The Robesonian., 1910-03-31
FARM SCHOOLS.

ment to have Agriculture and +
Domestic Science Taught in '
Public Schools Of the State
Charlotte Observer,
The North Carolina division of
the Farmers Cooperative Union
has undertaken a campaign IN
the interest of a uniform system
of agricultural education.
looking particularly to instruc-
ton in the public schools of the
county along the lines of elemen-
tary agriculture and domestic
science. Two conferences have
been held within recent months
between State Superintendent of
Education j. Y. Joyner and
the councils of the union with a
view to instituting this campaign
Just as early as possible and car
rying it to successful proportions.
The Farmers Union officials
have well-defined and decisive
views in regard to this important
subject. There is disregarded
law on the statute books of North
Carolina making it incumbent
upon the public schools to in
struct the pupils in branches of
elementary agriculture and do
mestic science and the move
ment which the Farmers Union
has inaugurated is more for the
purpose Of enforcing the pres
,ent laws governing this matter
rather than seek for new legisla-
ton or blaze out any new and
untried paths.
That the campaign is laudable
will not be refuted. 1t has long
been observed that the need of
instructing the pupils in the
country schools along lines of
agriculture and domestic science
is paramount and commensurate
with the need of education along
other better known and more
closely followed branches. 1t is
somewhat paradoxical that the
youths in the country are brought
up in the schools without ever
having received any scientific in
struction in regard to the life tt
which most of them assign them
selves and that the boys who are
the sons of farmers and who ex
pect to be farmers themselve:
are forced ito learn the art O.
modern farming by their own OBJ
servation and without any tuition
from technical books.
The Farmers Union propose
to have established in connection
with the public schools in tn
agricultural section of the Stat
departments of agriculture an
domestic science and to institut,
high schools for the same purpos
in Some of the counties. It
aimed to make agriculture an
domestic science branches to b
taught in all the schools just a
much so as arithmetic or histor
or any of the other branches c
learning.
And in addition to this gener;
and uniform instruction, techn
cal schools will be establishe
and farms will be purchased
connection with them on whic
practical demonstrations can
made and the boys can be taugl
by object-lessons along the lin,
of this science. For instanc
there are two high schools
JMecklenburg county operatir
under a special law passed at Il
Legislature of three years a.
and supported by co-operati
appropriations from the Sta
and county. These high schoc
are aimed to prepare the bo
and girls for entering any of t
colleges of the State and 9th
than elementary subjects a
treated there. 1t is proposed
the Farmers Union to have
department of agriculture a
domestic science established
connection with these schools,
secure the services of a spec
instructor and also to have
farm to conduct in connect
with the schools. Pursued to
further degree of efficiency,
the course of time dormitor
will be built at these places E
arrangements will be made
which a boy or girl can recelv
thorough course in farming {
domestic science without F.;
cost except their board. No
tion will be charged, but
schools will be supported on
same basis as that upon WI