Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1916-09-27
AGRICULTURE IN
THE HIGH SCHOOL
Prof. {. |. Rodegeb Writes On
The Work Being Done In
This Department.


schools. Some theories, as was to be
did not work out satisfac-
tory under all conditions. Different
conditions required different treat
ment. Some subjects or topics need
ed more emphasis in one locality than
in another even though they were
only a few miles apart.
The agricultural colleges and ex-
p riment stations had land and made
good use of it. The State Board Of
Education required every high school
teaching agriculture tc buy a piece Of
land under certain conditions. Since
1t has been shown that many schools
did not need a school farm. In fact,
were better off without one, especial
ly where they had no equipment or
regular help to do the work. There
was not sufficient time to use student
help or class to any advantage on the
farm. When the greatest advantages
were to be gained from school farm,
there was no school. A year ago, the
ruling requiring schools to own land
to get the state aid for agricultural
work was changed leaving the matter
optional with the local boards Of edu-
cation.
Many of these school farms have
been sold. Formerly the agricultural
instructor was required to spend half
of his time doing extension work
among the farmers of the locality.
Last year that was also changed, lay
ing especial emphasis upon the teach
ing. This year we are doing more
teaching and using more time for lab
oratory exercises and field trips for
our classes in agriculture.
We have two regular high school
classes in agriculture tbs year. Agri-
field crops in detail dealing with their
characteristics, methods Of culture,
selection and value of good seeds, and
means of improving crops. We use
a regular text book for this work, with
laboratory exercises and field trips to
show the practical relation to local
conditions. Later in the year, soils
and soil fertility will be taken up. We
will study formation of various kinds
of soils, characteristics of different
soils and methods of handling and i'm
proving. In this connection the value
of drainage, crop rotation, sources OF
plant food, and means of maintaining
the soil in productive condition will
be given due consideration. This
course is especially for first year high
school students and continues regu
larly five days week through the
year. At present there are ten boys
in the class.
Agriculture III. Is planned for rath
or advanced students, there are sew
enteen taking the work.. The frs
part of the year is devoted to agricul
tural engineering, dealing with form
er problems, as how to prolong {
straight line, having two points Civ
en-: Methods of laying off angles
measuring distances; finding areas
and taking up various phases Of drain
age. When they have finished tn
work, they should be able to set
row OF stakes, posts, or trees over
hill or straight through building
End the area of any irregular shape
field of any number Of sides, and fig
ure the elevation, grade cut or fill 70
any ordinary conditions. A goo
share Of the latter part of the yea
will be devoted to horticulture, incluc
ing propagation, methods Of settin
trees, cultivation, pruning spraying
grating and various other things tina
come up in connection with our con
mon fruiting plants. For this worl
there will be regular text bool
Some time will also be devoted t
landscape gal dening and garden veg'
tables.
We have a class Of thirteen norma
girls taking agriculture once a wee
through the year. In this work W
try to give the girls some things the
should aid them in their work whe
they come to teach in the rurs
schools. The work is divided up
a general way to cover the Who'll
field Of agriculture and yet the aim
to make it specific enough that tn
girls may have sufficient infOrmatio
and a working foundation to hel
them in teaching at least the require
amount of agriculture in the rur'
schools and to help item in taking a
active part in the rural communitie
in which they teach.
The Central Eighth grade boy
have been divided into two section
eighteen in one and nineteen in til
other, for agriculture this year. Fac
section has two periods a week.
covers the whole field of agricultul
in a general elementary way.
should give the boys a good unde
standing of farm conditions and far
practices. 1t should also help in la
ing a. good foundation for the DO!
who take agriculture during the
high school course. Every boy is r
quired to have book to use as re
ular text in this class.
Agriculture is also taken up in tt
seventh and eighth grades of the La
ayette building. This is gener
elementary course given largely
the nature Of lectures with some di
cussions and laboratory work. The
are about forty-five taking this wor
Similar work is also given in the r
raj schools that are associated vii
the city school system. Last year Il
agricultural instructor also gave Il
manual training work in these rur
;hools and will probably have chars
Of this work this year.
E. L. RODEGEB.
d Director of Agricultur
d go
The high school was in session on
It from 9 q. m. until noon, and twent
five minute periods we're observed .
h Friday.
!. Missionary Teleen from India ga
d an interesting ten minute talk to Il
h pupils Friday morning. He show
d some curios from India and left Il
y message to the young people, "Y'