Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1916-08-04
SCHOOL CREDIT FOR


Washington, d. C.-The idea that
certain practical work done by boys
and girls on the farm should count
as credits in the agricultural courses
of the rural elementary and high
schools is growing rapidly in popu-
larity among educators, The basis
for this idea is the belief that the
farm may and should become the
logical laboratory for testing out and
putting into practice much that is
taught in the scools, and that the
schools by giving credit for home
work can and should encourage boys
and girls to make profits for them
selves or to become moro directly
helpful to their families. Educat-
ors, however find some difficulty in
defining just what work that the
boy does on the farm should receive
an educational credit and how many
credits should be allotted for the
different kinds of work which really
help the boy to master progressive
methods.
To assist the superintendent of
schools and teachers, the specialists
in agricultural education in the
states relations service have recently
published u. S. Department of Agri-
culture Bulletin 3S5, School Credit
for Home Practice in Agriculture.
This bulletin, which may be had
free by educators as long as the de-
partment's supply lasts, devotes a
number of pages to tables and ex-
amples showing the nature of school
credit projects and the amount of
credit to be granted. 1t is recog-
nized, however, that real co-opera-
tion on the part of the parent is es-
sential and the author thus defines
the part the parent must play in
any plan for making school and farm
work closer together in the interests
of agricultural education:
The parent should agree % to
permit the uppil TO use specified
land, animals, and equipment, either
as temporary owner or as a tenant
so far as the needs of the project are
concerned CD to grant the pupil
the time needed for the work and to
verify and vouch for the time record;
(3) to instruct the pupil in the neces-
sary manipulation so far as practic-
able; (4) to allow the pupil the
profits derived from his own labor
and management. The last point is
not always feasible, particularly
where the pupil takes up one phase
of the main business of the farm,
such as the weighing and testing of
milk for dairy herd.
The parent must at least give an
unbiased voucher of the time and
expense record, and a statement that
the project work was all done by the
RNpAA' III IiS oDOClSS VI al duNloOIS
committee or an inspector, the par
ent is the judge as to when the pupil
has accomplished task successfully.
Where the pupils time is much
needed by the parent in regular home
duties, it may be well to advise that
the pupil take over some part of
that home work as a project. This
will insure the cooperation of the
parents, although the managerial
income may not come to the pupil.
The school should not only give
credit for work for which the pupil
receives pay, but should consider the
relative income or profit as one i'm
portant factor in determining the
school rank given on the project.
To insure success, it will be very.
desirable to have a memorandum of
agreement signed by all parties be-
fore the project begins a report in
full from the pupil and voucher
from the parent at the end.