RURAL AND AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION 53 



proper teaching units becomes the important thing. As was sug- 

 gested in the first part of this report, the study of this phase was 

 temporarily abandoned for the determination of the essential 

 characteristics of the successful farmer. The proof of the impor- 

 tance of technical information in farming justifies a return to its 

 consideration and to further pursuit of its study. It is here that 

 the principle of minimal essentials becomes so helpful. The pres- 

 ent plan includes the following procedure: 



The usually taught facts and principles in a limited field 

 are listed in the form of simple, concrete statements. Duplica- 

 tions are eliminated and the list reduced to as low proportions as 

 possible, yet suggesting all of the material. This material is fin- 

 ally printed in such form as to permit the rating of each item. 

 It is evident that each item may be useful or not useful in pro- 

 moting production. Five grades of value may be assigned and a 

 figure 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 placed after each item to indicate the value as 

 considered by the person making the rating. Number 1 would 

 indicate that the item was essential and could not be dispensed 

 with without serious loss in production. Number 5 would indi- 

 cate that the item was never used and could or should be dis- 

 pensed with. Other numbers, 2, 3, or 4, would indicate inter- 

 mediate or relative values. Such report blanks will be sent to 

 large numbers of men in actual farming who are familiar with 

 the technical terms necessarily employed. The idea is to get an 

 objective concensus of actual use of the facts in their relation to 

 production. The central tendencies for each item will reveal their 

 values and at the same time show in skeleton outline the general 

 principles around which they will best be organized. 35 



35. As a beginning in this method of determination of mini- 

 mal essentials, mailing lists from several states are being ob- 

 tained and the analysis of market milk dairying has been begun. 



