Rural School Leaflet 979 



of the district superintendent. After organizing a contest and securing 

 the entries the superintendent should advise the College as to the probable 

 number of leaflets needed, and the leaflets will be sent to him in bulk for 

 distribution. The material contained herein is sufficient for several 

 contests; those receiving the leaflet should therefore be cautioned to 

 preserve it carefully, since it will not be possible to supply more than 

 a single copy to one person. 



As the contests develop, many questions will undoubtedly arise as to 

 both organization and subject-matter. The College is not able at present 

 to handle a large correspondence in this field, even if it were advisable. 

 Local interest and local unity will be strengthened if the contestants 

 look to their leader for all information. The College is ready to cooperate 

 with the leader at all times. In this way the district superintendent 

 will become better acquainted with the State College and with the men 

 in the various departments, he will soon acquire a fund of information 

 that will enable him to answer more and more questions without reference, 

 and he will strengthen his hold on the district. The College, in corre- 

 spondence with two hundred and seven persons instead of with many 

 thousands, will be able to give more prompt and efficient help. 



As a brief summary: The district superintendent plans a contest, 

 has the application blanks printed, advertises the contest, and procures 

 the entries. He then applies to the State College of Agriculture for the 

 required number of copies of this leaflet, which he distributes among the 

 contestants. He instructs the contestants to address to him all questions 

 relating to the contest. Those questions that he finds himself unable to 

 answer should be referred to the Editors of the Cornell Rural School 

 Leaflet, who will see that they are answered by the proper authorities. 

 It would seem that this plan, if carried out, should meet all difficulties 

 promptly and with the greatest efficiency. Thus the State College can 

 be of assistance at the opening of the contest. 



At the close of the contest, and in regard to the matter of exhibits 

 and prizes, there is opportunity for further direct cooperation between 

 the district superintendent and the State College. To make awards on 

 prize day an experienced judge should be found. If the prize day pro- 

 grams in various parts of the State can be arranged on such dates that 

 a circuit may be followed, the College of Agriculture will furnish an 

 experienced person to judge a limited number of contest exhibits The 

 best time to fix the dates for such a series of prize days will be between 

 October 15 and November 15. In order to secure this assistance from the 

 College of Agriculture, tentative dates for exhibitions should be submit- 

 ted early in the previous August, so that a satisfactory circuit may be 

 decided upon by the judge and the date for each exhibition in the circuit 

 finally fixed by him before the first exhibition. 



