The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-08-11
THE FARM LIFE SCHOOL
ISACREAT MOVEMENT
A Force In Rural Education Which Has Come To Stay
In North Carolina, The People Desiring At
Least One In Each County.
S. ALDERMAN
OF the North Carolina Department Of Education.
g. s.
OF the North Carolina Department Of Education.

ton work among the adult farmers,
conducts farmers Institutes, and is in
every way the inspiration and agent
of better farming in the county. The
influence of the school spreads as a
leaven Of uplift through the entire
count and the results which it
achieves are incalculable.
Where We Got the Farm-Life
This kind of school is another i'm
portation from the Middle West. The
idea fOund it's inception and first
growth in progressive Wisconsin,
where a few experimental schools of
this kind SO "hitched education to life"
that a metamorphosis Of agricultural
and living conditions in the cOmmuni-
ties resulted and more than state
wide was attracted. There
are now thirty of these schools in Wis
consin and they are spreading with
striking success throughout the Middle
West.
Superintendent Joyner first got the
idea Of the farIn-life school from a
conversation with Wisconsin's super
intendent, Harvey. He became SO in
terested that in 1909 he made a spe-
cial trip to that State to investigate
her farm schools. His Investigation
was thorough and he included in his
biennial report for 19O9-1O an enthusi-
astic report on these schools, econ
A>A - y O"A "
lima, n giving a comprehensive plan
for their establishment.
The Farmers Union, the State ASSO-
citation Of County superintendent and
the Teachers Assembly, became in
terested and joined forces to push the
movement. superintendent JOyner
laid the matter before the General AS
sembly of 1911, and, with the support
Of all these educational forces, but
only after a considerable fight and
many appearances before committees,
secured the passage Of both the Gull
ford County Farm-life School law, and
the General County Farm-life School
act.
The Two Laws.
In general the fundamental features
of both law are the same, and since
the 1913 General Assembly made the
GuilfOrd county law applicable to any
county in the State no distinction nee
be drawn, for any county may estab-
lish a farm-life school under either
plan. Both acts contemplate the fur
nishing by the county, by local AK,
donation or otherwise, of certain
equipment, a farm of not less than ten,
preferably twenty-five acres, school
buildings and dOrmitories, laborators,
and barns; n the furnishing of a
maintenance fund Of $4,000. When
this is done by the county the State
luis " the SCHOOL,, OUT OIL the
funds created by the act, an equivalent
of~the maintenance fund provided by
the county up to a maximum Of 81, 500.
The chief differences in the two
laws are in the methods for raising
the equipment and maintenance fund.
The general county plan requires the
passage of bonds by the county in a
countrywide election, for the equip
!, ment, the school to be placed in that
locality of not over 1000 inhabitants
, which offers the most aid to this
{ equipment and maintenance, provision
: being made for the voting of bonds by
a township or townships and establish
ment Of the school by them in case
the county election fails.
S The Guilford plan provides for the
establishment of farm-life courses ir
connection with already existing rura
high schools, the funds for the equip
> ment and maintenance of these farm
= life courses being raised either out O.
: the general school fund, or by dona
> ton, or by local tax. Only those coun
! ties like Durham and Forsyth which
: already have enough school n t.
= provide a six months school, however
are allowed to appropriate this funt
from the general county school fund
The others must raise it by donation
or local tax. A favorite plan has beer
: to get the county commissioners to do
Hate IL from lle Couuty luHuS, SeNeId
, counties having thus secured the CO
\ operation of the commissioners.
= Schools Established.
l. Only one school has been establish
ed so far under the general count
plan, that at Vanceboro, Craven coun
l. ty, which is just completing its sue
n cessful first year Of existence. Thre
Of schools were established under tn
re Guilford special act, at jamestown
D. Pleasant Garden asd Brown SUNNI
to The first two of these have been re
es markable successful and Superirtend
Id ent Foust of Guilford is %husi
in their praise.
n Two schools were established unde
n the extended Guilford plan when
its was made applicable to other countie
ng loves Grove, in Durham county. an
he Harmony, IN lredell. These nave bee
es in successful operation a year. Otht
->lASiS ha1-o haaA