Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1910-11-04

IiIRLS LEARNING ICE CREAM MAKING AT
A DOMESTIC SCIENCE SCHOOL
school principals have too long ar
ranged their courses of study for the
per cent of their pupils who will go
TO college. ignoring the needs Of the
other 81 per cent
Hard as this system was on the boy
in town, it was harder still on the
country boy. There was nothing in
the high school course that was con-
nected even remotely with his life on
the farm. Most of his time was given
to mathematics. Latin, German. etc,
with perhaps a little music and art
thrown in. The mathematics were
help in developing his mind and teach
ing him to think. The Latin and Ger
man were of little value except TO the
8 per cent who expected to enter col
lege. The music probably was given
by a teacher who couldn't sing half
so well as the meadow larks at home
and the art by one who couldn't draw
a COW or pig TO save his life.
The worst part of the high school
from the farm boys standpoint was
the attitude toward work In general
and farm work in particular. The
boys and girls were encouraged to pre-
pare for college in order that they
might get through life more easily,
though perhaps they were not told SO
in so many words. The teachers talk
ed Of the farm as a good place to
come from perhaps, but carried the
idea that farming was not a worthy
calling for boy with ambition. Every
thing he heard or learned pointed
away from the farm and toward the
city. Not only was the farm boy de
MED any knowledge Of the farm, but
he was taught to see the bright side
of every other calling and the dark
side of his own 1t was little wonder
that he left lhe farm at the end Of his
high school course.
The high schools are coming to pay
vastly more respect to the 81 per cent
Of their pupils. They are realizing the
truth Of the statement that the educa-
ton which Increased a boys wants
without increasing his earning capaci-
ty is a failure Courses in carpentry.
shop work and mechanics have been
put in The whole attitude OF the
high school is changing, and more at
tention is being paid to preparing stu
dents for life than to preparing them
for college. The students are being
taught that IT is an honor to work
with their hands The girls are being
taught domestic science and home eco
uomics. In shast the high school has
seen its opportunity and is grasping it.
In all this development the country
boy has been left out The atmos-
phere Of the high school is still that
Of the city. A few have attempted to
teach agriculture. and some have sue
ceeded- 1t has become plain. however,
that Il school located on block Of
land In the heart of a city cannot hope
to teach agriculture with the greatest
degree Of success. With that realiZa-
tion has come the secondary agricul-
tural school Such schools are all too
few as yet. but their numbers are in
creasing rapidly as the demand for
them grows Some are supported by
the counties. some by the states and
some privately Some of the denomi-
national and preparatory schools have
been very successful in teaching agri-
culture Georgia has eleven district
agricultural schools that are doing
/ IN, oil hn Il
and file If the future farmers Of the
state. minnesota ana Nebraska nave
schools OF agriculture in connection
with their agricultural colleges. These
are doing good work, but they are
reaching only small proportion Of
the farm boys and girls One such
school TO a state is not enough.
The ideal secondary school is located
away from the heart of the city. 1t
has a liberal piece of land in connec-
ton with t. To be successful il must
be surrounded by enough of far:c
to give it u rural favor. As a rule
these secondary schools are doing
their work we'll They have ruth
lessly cut out the classics and the dead
languages They have substituted
studies that help to fit the boys and
girls for life on the farm. A large
share of the study of books is done
away with and the study of living
things substituted. The schools are
we'll equipped with laboratories The
student works with corn. scoring,
placing and testing. Judging corn IS
as fascinating game as ever hpy
engaged III. Even more interesting Is
the stock judging.
Few OF the schools can afford TO
keep a complete line of live stock.
but neighboring farmers are always
ready to supply the deficiency. Then
there are the machinery laboratories.