CREDIT FOR HOME PRACTICE IN AGRICULTURE. 9 
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CREDIT FOR HOME PRACTICUMS. 
Contrasted with the larger projects are minor processes called 
practicums in which the element of skill becomes relatively large 
and there is less management and study required. Such processes 
as plowing a field, testing seed corn, transplanting tomatoes, or 
running a separator may be practicums. 
If school credit is to be given for doing these things, it seems wise 
to require a minimum amount of practice and after that have the 
pupil tested to demonstrate his ability. If his skill is acceptable, 
give him the credit and rank but once instead of continuing the . 
credits for further practice. 
Some processes might be made prerequisites for certain projects, the 
credit for the project including that for the brief practicums involved. 
On the other hand, younger pupils might be encouraged to acquire 
the skill before the years when agriculture is studied as class work. 
To make this concrete, consider the case of a boy with an acre of 
corn for his project. Before he can plow with a pair of horses he 
should have learned to harness the horses and drive them. Harness- 
ing a pair of horses might then be a practicum for any boy strong 
enough to handle the heavy harness and previous to that he might 
have learned to put a hght harness on the horse and hitch it toa buggy. 
It would be well to allow a limited number of credits each year 
previous to the seventh grade and to keep a record from year to year 
of each boy’s accomplishments. In some cases it will be possible 
to hold a public contest in which the pupils will be examined and 
ranked on their skill in their respective practice. In many cases 
the voucher of the parent alone will be sufficient. Another plan 
similar to the Boy Scout classes might be used in which a pupil would 
qualify for one class by performing a given number of specified tasks — 
and receive a credit at the end of a year or a term. A competition 
day should be set. When desirable the public may be invited. 
Relatively more credit should be given a lower grade pupil for 
success in one of these accomplishments, such as milking a cow prop- 
erly or driving a pair of horses. If learning to milk is rated the same 
as one week’s work in any subject for a seventh grade pupil, it may 
be wise to give twice that credit to a fifth grade pupil for the same 
work. (Age is perhaps a better basis than grade.) 
45785°—Bull. 385—16——2 
