20 BULLETIN 346, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



as well. If a student carries on a successful project of any other type 

 he should have hope of some reward in addition to the school credit 

 he may gain. It may be better to assign at the beginning of the work 

 a project where there is hope of immediate profit. As the student 

 grows older he will appreciate better the fact that many of the profits 

 in farming are not gained immediately. 



Securing cooperation of parents. — It is not always an easy matter to 

 get the parents to agree to let the boy receive the profits from his 

 project. Neither will they at all times agree to let the student carry 

 on a project according to the plans he may work out in connection 

 with his course of study. In fact, the securing of the cooperation 

 of the parents is one of the most difficult problems in certain sections. 

 As a rule, the teacher will accomplish more by working quietly to win 

 the confidence and good will of the parents and patrons than he will 

 by making arbitrary rules. A campaign of education among parents 

 and an extension of aid from the agricultural department of the school 

 are coordinate in some sections with the project work. The agricul- 

 tural instructors are required to carry on extension work among adults 

 while they are supervising the projects of students. 



Substitutes for home projects. — In many schools there will be students 

 interested in the study of agriculture who do not five upon farms, or who 

 are not able to carry out a project which will fit in well with their 

 course of study. It is possible that practical work may be secured 

 for such students that will accomplish the same results as a home 

 project. If a boy is taking a course in dairying and can not take care 

 of cows at home, it may be possible that he can secure work upon a 

 dairy farm. If his work is such that it will fit in with a project plan 

 there should be no objections to giving him credit for the work. 

 Likewise, a student of horticulture may work in a commercial orchard 

 or a market garden and get practical experience which will be worthy 

 of credit if it is connected with the work of the school. 



Preparation of teachers. — Possibly the factor which limits most the 

 teaching of practical agriculture is the lack of training among teachers 

 for this kind of teaching. Teachers who are prepared to succeed in 

 the supervision of home projects are such men as are in demand for 

 various phases of extension work. As the demand for such men at 

 present is greater than the supply, comparatively high salaries must 

 be paid. It is worth while for teachers to make an extra effort toward 

 giving practical training to their students, if considered only from 

 the selfish view of getting experience in a kind of training which is 

 in strong demand. In several of the agricultural colleges the depart- 

 ments of agricultural education are now giving special attention to 

 practical training for project work. 



WASHINGTON \ GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE \ 1916 



