The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1908-05-14
A REAL FARM HIGH SCHOOL
Real Agricultural Training Given to
Boys and Girls of Cecil County, I'D.


told they were from the high
school, which did not impress me
very much, except that I wonder
ed if it would be possible to IN
terest them. In speaking of the
composition of a fertilizer, want
ing to get the boys attention,
remarked: That would be a good
example for you in arithmetic. l
suppose you were never asked to
figure the analysis of fertilizer
in SCHOOL," To my amazement
the answer came, "Oh yes, we
do. When the session closed
the head of the school, Professor
H. 0. Sampson, whom l met last
summer at the summer school OF
agriculture at Cape May, came
and spoke to me and introduced
his two women assistants, and said
these were his scholars and that
he was teaching a high school at
Calvert, about five miles distant,
situated right out in the open
country. He had brought in three
wagonloads of his pupils to attend
the institute, who were all study
ing agriculture. They stayed
throughout the day and were
among the most interested listen
ers.
At the suggestion of Professor
Sampson, of which | was very
glad to avail myself, a girl and a
boy each read an essay at the
afternoon session. They were not
written for the occasion, but were
their regular school compositions
The girls was particularly clean
cut, and the boys showed a
familiarity and knowledge Of the
subject not always met with on
the part of those long in the dairy
business. So good were they that
am sending them to the editor of
this paper, both as an illustration
of what this school is doing and
an incentive for other girls and
boys. How much more sensible
such subjects for compositions for
country pupils than one on
Spring" or some other thread
bare subject.
The building was formerly an
old Friends school, The land
was held under grant from Will
liam Penn, AS those of this per-
suasion have gradually scattered
the school has been closed for
years. They were only too glad
to give the use Oft for ali agric Ill
tural school, although not per
mitted to sell the land. The fol-
lowing extract from a bulletin
from the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture on Progress
of Agricultural Education in 1906
concisely states the conception
and equipment of the school, as
well as the course Of study fol-
lowed.
Upon request Of the patrons in
the northern part of Cecil county,,
Nd, for the establishment of a
high school at Calvert, the Cecil
county school board decided, in
the summer of 1906, to establish
such school and give the course
OF study an agricultural trend.
The school board applied to R.
w. Sylvester, OF the Maryland
Agricultural College, and to the
United States Department of Agri
culture for aid in organizing the
school. Mr.. H. O. Sampson, a
graduate of the Iowa State College
of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts,
who had had experience in teach
ing elementary agriculture in a
high school in Pennsylvania, was
furloughed from this office to take
charge Of the school as principal
and teacher of agriculture. The
school was opened November :,
1906, in a small two room school
building rented from the Society
of Friends, and having an avail
able area of about nine acres OF
land adjacent to it. Thirty eight
pupils were enrolled on the FIRST