120 THE NATURE-STUDY REVIEW L6:5-May, 1910 



should first of all be made efficient, mechanically, intellectually 

 and spiritually. That he might help to make boys more efficient 

 he planned the first farm school and held it on one of his beau- 

 tiful farms near Winchester, Illinois, in August 1906. 



Sleeping tents, together with a large tent for class work and 

 lectures, were rented and erected in a beautiful grove; all kinds 

 of farm machinery were placed at convenient distances for opera- 

 tion and study; cattle, hogs, sheep and horses were on hand to 

 be studied and judged. Various kinds of soil were brought in 

 for examination and tests and all the products of Illinois farms 

 were gathered for careful and even technical study in class. 



Six or eight able men connected with the College of Agri- 

 culture of the University of Illinois were present and gave in- 

 structions, every instructor being an expert in his fine. 



A plant was built and the grounds beautifully lighted with 

 electric lights. A gasoHne engine was taken apart, put together 

 again and made to furnish the power. ' The work was done by 

 the boys under the direction of the t-eacher of farm mechanics. 

 Gang plows and binders, long out of order, were brought in, set 

 right and made to do better work than they had ever done be- 

 fore. 



Beginning at 8 o'clock in the morning, instructions were 

 given in the form of class work during the day and popular lec- 

 tures in the evening. The school continued for one week and 

 the entire expenses were paid by Mr. Grout from his own 

 pocket. 



Boys attended from ten counti-es (the 20th Congressional 

 District) and so great was the interest that Mr. Grout concluded 

 to repeat the effort and study results. The school of 1907 proved 

 even a greater success than the former one and it was decided to 

 make it a permanent affair. 



The first location, being four miles from city or railroad, was 

 inconvenient and unnecessarily expensive, and it was decided to 

 find a more suitable location. After carefully considering sev- 

 eral places, Greenfield was selected. 



The school is now held the latter part of August each year 

 in a beautiful park one mile from Greenfield. Sleeping tents are 

 provided free of cost to the boys. The boys come, bring 

 their blankets, camp out, have a good time and learn more in the 

 same length of time than they could possibly learn under any 

 other conditions. Meals are served in a large dining tent on the 

 ground at 20c per meal, the boys paying for their meals. 



