1 86 Agricultural Instruction in the Public High Scliools 



of them started at once to introduce some work in order to get 

 this state aid, but the state superintendent of public instruction 

 ruled that the conditions necessary to receive the aid would not 

 be considered as having been complied with unless an agricul- 

 tural college graduate, or some one else equally fitted, were en- 

 gaged to carry on the work. 



Michigan provides more specifically for agricultural instruc- 

 tion in the township rural high schools, sanctioned by Act 144, 

 1901, which provides that " the board shall have power: . . . 

 to provide a course of study which shall be approved by the 

 superintendent of public instruction and the president of the 

 Michigan Agricultural College, and shall not consist of more 

 than four years' work. Said course of study may include in- 

 struction in manual training, domestic science, nature-study and 

 the elements of agriculture."* 



The most recent and apparently most efifective legislation in 

 Minnesota is the act of the legislature of 1909 from which the 

 following quotations are taken: 



To provide for the establishment and maintenance of depart- 

 ments of agriculture, manual training, and domestic economy in 

 state high, graded, and consolidated schools, and to authorize 

 rural schools to become associated with such state, graded, or 

 high schools and making appropriations therefor. 



Sec. I. Any state high school, graded, or consolidated rural 

 school having satisfactory rooms and equipment and having 

 shown itself fitted by location and otherwise to do agricultural 

 work, may, upon application to the state high school board, be 

 designated to maintain an agricultural department. 



Sec. 2. Each of such schools shall employ trained instructors 

 in agriculture, manual training and domestic science (including 

 cooking and sewing), and have connected therewith a tract of 

 land suitable for a garden and purposes of experiment and 

 demonstration, containing not less than 5 acres, and located 

 within 2 miles of said buildings or within the school district. 



Sec. 3 provides that instruction in the industrial department 

 shall be free to all residents in the state, thus not restricting 

 its use to pupils from the district that helps to maintain the 

 school. It provides also for short courses in the winter months 

 and enumerates a wide range of topics that shall be treated. 



* [Michigan] Public Laws, Act 144, 1901, Sec. 4, Clause (g). 



