How TO IMPROVE THE RURAL SCHOOL. 463 



Suggestive Program for Rural School Day. 



AFTERNOON PROGRAM. 



Singing of America by the School. 



Four papers by children on the following subjects: 



1. "Why we go to School." 



2. "What we can do for the School." 



3. "What can we do to improve the Schoolhouse and Grounds?" 



4. "What I will do after I pass the 'Examination'." 

 Music. 



5. "History of the schools of State," to be read. 

 Patriotic selections to be recited by the children. 



6. What can we do to make our school better? 



7. What more can our community do for the school than it is doing 

 at present? 



8. What public meetings might be held in this schoolhouse for the 

 good of our community? 



9. What benefits would visits from our parents bestow upon the school? 



10. School gardens, of what value might they be to this school? 



11. Why not have a Literary Society or Debating Club? 



12. Is our water supply safe and wholesome? 



13. Why do we not have the publications from the State Experiment 

 Station, since they can be had for nothing? 



14. Our Schools and our Roads. 



15. Talks by Parents and Visitors. 

 Music. 



16. Remarks by the Teacher. 



17. Announcement of Evening Meeting. 

 Music. 



Dismissal. 



A Corn Growing Contest. 



A very valuable contest may be started which may be 

 entered by school boys as well as older persons to test the seed 

 corn of a whole school district or community, to determine who is 

 producing the most valuable corn among those entering the 

 contest. 



A field or part of a field is selected in which fertility, drain- 

 age, type of soil is as nearly uniform as possible. Each contestant 

 selects from his own seed corn. The seed bed has been prepared 

 so that all parts have received uniform treatment. Each com- 

 petitor plants 2, or 4 rows of corn ; the rules may require that corn 



