54 BASES FOR CURRICULUM MAKING 



Such bodies of minimal essential, working, organized facts 

 will be of untold service to the teacher-trainer, the teacher, the 



the supervisor and the student himself. As 



Minimal essential it is, the field is so large and the interest 

 determinatitons are element on the part of the teacher, to- 

 of great value in gether with the tendency to follow beaten 

 secondary agricul- paths and lines of least resistance, is so 

 tural education. great that often the materials used and 



methods chosen fail to function toward 



clearly defined objective results. Moreover, many minds do not 

 have the faculty for going to the heart of a subject and discard- 

 ing the more or less useless, or for organizing elements according 

 to their relative values. As a time saver what would serve more 

 directly and effectively? 36 As a standard of accomplishment, 

 what would give a better measure? As a working tool in the 

 hands of the man responsible for production on the farm, what 

 would be more effective? 



For some time manual training of the indiscriminate type 

 has been subjected to severe criticism. The results of this study 



certainly add force to that criticism. The 



Minimal essential application of the principles of objective 

 studies are also determination and minimal essentials 

 necessary in the seem to offer a way of finding out just 

 mechanical aspects what should be taught in the mechanical 

 of the work. as opposed to the farm skills' phase. Unit 



courses in gas engines, as indicated in the 



illustration given, in overhauling farm machinery, and in the se- 

 lection and care of the few mechanics' tools that should be a part 

 of the equipment of every farmer are evidently valuable and in- 

 teresting types of work that may be carried on without special 

 laboratory facilities. 



36. When it is remembered that many boys have only one 

 or two winters of a few months each to devote full time to 

 school attendance and further when it is remembered that even 

 the four-year high school can legitimately devote one-half or 

 less of the time to vocational training, the time element becomes 

 of special importance. 



