Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1910-10-26

1 se VONtionat training Tor the
arm. The new schoolhouse, instead OF
tsnoing ON . barren lot 1t . wind-swept
TOUR corners, IL surrounded By . carefully
plated farm OF ten acres or 80. In the
more advanced Of the schools experimental
buildings have been erected. small fruit
ana forest tracts laid out, miniature dairy
and poultry plants constructed and ex-
psrimental work Of all kinds launched.
Inc boys are taught stock Judging.
breeding, crop rotation, scientific analysis
OF the soil, the keeping OF farm accounts
ana kindred subjects. Contests are or
gained between rival groups OF students
70 see what results can be obtained in the
| experimental plats, and also In practical
work on the farm At home. The boy car
ries away from the school not confused
mass OF information that he cannot apply
to his daily AFFAIRS, but specific idea that
certain things can be evolved from the
piece OF land he has been working on for
years. He becomes intensely interested in
his work and studies and his eyes are
opened not only to the "knowledgeD Of
the world in the ordinary sense, but to
the great possibilities of the land with
which he is most familiar and in daily
contact.
! The old district school could not hope
to take only such part in the life OF
farming community. The pupils who
learned all that their teacher knew, and
were unfortunate enough to be sent to
the city schools for the completion OF
their education, had not the opportuni-
ties to learn practical things that are
now being carried into the very heart OF
the country community.
The new school has 200 pupils, instead
OF twenty. 1t has q lecture hall where
spelling bees, class programs and anna
teur plays are carried out and where
the neighboring farmers families gather
for community" meetings. lectures and
entertainments. In some cases the new
building Is located ut the edge Of little
hamlet; more frequently it is in the midst
OF farms.
There are lunch -rooms for the children
who come in the vans each morning. In
some OF the schools there are gymnssiums
rs we'll equipped A. those Of city schools
OF like size. There is real baseball in the
country now, not the "one-old-cat" Of
former days; for the new schools have
| pupils enough to encourage American
ideas OF class sports and athletic contests.
NEW EDUCATION.
But transcending all else in Importance
Is the fact that rev education is being
evolved in the country districts Of America,
an education independent OF endowments,
fede-sl aid or compulsory laws. 1t Is an
epoch In the growth OF the nation that
witnesses the death OF the little school in
the country by-road. its successor Is
bringing new ideas Of life, OF cooperation
and OF education to the communities it
serves.
Tho girls are educated in the new
scheme, not simply to be educated, but
to make them capable farmers wives and
mothers OF sturdy farm children. The
district school could not teach home
economics, home management, sewing,
cooking and practical home training.
The big combined school, with it's staff OF
three or four trained teachers, can and
does teach all that q small domestic
science school would. 1t introduces new
ideas OF life into the farm home. 1t
educates the girls to improve the home
rather than to get away from it because Of
shortcomings.
The vocational" training begins to in
trude upon the 'three RS" way down in
the sixth grade. There q preliminary
study OF soils Is taken up, and co-opera-
tive enterprises in farming are discussed
with the children in a manner that gives
them . new outlook upon the farm activi-
ties going on about them. Through sue
cceding years the curriculum, while losing
one OF the important studies Of q general
nature, takes on these interesting topics ::
Farming schemes and crops; the farm
sted and home; farm arithmetic and ac-
counts; land surveying; agricultural
statistics; agricultural botany; drawing
- farms and buildings; foods and feeds;
vegetable gardening.
For boys woodwork; animal practice
work: study OF breeds; rural engineer
ing; fence making and farm conven-
fences; stock judging; carpentry and
practical teamwork; breeding Of plants
I and animals.
For girls sewing; home economics;
cooking; agricultural studies; practical
home work.
| Untold possibilities are wrapped up in
the educational scheme now unfolding in
hundreds OF rural districts OF America.
To train boys and girls for country life,
they are being taught in terms most IA
| miliar to them. There are not more.t
200 students in the agricultural colleges
and similar institutions of the United
Z States at present.
There were 1000 little district schools
in the nation when the car OF progress
started on its course. A third OF them,
because OF their isolation and the sparse
uess OF population, will not yield at once
| to the new scheme, but il is expected that
10000 OF these little institutions will
\ within the next few years be merged into
| 5000 consolidated country schools.