The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1909-04-02

~H~1~~~4~&4&~>>~~]>>>~>>>,
In this department we pub (
= lish matter on Farming that is ,
adapted to local conditions. 4
Farmers are especially invited I
4 to contribute articles or send In I
= questions for 1t. I
T ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
THE SCHOOL ON WHEELS.
We all know more or less abou
the work OF instructing the farmer ii
the science Of agriculture that hal
been done under the auspices of tn,
department Of agriculture. Perhaps
all are not aware, however, of thu
+ fact that the department is nov
1 planning an extensive course Of
training for the wives of farmers
1t has introduced the movable schoo
the school on wheeIs--by which II
hopes to be able to get into direct
personal communication with the
u women Of the rural districts. This
school on wheels Is the outgrowth Of
experience. Those having charge OF
4 the departments educational work
long ago discovered the impossi-
I bility Of obtaining satisfactory re-
suits by mailing pamphlets to the
people whom they desired to reach.
Perhaps II the department had estab-
lished school for the teaching aOf
agriculture by mail and had conduct
4 ed the work as correspondence uni
Yersities do, 1t might have accom-
plished more. The first requisite Is
to 80 interest the person whom 1t Is
q intended to benefit that ne will have
the desire to study The pamphlets
issued by the government, altogether
different from the lessons that would
have been issued had d correspon-
dence course been mapped out, often
failed to evenH reach those for whom
/ they were intended. The conditions
I are thus summed up by Or. "A. G..
True: sh's7 ls
One thing that we have learned In
the department Of agriculture =
IN recent years is that we can not do
what we ought to help the mass Of
our rural people by simply sending
publications to them. However use
full these may behowever we'll pre-
pared and illuminating they may be
they, after all, will not make an
adequate impression on the average
man and woman. To make the work
that we are engaged in really effec-
tive, we must carry it out to the
people through the living teacher,
and that teacher must be provided
with the means of actually demon
strating to the people the things that
he desires to teach. And SO we are
having the organization of various
kinds OF demonstration work.
John Hamilton, supervisor of
farmers institutes in the department
of agriculture carries the explana-
tion step further:
We are trying to reach te country
people---the country homes. We
find that literature does not do 1t.
1t takes living teacher. How
can information that has been ac-
cumulating all these years be, put
into such shape as to be teachable
woman so she can use it, even to the
point of giving practical demonstra-
tion In her home?
The school on wheels is the
answer. This school goes into a |
community takes from IL to 15
practical housekeepers, puts them |
under competent teachers for two or
three weeks, gives them practical in
struction In household work and de-
parts for another community, leaving |
behind an organization of women
who are prepared to inform others in
the community Of the most approved
~ Y,an Id f,.rt
course to be taught in the movable
schools is to deal with the prepare
ton of cereals. Think of it! Two
or three weeks work on the single
subject of cereals! Subsequently, 1t
Is hoped that 1t will be possible to
send out schools on wheels In which
instruction will be given in the
of meat, In household
(this must not be con-
fused with house architecture) In
house decoration and In sanitation
These schools will be we'll equipped
With modern appliances. They will
10 in charge Of persons who have |
given years to the study Of home :
economies. The housewives who at
end the classes will be shown how 4
o use the appliances they already t
rave to the best advantage and how t
o use other appliances which, per- .
APPS, they have never seen. One Of
he principal advantages to be
aimed from this educational work is
hat 1t will personally arouse the in
crest of women In the study of
ousekeeping as science. 1t will n
~ the foundation for more effective 1,
Sc Of departmental literature. 1t y
leans that proper emphasis is to be e
lid upon the Importance Of woman's a
'ork in life and that the farmers r
ulletins OF the future will contain :.
J much that is Of value to the =
ousewife as Of that which is of II
alue to the farmer himself 1t will a,
md toward the placing Of the n,
lrmer and the farmers wife on a !.
artnership basis, the logical basis ~
lat leads to the highest and best re- "
llts--results of cooperation. OIL
POTATO SOAR ~