The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-04-20
EXTENSION WORK
IN AGRICULTURE
Second District Meeting
Unites Farmers and
Teachers in Effort.
DRIVER IN LEAD.
MODERN METHOD
Resume of the Big Meeting Held
in Suffolk by the School
Teachers and Farm Dem
onstrators-People Very
Much Interested-Suf-
folk Wide Awake.
cBy Special correspondent.)

Suuoik, Va, April lS.-The Week of
Big Days In Suffolk was an unqualified
SUCCESS. Co operation" and Inten-
sive Cultivation were the underlying
principles OF these meetings. which
were engineered by the Agricultural
High School of the Second Congress
sional District. Mt Driver. Va
For the first time in the history of
virginia. a congressional district school
fair. something new In the State, oc-
Cured. Here the best work OF chill
dren was displayed. Instead OF being
limited 10 one county, the events were
open TO the pupils in Nansemond. Nor
folk. Southampton Princess Anne and
Isle Of Wight Counties and in the cities
of Norfolk. Portsmouth and Suffolk
Unlike that Of most school fairs. the
work was arranged by subjects. in
stead OF by grouping the exhibits by
schools. in beautiful and gaily deco
rated booths The object OF this plan
WAS TO show the work from each sec
tion and compare II with the work from
the other sections. and thus improve
The standard OF excellence for all
schools II has succeeded beyond all
expectations
Every subject in school work. from
The first primary through the last high
school grades, was represented by nu-
.rcrous exhibits The new methods Of
making pupils teach themselves by do
Ing things by work was thoroughly
demonstrated
The fair was held in tie Armory AT
suTolk. Tho work was hung BY sub
Jects and grades on counters and the
walls all around tho building. The
purpose Of this plan was to show the
progressive steps in tho educational
experience OF the childron--to cxem-
pity the growth Of the child's power
through tho grades.
First came language work piper
cutting, rafa, rug weaving. basketry.
=, L.
came the history and geography work.
illustrated lessons In physiology and
hygiene followed. These took UP spaces
zoo feet long and twenty feet high and
all the countee room.
Teaching From Ground Up.
The special drawing exhibit from the
drawing department Of Norfolk city
was the development OF the artistic
nower OF the child through tho school
system. This was arranged 100
cards. ten feet square showing the
steps OF progress. The successive
cards. while differing little one from it's
successor, nevertheless showed a wide
divergence between work OF grades sew
visiting teachers. Miss Santosch in
charge OF this exhibit gave interest
ing explanatory talks
\ similar exhibit was in charge of
Mr.. Rydingsvaard head of the man
uai training department. OF Norfolk.
who gave illustrated lectures 10 Wis
itors.
different phase OF industrial work
the agricultural exhibit Here
the Boys Corn Club members had for
view the best work from an acre OF
ground, cultivated by them. Corn. po-
tatoes, peanuts, beans. peas, sofa beans
were some of the different events
Truck crop demonstrations work was
also we'll represented
Wonderful specimens OF needlework.
cooking and canning occupied pyra-
mids fifty feet square in the centre
OF the floor. Hundreds OF various ar
tcles we're exhibited. Some idea OF
the display may be gathered from the
fact that ten expert judges were busy
for two days deciding the prize win
ncrs in domestic science. Canning
work now being developed by Miss
Ella @. Agnew made wonderful show
ing. Mrs. Simpson, who was the dem
onstrator for Nansemond County. gave
a very interesting explanation of the
canning of the girls tomato club.
High School Work.
On another pyramid was arranged
the best work from the various high
schools.
This consisted Of chemistry. botony
and physics note books, history mans
and papers, English short stories and
poems. algebra papers and geometry
originals. Here alone there were l.
500 exhibits. y comparison OF the
work of the various schools resulted
E)n giving an n1Sner standard or hlSh
school teaching methods and work.
The boys OF the graduating class of
the Agricultural High School at Driv-
er sent in II model barn. designed and
built by themselves. The barn was
constructed according to scale Every
timber was perfectly proportional and
carefully fitted. The interesting point
however. is that these same boys are
now building at school the real barn,
using their own plans and specifica-
When completed. this building will
have stable room for ten horses and
shed room for ten conveyances.
Children, Themselves.
One or the most interesting exh-
bits was the pupils themselves n
parade OF the school children through
the principal streets occurred in the
morning. Headed by brass band and
carrying banners the young folks
marched all over the town. In the at
ternoon the track meet was held un-
der the direction Of Professor p ).
Blandford, of the Second Congressional
District Agricultural High School
over 1000 people saw the games and
thoroughly enjoyed the events.
a very peculiar and unusual kind Of
teachers meeting was held Friday
The teachers association of the Sec
ond Congressional District held Its ses-
sions at that time. The new idea Of
this meeting was the demonstration in
good methods OF teaching that the
school fair gave as an auxiliary to the
convention and special cars. excursion
rates, good weather all combined to
make II success Tho church In
which the meetings were held was
crowded at all sessions. Mr.. Hurst.
president OF the association, said the
attendance and interest surpassed the
attendance and interest of any previ-
Gus meetings The point Is that the
practical illustrations OF the school fair
Continued on Sixth Pago)