The Breckenridge news., 1906-05-16
CONSOLIDATED SCHOOLS.


Assistant Secretary Hays Points Out
Necessity for More Thorough Farm
Education. Is in Effect Country
High School.
The consolidated school question Is
a feature of the country school educa-
ton problem which is rapidly coming
to the fore, especially in the northwest,
and it promises much for better farm
education. The proposition is that six
OF seven or ten of the crossroads
schools in any rural district shall be
combined into one larger school and
were it not for the question of trans
portation of the scholars to and from
the central school, ii would undoubted-
ly meet with universal favor. From
an educational point of view the ad-
vantages of the consolidated school
plan are very great. Assistant Sec
retary Of Agriculture Hays is an en-
thusiastic advocate OF the plan and
states that where the plan has been
put into operation the beneficial re-
suits have been manifold. The ques-
ton has been agitated to a consider
able extent in his own State of Mimi
esota, due largely to his own efforts.
Professor Hays is thoroughly alive to
the fact that better scheme of edu-
cation is needed for the farm boy IL
he is to keep his foremost position
among the worlds agriculturists.
FOR BETTER FARM EDUCATION.
The time, Professor Hays says, has
hoo
education will serve for the farm boy.
The three RS are not sufficient to
enable him to succeed in life. He must
have special education for farming just
as the young man or woman who is to
enter professional life has special in
struction along the lines he expects to
follow. And so the consolidated
school comes in, with it's better educa-
tional facilities.
Canada has taken an advanced stand
on this question and is consolidating
her country schools. In a word the
farmers children are being given the
advantages of a high school education.
AS President Creelman, OF the On
tario Agricultural College has pointed
out, the system undoubtedly is, from
a standpoint of dollars and cents, more
expensive, for the first few years at
least; but the rural ratepayer has it to
decide for himself whether he would
rather pay five dollars more per year
and secure for his boy or girl such
increased benefits as the consolidated
school can give or leave them in the
hands of an inexperienced girl teacher
who perhaps does her best in a little
one-roomed school, without facilities
Of demonstration of any kind.
PRACTICAL FARM SCIENCE.
One Of the most important features
Of these schools is the school garden,
where practical farm science Is taught
in q practical way. Such gardens are
not, however, confined to the con-
solidated schools, but are now being
kept in connection with a number OF
the more progressive district schools
In various parts of the country. They
are usually from two to three acres in
area, divided into experimental and
individual plots for each of the pupils,
ranging in size from six feet square
to six by ten or even twenty.
The general plan of laying out each
garden involves Q) belt Of native
trees and shrubs surrounding the
grounds; (2) a half-acre playfield for
the boys; (3) a lawn bordered with
shade trees for the girls; (4 a shaded
walk each for boys and girls, about
hundred yards long; (5) an attractive
approach to the school, consisting
chiefly of a piece of open lawn, with
shrubs and flowers on either side; (6)
suitable reservation for individuals
and class plots; CD an orchard plot
or border; (S) forest plot in which
the chief native trees are grown from
the seed.
PLANTS GROWN BY PUPILS. i
The ordinary range of vegetables
and a selection Of Towering plants are
grown in these gardens, the pupils
themselves furnishing the necessary
work. In the large schools two hours
each week are found sufficient for
the garden work, and one hour in
the smaller, in both cases under the
supervision of the teacher or a special
instructor. The school garden serves
double purpose, since it not only
provides the most practical form OF
nature study but acts as valuable in
centive in the general school work. II
| is no uncommon sight during the sum-
mer season to see a public school in
session out Of doors, not with slate
and pencil but with hoe and shovel.
The pupils thoroughly enjoy it. They
are allowed the proceeds of their plots
as their own property and in addi-
| tion may take home the plants left
over from thinning out. The class
plots are reserved as a source OF rev.
enue for the school and as supply,
In some cases. for the school lunches.
Former Iron Master Andrew Car
negie has indorsed the idea of phonetic