The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1910-01-06
THE FARMER BOY
State Is Doing Something For
His Education
PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE
Popular Interest Increasing With
Reference to Introduction of
Agricultural instruction
st. Paul Special to The Herald, Jan. S

St. Paul Special to The Herald. Jan. S
There are signs everywhere which
indicate the popular interest taken
in the movement looking towards the
introduction of agricultural instruc-
ton, manual training and instruction
in household economics in our public
schools. The movement has received
an impetus as result of the passage
by the legislature of the so-called Put
nam bill which appropriated 1925, 900 a
year for the establishment and main
teDance ofdepartments of agriculture,
manual training and domestic econo-
my in ten state high, graded or con-
solidated schools. In the preparation
of this bill the state high school board
collaborated with Senator Putnam, so
that although he very properly has
the credit of securing it's passage, the
law makes provision for the establish
ment of this description of agricul-
tural schools is considered by the
education department best suited to
the needs of the state.
The.Iaw provides that each of the
ten schools established shall employ
trained instructors in agriculture,
manual training and domestic science
including cooking and sewing and
have connected Herewith tract of
land suitable for school garden and
purposes of experiment and demons
tration containing not less than five
acres. Instruction in the industrial
department is free to all residents of
this state. Where necessary to- ac-
commodate a reasonable number of
boys and girls able to attend only in
the winter months, special classes
shall be formed for them. The agri-
cultural department is required to
offer instruction in soils; crops; fertili-
zei,; drainage; farm machinery; farm
building; breeds OF livestock; stock
Judging; animal diseases and remedies;
production, testing and hauling milk
and cream; the manufacture of butter
and cheese; the growth of fruit and
berries; management of orchards:
market garden and vegetable crops:
insects injurious to the various plants;
disease of plants; animal nutrition,
including the use of forage crops;
cereal grains; fine seeds; bookkeeping,
and farm accounts; and all other mat
tiers pertaining to general farm prac-
tice.
The popular response to the law
thus enacted was at once seen in the
number of schools that applied to be
one of the ten for which provision
was made. 1t should be said that
each was to have an appropriation of
50, 500 to carry on the new work.
From the number which applied the
high school board selected ten schools
located at the following places: Albert
Lea, Alexandria, Candy, Cokato, Glen
zoe, Hinckley, Lewiston, Mcintosh,
Red Wing and Wells. With the ex-
ception of the school at Lewiston,
which is consolidated graded school,
all the schools mentioned above are
state high schools.
These schools have all complied
with the provisions ofthe law and for
each teacher of agriculture, man.
ual director and a teacher of domestic
science has been engaged. They are
now at work. What they will accom-
plish only the future can say. What
they are trying to do is indicated by
their courses of instruction and their
bulletins. The special announcement
issued by the high school at Glencoe
is before me and outlines the work
now being done there. The agricul-
tural short course for young men is of
special interest. 1t began Now and
will be continued for five months.
1t is especially adapted for boys of
sixteen years and over,
In addition to this, instruction is
given in manual training, English
and arithmetic. In the manual train
ing department also, practical"
seems to be the watchword. The in
struction includes such items as the
drawing of plans for useful farm inn
Elements, gates, stanchions, hayracks
and the like; elementry work in iron,
and carpentry, including the use OF
tools and the making of sample pieces
of farm apparatus from wood. In