24 



ing the students to work out definite farming activities, the 

 teachers must be able to bring to bear in new and largely untried 

 ways knowledge of the general field of agricultural science and 

 practice. Having selected things to be done, it must rest with 

 the teaching staff to find help for doing these things, in related 

 portions of mathematics, chemistry, physical science, biology 

 and economics. 



d. Co-operation. One teacher must help another. Unity 

 of effort is no less important than is unity of spirit. All eyes 

 must first be fixed on the things to be done ; then, towards doing 

 those things in the most intelligent and skillful manner, each 

 member of the staff should contribute his particular part. 



E. Course of Preparation for General Farming. Courses 

 should be provided for boys and girls. The girls should be 

 trained in all household arts and -affairs. They should also be 

 allowed, if not required, to take training in such subjects a& 

 gardening, poultry raising, bee-keeping and ornamental planting. 

 Here, however, only the agricultural course as designed for the 

 boys is discussed. 



a. Length of Course. A four-years course for boys enter- 

 ing at fourteen should be provided. Each year, however, should 

 be complete in itself. This would permit of withdrawal with 

 profit at the end of any year. It would permit, also, of admit- 

 ting for a year, or for two years, an older student who could not 

 give longer time to the work. 



~b. Length of Session. The year should begin not earlier 

 than the middle of September, and close not later than the mid- 

 dle of June. This would make possible a school year of thirty- 

 six weeks, or a school year of some fifty weeks, under a co-opera- 

 tive home and school plan. The period of each school day de- 

 voted to the school study and activities should probably not ex- 

 ceed six hours as a maximum. The time before and after the 

 daily school session and on Saturdays would afford proper 

 opportunity for day-to-day work at home, where continuity of 

 effort, as in the care and handling of live stock, is a necessity. 



F. Principles to be observed in Methods of Instruction. 

 a. Interest. The essential minimum of the study of books 

 should be combined with the maximum attention to practical 

 work. Things themselves should be handled, studied and rea- 



