Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-01-08
M. l.. DUGGAN WRITES
tt OF TENTH DISTRICT
AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL

The pertinent question most frequently ask
ed concerned the much discussed district agu-
cultural schools recently established IN Georsla
is "Will they fulfill the purposes Tor Wnlch
they were created n, And the tone sometimes
indicates grave doubts. These schools nave
not been in operation long enough for the poli-
cy of any of them to be firmly established
and even their short existence has been beset
with so many difficulties that II woulo De
unfair yet to pass judgment upon any one
of them. Nevertheless, the pubhc IS Watcn-
ing them critically and the public has right
to know all about them from their very pc
ginning Solely for the purpose OF giving 10
the public plain information concerning the
Tenth Congressional District Agricultural
school do 1 write
This school is located at Granite Hill, two
miles from Sparta, Hancock county.
After many delays this magnificent property,
consisting of three commodlous brick anu
granite buildings upon farm OF Two hunuT ,e
and seventy-five acres of land, was finally
turned over TO the trustees last september
completed and entirely free of incumbrance'
The trustees Immediately furnished the Two
large dormituries one for boys and one for
girls with neat and substantial furniture
the kitchen and dining halls with nrst-class
equipments. and the academic hall with such
school furniture and appliances as immediate
needs required They also built and equipped
an electric lighting plant and a laundry
Thus equipped and with carefully selected
corps of five teachers. the school was opened
to a limited number of pupils on the first day
of October, 1908. About forty pupils poth
sexes, were received during the fall term.
1~iA@ShS 1000
fled only upon their promise to produce bet
ter farmers.
The fact that this is to be an agricultural
school has been emphasized and never for
moment lost sight of. The building OF the
plant. the selection of the teachers the pu-
pills received into the school, the curriculum
the daily schedule Of work and study, the
planning of the crops; in short, everything
Is done with an eye single to the original
purpose of the school. By limiting Tor a time
the number Of pupils to verv few the school
has been better able to organize its work IN
strict accordance with its purpose.
Such branches of an English education are
included in the curriculum are Necessary to
produce educated farmers. but with emphasis
placed upon each branch in proportion as 1T
is directly related to agriculture.
Every boy received into the school (no ex-
ceptions) is required to do a certain amount
of work upon the farm each day. This work
Is done under the direct personal supervision
and direction of a teacher. with the most
approved farm tools. under the most favorable
conditions. and ALWAYS for exemplifying some
classroom instruction am with the purpose
Of yielding the greatest possible net profit.
For all such work as is expected to be profit
able In it's results the bows are paid ten
cents per hour.
is required to do a certain amount OF daily
work in the kitchen and dining rooms under
definite supervision. and for which work they
are also paid ten cents per hour.
Thus during the three months OF October.
November and December the crops on the
farm have been carefully and intelligentiy
housed the lands all put into the best ap-
proved condition for the coming crop, the
domItories maintained incluuing all Of the
cooking and service for pupils and teachers.
and not in any single instance has any ser
vice been required upon the farm. dormito-
ries or school except such has been willing
~ performed by the pupils of the school and
for which they have Deen paid.
No negro or other servant has been required
unon the premises. and il is not expected
that they will be. The school is absolutely
independent Of outside service, and the stu
dents are realizing and enjoying their indie
pendence.
Classroom work Is very thorough in every
department. and all farm work is we'll done.
with the definite purposes Of this school wei
understood its claims for patronage appeal
only to those whose ambitions are in harmony
with it's mission. 1t is. therefore, not sur
prising that pupils who have so far applied
for admission have come with definite pur-
pose and have applied themselves assiduously
to its contamination. Already such spirit
and forty pupils wellnigh eliminates any
problems Of discipline. ANY pupils now coming
into this school with purposes not. of harmony
with the spirit of the institution Will quickly
realize that they are out of their atmosphere
and will not care to remain long.
The pupils have also found that their ex-
| penses here are less than almost anywhere
else for the only charges are ten dollars per
month for board CincludinE everything and
even this H. materially reduced by the ten
centE per hour paid them for their work during
month, Thus many will be enabled to at
Ills senool who are financially barred
elsewhere. But we desire II TO
understood that the claims for
pot based upon It's minimum
the fact that Il Is to be a
kre and domestic sciences.
district agricultural schools