Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-09-19

To prove that f~arming-the right kind
Of farining-pays. Is one of the tasks
which the rural school has erphatically
set itself. 1t is particularly essential TO
make the school children realize tho
money value of agriculture. not as a
theory, but as a practical fact. and ono
Of the best ways for demonstrating 1t
has been shown to be TO let the children
actually farm a bit Of ground and collect
the proceeds. Recently the Unito1 States
Commissioner of Education, DIR. p. P.
| Claxton, had occasion to welcome a party
Of southern boys and girls who We're on
a sightseeing tour of Washington with
money earned in their own farming.
Real farming did IT. said Or. Clax-
ton, In describing the experiment. The
money earned from their individual gar
den patches in connection with the study
OF up-to-date farming paid the expenses
Of those 60 Virginia school children. The
children came from the Second Congress
sioral District Agricultural School at
Driver, near Norfolk. The party was in
charge Of Mr.. ]. r. l.. De Jarnette. the
principal OF the school. and he was a
busy man indeed during the three days
spent in seeing the sights Of the Ma
toms capital.
Tomatoes and other produce paid the
full cost Of the trip-which was just
$l37s for each pupil, by the way. This
amount was only a comparatively small
part of their total earnings for the year.
The children come from one of the best
gardening regions in the South, and their
school has a unique place in that psrtic-
ular community. The school has an III
structor in agriculture, who teaches three
days a week and spends the other three
days In farm demonstration work, apply
ing on the actual farms Of the district
the theory he imparts in school"
Further inquiry showed that this Is not
the first time the children have learned
that Intelligent farming brings in q cash
return. Each student makes regularly a
| profit of from St to 800 on the individual
garden patch he c%ultivates. In addition,
the children help in working n school
farm. which after paying all expenses.
including the wages of n man who serves
both as a Farmland and school ~ianitor.
show n profit OF about 500. Mr.. De
Jarnette Is confident that with a 7o-acre
farm, which he hopes to have soon, his
boys will be able to earn their own liv-
ing entirely while attending school.
The state of Virginia is among the
rapidly increasing number of States that
are beginning to realize the Importance
of adequate agricultural education, and
money has been appropriated to aid the
school. There have also been private
benefactions A new s25. 600 building Is to
be dedicated in September. and DIR. Clax-
ton has promised to be present at the
ceremonies.
The experiment at Driver Is only one
Of many indications of what the Ameri-
can rural school can and should do. All
over the country efforts are being made
to bring home to the country districts
the significance and value of agriculture.
The rural school is the essential link in
the chain, and the United States Bureau
of Education Is endeavoring to drive
this fact home SO deep 1t will never be
forgotten. for the Bureau maintains that
the rura, school must provide the kind
Of training that will not only fit boys and
girls for runl life, hut will serve to in
terpret life in the country so attractive
" that when the children grow to man.
hood and womanhood they will be glad
to remain on the farm.