The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1910-12-29
Mahaska Short Course
Proceedings of the School for Farmers Now in
Progress in Oskaloosa.

Mahaska Countys Short Course has
begun. The first session was held il
the court room at the court house
Monday morning. Prof Mrs. Sails
bury. Miss Watts. Prof. Mosher, Prot.
A. II. Burgess, Prof. r. X. Bliss an(
Prof. Theodore Sexauer, of Alder,
Lea, Mimi, gave short addresses anC
outlined the work in their respective
departments. The meeting was ar
ranged for the purpose of making the
students familiar with their instruct
ors and to prepare for the studies.
Thomas Soseman, president of the
Short Course, acted as chairman OF
the meeting and called for order. The
time set was 10 a. m, but 1t was
1890 when the. session started. The
president explained for this, the
greater interest being inthe Board OF
Supervisors room below where the sa
loon consent petition was being can
vassed. Mrs. Salisbury was first in
troduced.
Mrs. Salisbury will have charge of
the Domestic Science work. She
spoke very briefly, telling of the work
she intended to carry out. Her talks
were directed as much to the men as
to the women, and she invited all to
come to her classes. She stated that
the course last year was one of the
banner courses in Iowa. In explain
ing the necessity of studying domes-
tic science she emphasized for the
=, No. tlat IL
sarily mean larger expenditure of
money for household necessities, but
would rather tend to make money go
farther. The course will make the
plain victuals more delicious.
In this department time will be Civ
en- for the study of the boy and girl
problem. The development of the
younger generation making better cit
liens and better boys and girls. Moth
ers will be asked to give their expert
ences. Labor saving devices will be
discussed.
Plans are now being made so that
class for girls will be held during
the entire afternoon. This could be
done very handily as the girls are now
enjoying a vacation from their school.
Prof Mosher spoke of his work in
the corn and small grain judging. He
stated that the young men from Ames
did not come here to tell the older
men how to farm, but to explain things
which were never understood and to
bring out things in the raising of grain
that an ordinary farmer cannot get at,
- Ixv@
Prof. Theodore, Sexauer, of Albert
Lea, Mimi, a graduate of the Iowa
State college and an Iowa boy, was
the next speaker. Mr.. SeXauer spoke
extendedly of the agricultural work
that is being done in the state of
Minnesota. This state has appropri-
ated $4,000 for the carrying on of
this work in ten schools. Mr.. Sex
auer is an instructor of the school at
Albert Lea. Aside from the work in
the schools two extension men are
kept busy continually lecturing in al
most all towns. The state has appro-
priated $55,000 for the agricultural
work and Iowa has only $4,000.
Speaking of his work at Albert Lea,
Mr.. Sexauer explained very thorough
ly. The town and county appropriate
ed $4,000 for the work and with the
state appropriation of $4,000, $4,000
was expended last year. The work
begins with the sixth grade and is
carried through the high school
course. The subject is elective and
can be substituted for German and
Latin. There are 140 students enroll,
ed and a ten-acre plat is used for the
planting. During the fall three per
iods or recitations are held weekly
and during the spring four periods
two recitations and two periods in
the garden. The course extends
through the high school course: first
year, farm crops; second year, ami
NAL .husbandry; third year, farm me
chanics; fourth year, soils and horti
culture.
Prof. Sexauer also told of the con
solidated school at Lewiston, where
the children from four townships are
brought to a centralized place. ThE
plan works very we'll and the students
are always on time. The students are
in just as good shape when they ar
rive at the school as they were wher
they arrived at the closer schools
Small stations are built along thu
route of the bus which afford protec
ton. The conveyances are heated
One advantage in the study of agri
culture is that the necessary acreag,
can be secured adjacent to the schoo
and no time is lost in the transfer o
the classes, as it is in the larger Gil
les.
An effort is being made by the pee
pie of Minnesota to secure cours
in agriculture for every rural schoo
A course is now being given to tn
teachers at most of the ten school
established two years since.
Miss Helen Watts then spoke for
few minutes, outlining her work i
domestic science. She advised all t
come with pencil and pads. She sta
ed that it is the desire that man
young women can be interested in tn
work for ii Is on the coming gene
alton that much 6anandS Ham