. Let us recognize all commendable projects rather than select only 

 one or two from each class. 



5. Let us think of the l^oys and girls who are carrying on projects as 

 operators rather than as contestants or club members. 



6. Let us classify projects on the basis of size and comprehensiveness 

 of operations into two general groups, junior and senior. 



7. Let us plan junior projects for boys and girls between the ages of 

 eight and fourteen, and senior projects for boys and girls between the ages 

 of twelve and eighteen. 



8. Let us concentrate on a few projects until we have had experience 

 enough to warrant branching out into several lines. Junior and senior 

 potato projects for boys and junior and senior projects in tomato canning 

 for girls, make plenty of work for a year. 



9. Let us look to the district superintendent of schools for the organi- 

 zation of this work in his or her district, and to the teachers in each school 

 for the incorporation of it into the school program for the year. 



10. Let us expect from the Education Department direction and 

 assistance in the organization of the project plans ; from the State College of 

 Agriculture a correspondence course for teachers and bulletins on subjects 



