The Mena weekly star., 1920-08-26
VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS
FOR POLK COUNTY
An Effort Being Made to Establish
Schools Under the Smith Hughes
Act-FederaI Aid.


Before the end OF this calendar
year, Polk county may have in opera
ton TWO or more SCHOOLS teaching vo-
cational agriculture under the pro
visions of the Smith-Hughes federal
act. A start along this line was made
last week when Prof. E. b. Matthew
Of Little Rock, state supervisor OF vo-
cational agriculture spent two days in
the county making a survey of several
schools. The survey was made at the
invitation Of the Commercial Club,
and in his trip to Acorn, Hatfield and
Grannis. Prof. Matthew was accom-
panied by Supt w. II. Morden, Little
Riding and Fred j Smith of the Club.
The patrons and the members of the
Board Of the Acorn school were met
at the close of school Thursday of last
week, and after the details of the re-
quirements We're outlined by Mr.. Mat
thew, the Board decided TO call later
meeting at. which time the formal APP
plication will be taken up. AT Hatfield
between % and 30 patrons met with
the Board at the Watkins Mercantile
Company store upon less than an
hours notice, going over the require
ments and deciding to take definite
action at later meeting. The meet
ing at Grannis, also we'll attended by
Board members and patrons was held
last Thursday afternoon.
Under the Smith-Hughes act feder-
al funds are made available for the es-
Enlistment Of courses in vocational
agriculture and related branches in
schools which meet the requirements
fixed by the State Board of Education.
The schools which can come under
the provisions of the act are divided
into five classes based on the percen-
tage of pupils who live ON the farm.
Schools in which 80 per cent Of the
pupils live on the farm are placed in
class A, those with a rural enrolment
of 10 per cent are placed in class b,
those with sc 2-3 per cent in class c,
those with so per cent in class ID and
those with less than so per cent in
class r.
The Federal appropriation Is dis
tributed among the state in the pro-
portion that the rural population Of a
state bears to the total rural popula-
ton of the United States, SO that Ar.
kansas being largely rural secures a
| liberal amount Of federal aid. In 1918,
when the work was first started, $780,
coo came to the state, in 1919 the
amount was $4,000 and this ratio OF
increase will continue until 1926 when
II becomes fixed. One of the provi
sions of the act is that every dollar OF
/ by state money or money raised local
| ly where schools are established. TIC
meet this requirement Arkansas by
legislative act appropriated the reve
nue. arising from 1-5 min tax on all
classes of property. There are now
| As schools in operation In Arkansas
with a total enrolment of 104S stu
dents.
The local requirements are briefly
| that a school to come under the pro
visions of the act and to secure an ap
| preparation fer the payment of q full
time teacher must have at least II
pupils who are above Ia years of age
and who win agree to take the pre-
scribed course The district must fur
nish a suitable room furnished witt
tables and chairs and sufficient wal
space for library and laboratory equip
ment. The expense on the distric
Prof Matthew estimates will not b.
over $500, and against that the stat
and federal departments will furnish
laboratory equipment to the value o
$400 and pay the salary Of a teache
for twelve months which will amour
to from $500 to $4,000. The three
schools which were surveyed all me
the requirements except perhaps II
/ the matter of the number of pupils
and this requirement ii is thought cal
be met by thoro canvass of the dis
trict and the surrounding territory, 81
If the local boards push the matter
there is no reason why Polk count.
should not have two or three Smith
Hughes schools in operation by Janu
airy /.