The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1916-07-27
EDUCATIONAL SURVEY OF
GARRARD COUNTY BY
ECONOMIC SPECIALIST.


Professor Charles ID. Bohannon, head
of the Department of Agricultural
Economics. Experiment Station, has
just made a report to the director on a
social and educational survey of Gar
rard county. HIS conclusions apply to
numerous other counties of the State
and his recommendation can be of wide
benefit. He writes in part
The survey demonstrated the fol-
lowing points:
''In order to provide for the fullest
and best possible social, economic and
educational development, there must be
a hearty coope ration between town and
country.
while the country schools of the
community are on par with those of
any other community in the State, there
is altogether too large a dropping out
Of pupils between the first and eighth
grades. Last year the figures as given
by the county superintendent indicate
an enrolment of 729 in the first grade.
while in the eighth there was an en-
rollment of rs. This means that a
large number of boys and girls in the
highly impressionable years. between
twelve and eighteen, are not receiving
any public schooling.
There is much room for improve
ment in the housing conditions among
the poorer classes, both owner and
tenants.
while Garrard is undoubtedly a
prosperous agricultural county, its
economic conditions could be greatly
bettered by increased attention to GER
tain fundamental laws Of agricultural
science. The practice of permitting
the erosion of fertile hill sides to go on
unchecked is TO be severely condemned
In the place of cultivated crops these
hill sides might largely be turned into
alfalfa fields. What alfalfa and ensil-
age will do in fattening cattle has well
been demonstrated by some of Gar
rsrd's most up-to-date farmers.
Most important of all, it was clear
ly demonstrated that there are within
the city of Lancaster and in the adjoin-
ing rural districts large humber Of
men and women with high ideals OF
community life. These ladies' and gen
tlemen who SO quickly respond to all
suggestions for the social and economic
development of their county can, il
properly united into working organiza-
tons, effect great advances within the
next few years.
The following recommendations are
made;
First, that the membership of the
Lancaster Commercial Club be extend
ed to include the adjacent farmers and
the scope of its work be broadened as
to recognize in adequate fashion the
interdependence of town and country.
Second. that the installation in the
Lancaster high school Of q depart
ment of agriculture and a department
of home science. The man who has
charge of the agricultural department
should teach agriculture and manual
training in the high school and su.
pervise their teaching in the country
schools of the immediate vicinity. He
should also act as advisor to the
Commercial Club and aid in the de-
velopement of boys corn and pig clubs.
Similarly, the person having charge
of the home science work should su-
pervise the elements of that work in
the country schools and develop the
girls poultry and canning clubs.
These two lines of work should be of
untold influence, both in town and
country, not only in purely industrial
matters, but also in the vital matters
of sanitation and living conditions and
general social conditions. In addition
to the regular work, there should dur.
ing the three months of December.
January and February be held at the
high school, short courses in agricul-
ture and home science. primarily for
the older boys and girls and young
men and women of the country dis
tricts who for some reason or other
have dropped regular school work.
Special sessions of this short course
could be thrown open to the general
public.
In closing his annual report to DR..
Kastle, Professor Bohannah makes
the following recommendations for
the future work of the department:
1--WE should continue our stud, of
the marketing of tobacco, and ex'
tend it so as to include the market
ing of every type raised in the State. |
Since the price which the tobacco
manufacturers are willing to pay is
to such large extent by
two fscorts, namely, the perfection of
the curing and the exactness of the
grading, l feel that We should study |
these two factors in order that we
may develop some plan or plans.
whereby they may be controlled. To
be specific, we should conduct cur
ing tests to determine the value of va
rious processes; in particular. the use
fulness Of various curing furnaces
now on the market, and we should |