The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-10-22
TO TEACH AGRICULTURE
IN THE RURAL SCHOOLS OF CAL
HOUN COUNTY.
Farm Demonstration Plots to be Gull
tivated BY Children Under Expert


At the instigation of the Z. S. De-
partment of Agriculture and Clemson
Agricultural College, movement has
been launched to have five demon
stration farms located at five differ
ent schools in each county of the
State, and Mr.. James Claffy, who is
the Calhoun County demonstration
agent and Superintendent Of Educa-
ton, F. G. Crout, are now at work IN
an effort to locate these farms in this
county and are explaining the advan-
tages to be derived from such an un-
dertaking. They report that quite a
great deal of interest has already
been shown in this movement and
that three of these farms have al
ready been located and applications
have been received from other
schools.
The following is a "Memorandum
of Understanding" which is to be
signed by the trustees of the schools
which accept the proposition and ex-
plains the methods by which these
farms are established and the duties
to be performed in connection with
their operation:
I'm order that the prosperity of
South Carolina may become estab-
lished upon a firmer basis, it is i'm
portant that the children attending
our rural schools shall become famll-
lar with the fundamental principles
underlying the propagation and
growth Of the plants Indigenous to
their climate and soil. To meet this
increasing necessity the plan has. been
devised and adopted that the United
States Department of Agriculture,
Clemson Agricultural College, and
the Trustees of
School cooperate in the teaching of
these principles of Agriculture to the
children of the above mentioned
school. To this and the following
agreement is entered into:
81. That the Trustees shall furnish
three acres of land, or as near that
amount as can be obtained, seed, fer
tilizers, teams, implements, ETC., nee
essary to the proper cultivation of
the land.
"2. That the said land shall be
located IS near as practicable to the
school.
"3. That the hours from ........
........ shall be devoted by the pu-
pills to the actual work of attending
to the demonstration plots.
"4. The rotation to be adopted is
to be agreed upon by the District
and Local Demonstration Agent.
"5. The Local Demonstration
Agent shall visit the school from
time to time, to see that instructions
are carried out, and to cooperate il
every way with the teacher, consist
ent with his other duties.
"6. The expenses in connection
with this work shall be paid out of
the proceeds from the sale OF the
produce Of the demonstration plat.
"7. 1t Is agreed that the ground
will be prepared for seeding of cover
crops between September IS and Oc-
tober IS, not later than November 1.
"This agreement is simply mem
orandum of understanding and no
financial liability is incurred by the
signing of it,"
In speaking of this matter Mr..
Crout says: eve consider that the
benefits to be 'erived from these
farms are two-fold as 1t furnishes the
boys some actual experience in farm
work and also benefits the community
farmers. One suggestion which has
been made by Mr.. Claffy is to have a
winter cover crop planted.
This innovation will no doubt be
followed with considerable interest
and it is doubtful if any one will dis
approve of this plan as it is apparent
that education along the lines of
farming is Of first importance in this
land of agriculture, and it is hoped
that each one will lend his influence
and cooperation in this work.