97° Rural School Leaflet 



IMPORTANT NOTICE * 



The purpose of this bulletin is to help in organizing agricultural con- 

 tests for boys and girls in order that they may find the development that 

 comes through interest in farm experiences and practices. Wholesome 

 competition should be encouraged. In order to avoid the exploitation 

 of children for any agricultural movement, we strongly urge that all 

 contests along this line be conducted on an educational basis under the 

 direction of the superintendent of rural schools. Many a seemingly 

 successful contest has done harm instead of good. Each individual child 

 who signs an entry blank should be taught to feel the responsibility of 

 completing his piece of work. Hundreds of children enter contests, 

 but often a few only have completed work to present when the contest 

 closes. The aim in agricultural contests s \ould be to develop men and 

 women as well as a better agriculture. If the contests are so conducted 

 that local interest holds each child to his work, encourages him to exhibit 

 the results of his labor, and teaches him to be a good loser if he fails to 

 win a prize, the benefit will be permanent in the community. There is real 

 honor in winning a prize, but the child should be taught to look beyond 

 the prize to the greater honor in accomplishing the best piece of work of 

 which he is capable. Every adult who has to do with this work must 

 feel his responsibility for the character of the boy or girl. Agricultural 

 contests may be immoral in influence ; on the other hand, they may be 

 made one of the strongest factors in the redirection of country life. 

 Some things to be kept in mind are: 



i. That in New York State the educational supervisory district will 

 make the best unit for an agricultural contest ; the district superintendent 

 will be the person best fitted to take the leadership. He knows the 

 teachers, he knows the school children, he keeps in touch with advanced 

 ideas for the education of boys and girls. 



2. Small beginnings are best in agricultural contests. The impor- 

 tant thing is that every child should finish the piece of work which he 

 begins. It might be best for a district superintendent to make his first 

 experiment with one township, choosing the township that promises the 

 most earnest support in demonstrating the value of the work. This 

 will do much to awaken interest in every township because the work will 

 doubtless show quality in the exhibits, and this is always of more value 

 than is quantity. 



3. All philanthropic and social organizations, Young Men's Christian 

 Associations, granges, business men's associations, women's clubs, and 

 the like, and all public-spirited individuals can be most helpful by cooper- 

 ating with the school organization to develop a permanent guidance 

 toward a better outlook to country life among the young folk. 



PERMANENT DIRECTION 



SIMPLE BEGINNING 



WHOLESOME COMPETITION 



DEVELOPMENT OF BOYS AND GIRLS THROUGH AGRICULTURE AND DOMESTIC SCIENCE, 



THUS INCREASING EFFICIENCY IN RURAL FOLK AND DEVELOPING A MORE 



FUNDAMENTAL GROWTH OF COUNTRY-LIFE INTERESTS 



* A table of contents for this leaflet is given on page 1064. 



