Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-05-29

month and continue his course so long
as he can remain at the school. II for
any reason student is obliged to leave
the school temporarily he can return and
complete MS course at any time, pro-
vided that in so doing the twelve con-
secutve months are covered. In brief
the object of this course is that boy
at the Theodore n. Vail Agricultural
School and Farms shall have the farm
experience that is apt to arise in each
month of the year and the instruction
applicable thereto. The course of study
is organized about the activities that
are important on the farm at any given
time. For this purpose the students are
divided into four groups. The students
remain In each group for one week! One
primarily with instruction about farm
group Is concerned for a week primarily
with instruction about the dairy. An
other group is concerned for a week
corps. A third group is concerned with
miscellaneous activities on the farm,
such as the care of sheep, poultry and
swine, orcharding, shop work, repair of
buildings. tools, etc. A fourth group
works on the main farm under the direct
supervision of the farm superintendent.
This work is done for wages and is
designed to test the efficiency of the in
struction received in the school. The main
farm also furnishes opportunities for
students to learn the Strengthening of ami
mais, the care or sick animals the train
Ing OF colts and oxen, and other activities
of like nature. At the beginning of each
week the the groups change. Those who
have been in group one take UP the work
previously done by group two, and so
on.
No textbooks are required. but the
library Is we'll supplied with standard
works on farming and whenever a prob
lem is encountered In the farm work. the
student is referred to a passage in some
text book directly applicable to the prob
lem at hand. The boys are also taught
English, farm arithmetic and a simple
form of civcs designed to inculcate the
principles of good citizenship.
TUITION
| Vermont boys attending this school are
not charged any tuition. Boys from out
| side the State are charged a tuition of
S6o year. All boys are expected to fur
| nish their own towels, bed linen, blankets,
etc, to pay the expenses of laundering
the same, and are charged S. per week
| for board and lodging except for the
week in which they work for wages.
During the week in which the boys are
working, they receive their board and
| lodging free Of charge and are paid at
the rate of from $50 to $40 month, ac-
cording to the nature of their employ
ment and their ability. 1t is also possible
on Saturdays of the other weeks for the
boys to work at from fifteen to twenty
cents an hour and throughout the twelve
| t1.e H.
! for compensation about the farm or in
the dormitory during the hours in which
they are not engaged in school work It
is safe to say that any boy who is will
ing to work will be able during the year
to earn from three-quarters to the en-
tire amount of his expenses for the year s
instruction at this school. This policy was
one of the conditions made by Mr. Vail
In his deed of gift to the State of YER
montana has been strongly emphasized
by the teachers at the Theodore n. Vail
Agricultural School and Farms and by
the members of the State Board of
Education ever since they took over the
management of this school.
REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION
The requirements of admission to this
school are strictly in accord with the
which states: THE requirement for adj
mission to such school not to be sc
exacting as to exclude anyone who has a
fair substantial primary education and
who shows in his work and study, in.
dustry and application" OF the grad.
uating class of 1918, Consisting of flfteer
members. thirteen went back to farm
work, one found employment in manufac-
ture of farm implements and one enlisted
in the army
THE STATE SCHOOL OF AGRICUL
TURE AT RANDOLPH CENTER
This school has an acreage of ap
proximately 172 acres. 1t may he divided
as follows: Pasture and sugar orchard. g.
acres; pasture and woodland. 90 acres
and tilable land, SO acres. The soil a
the school at Randolph is of a qualit,
peculiarly adapted to farm corps and o
the SO acres of cultivated land, 20 acre!
are used for the raising of hay. In thu
sugar orchard there are about 700 acre.
that are suitable for tapping. Last yea
over 500 were tapped and increased equip
ment will permit a larger number to b,
tapped this year.
Your committee first visited the schoo
building which was formerly the ole
Randolph Normal school and is leased b,
the State of Vermont from the trustees
of the Orange County Grammar school
This building is in excellent condition
contains office accommodations six reel
tation rooms and laboratories and an as
sembly room in the basement there is
soil room and the farm machinery repai
shop.
! Your committee then visited the shor
where number of the students were dis
mantling an old farm wagon under tn
supervisor of one of the instructors. II
| Connection with this building there is ais
t a lumber and stock room.
EXCELLENT FARM BARN, ETC.
, The COW and horse barn is an excel
, lent building. well kept and fitted witt
, modern farm appliances. The piegery
, including slaughter house and fee
room. Is new building, built from tn
proceeds of the farm. and was Target
erected by the students and the nstruc
tors 1t is in good condition and wei
kept
The dairy building is also a new build
ing, built from the proceeds of the farm
A and was also largely erected by tn
students and instructors Both thes
buildings were built during the summe
t and autumn Of 1915 The dairy is equip
ped with all the modern dairy appli
ances.
The hen house is of sufficient size t
, care for five focks of hens and so bird
, each and is in good state of repair.
Your committee also inspected the toe