98 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



In the West, the school farm as an ideal for secondary schools 

 is being exploited in teachers' meetings and community mass 

 meetings. The idea is so cordially received that no one can 

 doubt its future economic results in directing the attention of 

 young people to the pleasures of country life. An interesting 

 leaflet has recently been issued by the Educational Department 

 of the State of Maine. It is entitled " Standard Schools," and 

 embodies something of this idea in a plan set forth for the 

 improvement of the i-ural common school. It is supposed that the 

 school Avill cost more money than a small community can readily 

 raise. Therefore, it is proposed that a community will be selected 

 for the establishment of the school M^hich furnishes the largest 

 special fund, based on the valuation of its real and personal 

 property for taxation. Secondly, the town where the improve- 

 ment is to be made must provide the school building and a lot of 

 at least three acres in extent. Then a donor or donors must be 

 secured to duplicate the special fund, which is not to exceed 

 $1000. 



In other words, it is proposed to secure a small endowment for 

 the school, to be used in the improvement of the building and 

 grounds. The leaflet indicates the kind of building required, 

 and describes the out-of-door surroundings as follows: "A school 

 lot of at least thi-ee acres. This area should be divided into plots 

 for forest trees, fruit trees, vegetable and flower gardens, a lawn, 

 playgrounds and necessary drives, walks and paths." The things 

 which such a school may be expected to accomphsh are enumer- 

 ated in an attractive way. The pamphlet has only a dozen printed 

 pages and can be obtained free by writing to Mr. W. W. Stetson, 

 State superintendent of pubhc schools, Augusta, Me. 



I have described the plan at length, for it suggests a way for 

 the Massachusetts Horticultural Society to do active, constructive 

 w^ork. Would it not be possible to find a community in Massa- 

 chusetts read}'^ to raise a "special fund," to be duphcated by this 

 society, to use in the equipment and maintenance of a farm school ? 

 The most potent factor in its success or failure would be the per- 

 sonality of the teacher. It would be well to establish one school 

 as a model, and then to maintain the teacher at a fixed salary per 

 year, to go elsewhere to do the same work. He should be a 



