Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1911-05-17
EVERY FARM A SCHOOL.
Prof. Bailey, of Rural Life Commits
| sion, SAYS this should be So.

sion, Says this should De so.
Prof Liberty Hyde Bailey, member OF
the National rural life commission and
director of the New York State College OF
Agriculture, in q recent interview advo-
Gated important changes in the course OF
study and methods of teaching in the
country schools. He gave his approval to
the new law in New York state which re-
quires superintendents of rural school
districts to have thorough knowledge of
modern scientific agriculture.
1t is grave mistake, Prof. Bailey as
serted, to have the country schools follow
the same courses of instruction given in
city schools, adding:
.'The rural public is now beginning to
understand the necessity for a rather radi-
cal redirection OF the public school sys-
TEN. This redirection is going to express
itself in three practical directions better
pay for the teacher, better physical iacili-
ties in the way OF grounds, buildings and
apparatus and in course OF study that
has relation to the lives of the people.
ut is not enough, however, that we
merely have good schools. A farmer has
| other responsibilities to education than
to provide school facilities. He cannot
wash his hands of his obligation to society
by making even an ideal school in his
community. 1t is the responsibility of
every parent to train the children. This
responsibility cannot be delegated TO the
school or 20 any other agency unless the
parent desires to give up the children
wholly into the hands of an institution,
and this the farming people do not care to
| consider.
"If the farm family must take a real
| part in the educational development of
its children, it must then have some kind
OF an establishment for the purpose. II
the country child is to be educated re-
sponsively to its environment and to the
better outlook for country life, the educa-
tional agencies must have such facilities
and equipment as will relate them closely
to the real affairs and the common
thought OF the community. The school
must be part OF the out OF doors, and
fields and woods and crops and stock must
be utilized educationally.
ave now all recognize the value OF a
school garden as an outdoor laboratory at
tached to school property. The object
of the garden is not primarily to teach
gardening, but to afford a working place
and testing place for many of the ideas
that originate or crystalize in the school.
In most rural schools it is now impracti-
cable to have a good school garden, for the
reason that there may be no available
land, and because the school is not in SEES
sion when the garden ought to be in best
| condition, and also because what is every
body's business is likely to be nobody g
business.
ave can never develop country life
effectively until the homes and the schools
are organized collectively. We must pro-
ject the school into the home and the
home into the school. My suggestion,
therefore, is that on every farm there
should be a piece of land definitely set
aside for the children and the young folks,
to be used for the purpose OF developing
intellectual interest in the farm and in
country life.
"There might be half-acre or an acre
near the house and the barns, perma-
nently set aside and perhaps inclosed with
rows OF trees and bushes and permanent
planting OF flowers. In this area many
kinds Of tests and demonstrations could
be made. Here new varieties could be
tried; fertilizers in small way could be
demonstrated; spraying could be studied,
different methods of planting and OF till
! ing and OF growing could be illustrated !;
small breeding plots could be established !;
birdhouses could be erected; perhaps q
small fish pond could be established and
many other tests could be made. 1t could
be made Q proving yard and collecting
yard for the various problems that arise in
the course OF farm work, which the chill
dren would be interested on their own ac-
count to try out.
SIT should be Just o. much Of q farm
establishment to provide such side lot ~
to erect . milk house or any other
accessory of . farm. should incorporate
this yard into the school system OF the
district.
1.-THE teacher in every school should
have q map of these test yards, and should
set the children problems that are to be
worked out on them; and back to the
school. Exhibitions could be held at
different times and the school could be
provided with flowers and specimens for
study. When the school is let ont in the
afternoon, the children usually drop the
school work as soon ~ possible. My
purpose is to encourage them to take the
school thought with them and plant it in
the garden.
"a garden yard Of this Kind would be-
come an outdoor room in which all kinds
Of interesting things would in time be
collected. 1t could set many new ideas
going in every country district. It would
soon become the most interesting nook on
the farm. At recent meeting OF farmers
was asked what could be done to interest
the young people in their club. l replied
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