The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1914-06-09
TEACHING AiRiCiLTrRE

with Lnuch interest and experiment
which is being carried Oh III South
carolina. AT least one OF them has
made IL special trip to this section to
see The workings OF this experiment
and others. while in South Carolina
have taken occasion to investigate il.
The cxpcrmcI is that of teaching
South Carolina by writing lessons on
the ,;round in growing crops.
| There are one hundred and forty
| three schools in tliirty-cight South
Carolina counties n,,w Interested in
the agricultural der ionstr ration work
| It is expected that before very Ion *
there will he demonstration sch0, .ls
in The few remaining counties that
lack them now. In fact the orgaaiZa
ton will b. complete l,TIc.ic when
there are five demons tration schools
in each county.
It is the first time that an effort
has been made to institute practical
farm instruction in the entire school
system OF Il state and the work of
these schols is finding favor in all
regions. Expressions OF approval re-
| cpivc,l from educators without the
State. from trustees and parents in
| the rural dist .-ictS affected and from
tie children themselves Indicate that
the work is ii ting into Il hole that
needed filling b .fOrr.
Under the pr ,sent arrangement the
ney on the part of the schools, since
the extension division Of Clemson
college pays cxpens cs. r;each school
operates Il three acre farm, the chill
tlrcn actually preparing. fertilizing.
cultivating and harvesting under the
direction of their teachers and of the
county demonstration agent. The lat
ter is required TO visit all dcmonstra-
tions schools in the county as fire.
quently as ii is practicable. He is re-
quircd to indoctrinate the teachers
with the principles of scientific ag
riculture and to lend assistance In
every way possible
Beginning last fall the wheels OF ag-
ricultural education IN the states
publls schools have been bearing
thousands OF children through
course in field crops. In the fall le
guminous crops were sown as winter
cover crops. since soil building by
the use Of cover crops is one of the
outstanding principles Of the farm
demonstration work in South Caro-
lima. These cover crops were turned
under this spring and the land is be-
ing planted in cotton and corn. Pre-
paratory to planting, the children
were instructed in the use OF ferti-
lizers.
A thorough crop rOtuting system has
been prepared by w. w. Long, state
agent of demonstration and superin-
! tendent OF the extension division of
Ciemson college who has charge OF
the work. Each school is required to
follow his three year rotation.
After this year the work will be ex-
panded. 1t is planned to be put into
the course some simple instruction in
the elements of animal industry,
enough to teach the children to dis
tinguish types of animals. to under
stand something OF feeding and the
simpler principles OF breeding. with
some work In dairying also. The field
crop work will of course be carried
I on next year In addition to the live
l stock work
Il 1t is planned the third year to he
gin instructions in plant diseases and
Il insect pests; teaching the children
the methods of eradicating or con-
trolling the more common insect and
' Fungus troubles which annoy the far
mer. Thus there will by that time be
. Il three year course in the elements OF
. practical farming.
This demonstration work Is con-
sidcred by MIR. Long to he one OF the
most important projects In all the ex-
tension work of South Carolina and
= he is giving 1t special attention and
Cndeavoring to adjust the details of
= the system in order to make 1t more
practical. Throughout the work of
tho demonstration forces have had the
;. good will and cooperation of the Hon.
J. +. Swearingen. state superinten-
- dent OF education. and the following
!" letter received by Mr.. Long indicates
the state superintcndent's opinion of
- and attitude toward the work: