The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1919-05-29
.AG R ICULTURAL
COURSE MAY BE
ADDED TOCANON N
H. S. CURRICULUM
Vocational Director for Colora-
do under Smith-Hughes act
here in its Interest

Mr.. Sergeant of Fort Collins. yoca-
tional director for Colorado under the
Smith-Hughes act TO assist the public
schools of the state in carrying on a
special course OF agricultural study,
was in Canon City few days ago for
a conference with the members of
the board of education in relation to
sharing with them the expense and
responsibility for an agricultural
course in the local high school He
recommended that Canon City avail it.
self of funds provided by the gov
ernment under the Smith-Hughes act,
and of like appropriation made by
the State Legislature. for the encour-
aEement- of the study of agriculture a
the high school. After a thorough in
vestigation of the matter the board of
education accepted his proposition and
will next year put on an agricultural
course in the high school that viii
conform to the one prescribed by the
state and Federal authorities
In order to get the benefit of Fed
erai and state assistance in the mat
ter the board of education will be re-
quired to establish such a course of
the provisions of the Smith-Hughes
act and the concurrent demands of
the state. but beyond that its freedom
of action will not be interfered with
The only exactions required are that
the instructor in agriculture meet the
government standard and that the
work TO be done is in line with the
Federal demands. The selection or
the Instructor and the adautability OF
!, the coarse Of study to. the special
needs of the community rests with
the board of education On reaching
an agreement upon these matters Mr..
Sergeant on behalf of the govern
ment. entered into an arrangement
with the board by which half the sal
ary of the instructor in agriculture
would be paid out of the Federal and
state appropriations
The instructor in agriculture will be
employed throughout the year. instead
of during the school term, as has
hitherto been the case. Those enter
ing the agricultural classes will be
compelled to devote themselves one
half of every school day to the study
of that science and must pledge them
selves to cultivate piece of land dur
ing the summer months for the growth
of some food OF forage crop. The
summer work of the students viii he
done under the oversight and super
vision of the high school Instructor
in agriculture. The amount of money
! that would be saved by the board or
education in permitting the govern
ment to pay half of the salary of the
instructor in agriculture would he
more than sufficient to pay for such
equipment in the matter of tools and
implements that the government re-
quires.
During the last year IL schools in
Colorado have been beneficiaries un-
der the Smith Hughes act. Next year
there will be 90. among them the
Canon City high school. The arrange
ment Just made by the board of edr-
cation will undoubtedly be of great
value to the community, and is in line
with the policy OF the school authori-
ties here to give the public the very
best there is in educational progress
and reform.
The South Canon school authorities
have from time to time had under con-
sideration the matter OF putting into
operation in the schools there some
special course OF study in horticulture.
agriculture and gardening for the en-
couragement OF practical training In
, these sciences. bat no definite steps
have been taken by them in regard TO
II. Now would be a splendid time for
the South Canon board OF education to
ioin with the school authorities here
In such an undertaking.