The Mankato free press., 1910-04-22

ana, $500 to each school approved by
the state board of education. In Massa
chusetts the Smith Agricultural school
and Northampton school of Technology
has been opened at Northampton and
smaller agricultural high schools at
Petersham and Montague. The intro
duction of agriculture in the elemen-
tary schools has been promoted active
ly."
During the year agricultural colleges
have given instruction to more stu
dents than in any previous year and
done more effective work along other
! lines. Several of the biennial state APP
preparations have approached or passed
the half million mark, notably in Mon
tana SiS7 900; in Pennsylvania. 1926
600; in Kansas, S67l 900. Among the
states which have made substantial adj
ditions to their agricultural buildings
are: Georgia, 100000; Iowa, 100000;
| Maine, $4,000; Michigan, $4,000; Mis-
souri,. Sl00,000 Montana, $4,000. New
agricultural colleges have been estab-
lished in Hawaii and Porto Rico. Idaho
has provided for two district agricul-
tural high schools, Arkansas for four,
New York for two additional, Oklahoma
for five, with $4,000 each for build
in9s and $4,000 each for maintenance -
I'm addition to the regular college
course in agriculture provided for in
its university. the state of Minnesota.
maintains a school of agriculture, also
a part of the university and governed
by the regents i'm that institution. This
school was organized in 1883 and its
object, as outlined in the school bulletin
is, ''tO give Il practical education to
such young men ami women who are
unable to pursue the full college course
i'm agriculture. 1t offers a practical
course of study designed to fit its
graduates for successful farm life and
aims to give its students the necessary
preparation for useful citizenship
The course of study offered covers
Il wide range OF subjects and is largely
technical in character, but provision is
made for some instruction in English
and Mathematics. Instruction is Civ
EN- in workshops, laboratories. barns and
fields as well rs in the class rooms.
The course requires three winters Of
six months each for completion and is
coeduca tional. Much of the work is
taken in common by the young men
and the young women. Some of the
subjects. such as blacksmithing. car
pentry, fieldwork handling grain and
machinery are taken by the young
men. while the young women pursue
cooking, sewing. laundering and house
hold art. The methods of instruction
tend To educate students toward the
farm instead of away from it. To de
velop in them love for farm life by
showing them its possibilities. In this
respect the school has been very sue
ceSsful, rs over y per cent of its grad
yates continue agricultural pursuits
The expense of a course at the school
is very modest. An entrance fee of S5
Ia residents Of Minnesota and OF $40
to non residents is charged The liv
ing cost 10 students, which includes
room, board, heat, light and laundry,
is as near what il costs for actual
maintenance OF the table and care of
the buildings as it can he figured out
and the necessary expenses for The year
do not exceed $500. The student
furnishes his own bed clothing and
room accessories Tor personal use anu
is also required to provide uniform
at cost OF $l4.5O.
1t was my pleasure 10 visit this
school with party of editors for a
few hours one afternoon in February
last. While there we were served
with a dinner such as is usually served
to the students. The meal consisted
OF soup. roast beef with gravy, mashed
potatoes stewed sweet corn. bread and
butter, pickles, coffee with real cream
and raisin pie. Everything was well
cooked and wholesome and the meal
was thoroughly enjoyed by every mem
her of the party. We were told that
the average cost of the meals served
to the students was seven cents and
that part OF the education of the stu
dents was how to prepare such a meal
at minimum of cost. Ii this meal
was fair sample | should like moth
ing better than to make the school
my permanent boarding place on the
score of economy as well as for the
excellence of the cooking and service.
During the present term the enroll
ment ut this school has been over | 200
students and this is about the average
attendance each year. The school term
the last week in March. The course OF
study is most practical along agri
cultural lines. no detail being omitted
which has a place in the management
OF farm. from thorough knowledge
of soils. the production of crops, the
caring for buildings. animals and ma
chinery. the dressing and curing OF
meats, household economics. farm ac-
counts. in fact, everything that Il sue
cessful farmer needs to know for the
pursuit of agriculture along the most
advanced lines. 1t can be readily seen
that. with such schools rs this in OPP
Grafton in every state in the union.
growing more and more in favor and
in their scope of usefulness each year
as new IDEAS are promulgated and adap-
ted To agricultural pusnits, agriculture
is making rapid strides toward the
position in the Industrial world which
Iigatfully belongs 10 so important an
industry.
Another method and one of the most
important and far reachin" of the var
iouS organized movements for the de
velopment of agriculture along educa
tional lines is the Farmers Institute.
This is a part of the states work
though recognized and assisted by the
federal department OF agriculture. The
work that is done along this line is
hromgat right 10 he home of those who
are engaged in the pursnit of practical
agriculture 4 he actual farmer himself. The
work is done for the most part during the
winter months when the farmer can
lest spare the time from his labOrs and