Smyrna times., 1918-09-25
r0I|RSE IN AGRICULTURE
BFGUN At SMYRNA SCHOOLS
~ CHARGE OF PROF.M.F.THURS-
/, ron SENT BY GOVERNMENT
u-;lds Property Converted Into Class
pooms for this PurpOse-Object
of Agricultural Course Outlined

Prof. NJ. F. ThurstOn, of Hamburg,
,oar Buffalo, n. Y, the new instruc-
..r IN Agriculture for the Smyrna
p,blic Schools, who arrived in Smyr-
No last week, has organized a class
:, agriculture which will number
obopt fifteen. The Wilds property adj
ioinng the school campus, recently
ocmired by School Board, has been
undergoing number Of changes to
conyert into class rooms, shops, labra-
tories. &c. The regular course of in
stmctiOn started yesterday and prom
ises to fulfil a need in the community.
# will of course take time to get
things working smoothly. The course
in agriculture should have the en-
eOuragement of the people not only
of Smyrna but all progressive farm
ers. THE object of the courses in
agriculture now being established in
various sections of the country is to
teach farm boys the application of the
principals of scientific agriculture to
practical farming. In other words
the course which began yesterday at
Smyrna High School has for its aim
the putting to work by the boys on
the farms of Smyrna and vicinity, of
the collected and organized knowledge
Of practical farmers everywhere, in
order to make their cwn farming more
efficient.
To Encourage the Boys on the Farms.
Efficiency anywhere demands the
stopping of all leaks. Smyrna is go
ing to teach agriculture not to turn
methods Of farming upside down, but
as the state Inspector said the other
day, to stop the leaks that drain away
the profits; and perhaps most of all
to stop the most serious leak-the loss
, Of the labor and the interest of the
boys born and raised on the farms.
The only way to keep the boys on the
farm is to make farming interesting
and to make it pay, by putting before
the boy the problem and the means of
stopping the leaks due to careless or
thOughtless rule of thumb work on the
farm. To come down to the practical
definite things that the boy who takes
agriculture this year will get, first of
all Is first hand study of fertilizers
and soils and their management, the
larm crops of most Importance in
Ims particular section of Delaware,
and special problems in connection
with them. For example in raising
com shall he buy the seed? If he
raises 1t, shall he go to the bin to
eleCt 1t! If he does, how shall he
select it when he gets there? Will
II pay him to find out in advance how
mueh OF his seed is likely to grow?
10 answer these questions, one might
ask one or two others? Which is
HOre hkely to produce a good crop,
an ear from hill that produced a
llgh yield, or one from one that pro-
uuced low yield? If there is any
si'erence, ne ought to select his seed
Nom the field. Is it better to risk
FAULTY stand of corn or sow more
3vVu 'nan IS necessary, when it is pos
@'Oe 70 know in advance about what
~OpOrtOn of the seed will grow?
A Certain Amount of instruction.
In addition to practical things of
.llS Sort the boy who takes the course
.'i' get certain amount of definite
:: :s'iucIlon and practice in simple
Spefatlons involving the use of car
~ ,I'TiS tools in making things use
II aOOuI the farm or the farm home.
.'US' important of all, he will be re-
1~.eu 70 put into practice in his home
S,,y 5''' "hat he is learning at school.
.H nome project is the raising of
so ,e Iafm crop, or the keeping of
sa ssn.e KIND Of livestock or, in some in
sa saueeS Of home garden, for which
h. OOy Is responsible and from which
;a. - 10 reap the profit. Such pro-
ts."l 'S are chosen with the advice of the
o,1.. ,%cner and carried on under his sup-
sto.,. .siOn' Among satisfactory live
Or of ploJects ' are the keeping of pigs
p, 10 Whom the Course is Open.
biah 'e course is open to boys in the
ms sn school who meet the remuire-
scba", '5 and to boys now outside of high
eonrOl oi Who will benefit by such a
NAV Vs. and can arrange to attend. It
vo1,. aJ Oe e possible to arrange part time
part - aOI those who are employed a
sr,i.,aI. t o. the time. The time Of the
garoS 'ufe teacher when he is not en-
avsilat, - actual instruction. will be
farnae Ole for consultation with such
ls as wish it, to make a study
cONTinur-- -