The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1922-11-22
A BETTER
AGRICULTURE
The Purposes and Aims of
the Department of Agricul-
ture in the Big Stone Gap
High School

AAASiL oCASOOi
On February 23rd, 1917, the 64tl
congress passed'n law which later be-
came universally known ms the Smith
Hughes Act. This act was approved
by the President and the law became
popular in n surprisingly short time,
Through this law the Federal gov.
ernmcnt aids the state and county
in maintaining department OF ny
riculture in the various high schools.
In discussing and defining the pur-
poses and aims of the department of
agriculture in the local school, it
should he said in the beginning that
this department was created with
the idea in mind that it would serve
the interests of all the farmers or
truck growers in Wise county The
department has absolutely no re-
strictions ms to territory in the coun-
ty. and proposes to function in the
behalf of NIL those farmers and truck
growers who are interested in sys-
tcmatic and scientific farming.
The controlling purpose of this
department is to fit the boys of the
rural and small town districts for
useful employment We propose to
take the boy from the truck farm
and train him in n systematic and
scientific manner. For the boy who
lives on the livestock farm we pro
pose to do the same. There is al
ways to BE- had some useful informa-
ton and the boys are taught to work
with their heads as well ms with their
hands.
II might be of interest to know
shat from time to time as the boys
are assigned topics for study, the
teacher Of agriculture takes the class
out into the fields and there develops
the topics in the most practical man
ner possible.
Instead OF requiring the boy to
memorize long passages from some
dry agricultural extract, we require
him to use his intellectual powers in
guessing the weight OF hog or II
steer. Instead Of asking him to learn
the Latin classification for all the
flowers that grow, we teach him how
to figure the amount ami kind Of
fertilizer to use to grow an acre OF
potatoes or cabbage.
1t is always the purpose Of this
department 10 keep in mind the chief
interests and problems Of the boy ms
he knew them on the farm. Having
in mind these problems it shall be
our purpose 10 develop the hoy grad
ually through hours OF systematic
study TO the point where he will
catch the vision of the Better Way"
to farm, and with all whom he comes
into contact will be benefited be-
cause of his knowledge of scientific
farming.
In the development Of this course
in agriculture we have regular as
signments in bulletins and texts for
the class room work. In addition to
this we have farm shop course
which is given along with the other
work and correlates closely with it.
Tins shop work includes instructions
in repair work in various farm arti-
Giles, repair work on harness and also
some instructions on rope tying and
splicing. We have the farm shop
building as AN example of the kind
of work the class is doing AT present.
This building is 1916 aud has been
entirely constructed 10y the class.
As n summary to the above re-
marks it may be definitely stated
that it is the specific aim OF this de.
partment to.
!. Cooperate with the farmers in