THE USE OF LAND IN TEACHING AGRICULTURE. 9 
RELATIVE PROPORTION OF BOYS AND GIRLS STUDYING AGRICULTURE 
IN HIGH SCHOOLS. 
The returns to the Bureau of Education for 19131 indicated that 
one-third of the high-school students studying agriculture in the 
United States were girls. In many of the agricultural classes visited 
the number of girls exceeded the number of boys. When the instruc- 
tor was asked why so many girls were in his classes, he replied that 
if the girls were to teach in the rural districts they would be required 
to pass an examination in agriculture, and so were attending his 
classes for this purpose. It would seem that this fact would call for a 
modification in the methods of teaching agriculture and in the use of 
the school land and the home project. In the following table are 
included all schools which have courses in agriculture, whether they 
receive State aid or not. Of course, they comprise a much larger 
number than were used in obtaining information in regard to the use 
of land. This table shows the relative number of boys and girls 
studying agriculture. 
Number of public high schools reporting agricultural courses, and number of pupils in 
attendance.' 
In agricultural courses. 
Geographic divisions. ea ecuae Sau ae SDs | aT 
Boys. | Girls. | Total. 
Sos Lg uhiriiocs oe. a5 a Ds Se eS eee AE ene 1,414 | 19,749 | 10,076 | 29,825 
Ole cee alsin VISION oes Fo. eka Sek eee see 132 | 1,524 507 | 2,031 
ee annem Oya eee ge a a. = «ei ie eae ole - 742 | 8,730 | 5,356] 14,086 
ame eIEMer es TPRER ACPO LEW ASI OVENS 2a 8 airy eyae = wale wn amici Senin =e 136 | 1,922 958 | 2,880 
SUS DD ASDL TDS a1 aie ane Sa a ee Ne 267 | 5,024 | 2,729 7, 753 
Western Division....-....--.. cE athhag-cascerer a eseeee oe Cece- Bebe eer 137 | 2,549 526 3,075 
THE PERIOD BETWEEN GRADUATION AND STARTING FARMING ON 
OWN ACCOUNT. 
It can safely be assumed that the average boy leaves school at 18 
years of age. From the best information available the average 
farmer does not start farming on his own account until he is some- 
where between 25 and 30 years of age. In other words, there is a 
period of the farmer’s life, when he is between 18 and 30 years of 
age, when he is not working on his own farm nor is he his own master. 
It would seem that wherever the home-project method has been 
introduced an effort should be made to follow up the boy and, if 
possible, arrange in some way for him to continue his home-project 
work and gradually becomes a partner with his father in the farm 
business. This feature should be a part of the extension work of the 
agricultural instructor. 
1 Rpt. Comr. Education [U. 8.], 1913, II, p. 489. 
