Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1916-08-30
SCHOOL CREDITS
GIVEN FOR STUDENT
WORK DONE ON FARM
THAT PRACTICAL WORK DONE
BY STUDENTS ON FARM GET
CREDIT GROWING DEMAND

The idea that certain practical work
done by boys and girls on the farm
should count as credits in the agricul-
tural courses of the rural elementary
and high schools is growing rapidly
an popularity 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 schools, and that the
schools by giving credit for home
work can and should encourage boys
and girls to make profits for themsel-
yes or to become more directly help
full to their families. Educators, how
ever, 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 pub
Iished Department Bulletin 385,
School Credit for Home Practice in
Agriculture. This bulletin devotes a
number of pages to tables and exam
Piles showing the nature of school
credit projects and the amount of
credit to be granted. 1t is recogniz-
ed, however, that real cooperation on
the part of the parent is essential, 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 agricul-
tural education.
The parent should agree: (D To
permit the pupil to use specified land,
animals, and equipment, either as a
temporary owner or as tenant so
far as the needs of the project are con-
cerned; (2) to grant the pupil the
time needed for the work and to veri-
fly and vouch for the time record; 81
to instruct the pupil in the necessary
manipulation so far as practicable;
(4) to allow the pupil the profits de-
rived from his labor and manage
ment- The last point is not always
feasible, particularly where the pupil
takes up one phase of the main bust
ness of the farm, such as the weigh
ing and testing of milk for a dairy
herd.
The parent must at least give an
unbiased voucher of the time and ex-
pense record, and a statement that
the project work was all done by the
pupil. In the absence of an advisory
committee or an inspector, the parent
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 we'll 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 a voucher
from the parent at the end.