The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1922-09-20
NO. 10
Local School Of
ferS Good Course
SMITH HUGHES ACT OF
FERS SPLENDID
OPPORTUNITY.
(By L. w. Dahms, Head of
Agriculture Dept.1

! Agriculture Dept.)
The State and Federal Governments
realize that the young people on the
farm have not had equal opportunity
with those in towns in securing the
training that they should have for
life work on the farm. With this fact
in mind the federal government pass
ed the Smith Hughes Act in 1917,
which provides for an appropriation
OF money for vocational education.
For the farm boy, courses in such
secondary and public schools in Voca-
tional agriculture are offered to meet
the conditions of the above named
act. The courses offered must provide
the needs of the pupil, and shall be
not less than two years in length, each
containing at least six months Of class
room and laboratory instruction, and
each providing for portion of the
six months of supervised work on the
farm. Other requirements so far as
efficient instruction, room and equip
ment must be met.
Redwood Falls High School has met
all of these requirements and has been
offering such courses in vocational
agriculture for two years. There has
been a gradual growth in interest and
enrolment, and now the real value of
the course is being demonstrated by
many of the students who have COM
pleted our work and gone back to the
farm.
A special course is offered to farm
boys and others who are interested in
agriculture, and who are unable to be-
Crir1 Hrybo la i,rL
September. Some, too, do not want
to take the regular high school course,
but rather that training which they
most need in relation to agriculture
This course begins on October 16, 1922
and closes the second week of April,
thus giving pupils opportunity to re-
main on the farm during the busy
time of the year. The course con-
tinues for two years, after which a
diploma is presented to those having
successfully completed the work.
During the summer months, when
students are needed on the farm, a
small portion of their time is used in
carrying out their project work under
the supervision of the instructor.
Thus, it will be seen that this train
ing continues for period of twelve
months. Credits are given for good
work, and such students as have COM
pleted this course and are graduates
from the eighth grade may enter the
third year of the high school course.
By doing some extra work, it should
not be difficult to finish the high
school course in two additional years.
In addition to the work outlined,
pupil is required to apply as many of
the facts as he may have acquired, on
some definite piece Of work on the
farm. This project, or piece of work
must be of sufficient size to be OF
practical value. Students taking
farm crops are required to select, with
the advice and assistance of the in
structor; project in farm crops. A
pupil may select two or more acres of
corn. The parents must agree to let
the pupil be responsible for the man.
agement Of this crop. Under the
direction of the instructor, the pupil
gathers the seed corn and stores the
seed, prepares the soil, plants the seed,
cultivates and harvests the crop, and
keeps record of the various items
into the production of the
crop. When the boy has finished his
project, he should have carried out in
practice the best methods known for
economic production of corn under the
farm conditions under which he works.
In Animal Husbandry he will select
one project in livestock, and in like
manner put in practice as many of
the facts which he may have acquired
in the class room. Only one project
is required for each year in the course
Any boy who is IA years of age or
over may enter this course. He may
Or may not have finished the eighth
grade. There are no tuition charges.
The course is free. Your only expense
will be for room and board and few
books. Those boys living within a
radius of three or four miles should
return homo each night where they
AN help with the chores and thus re-
luce the expense. Any one coming
rom a greater distance may secure
if they so desire, by
writing to or seeing l.. W. Dahms,
agricultural instructor, or S. E..
Iargis, Superintendent of Schools at
Redwood Falls. Better register now
IS many Of the boys have already in
Heated their intention of being here.
Are you going to be among them?
Most certainly you ought to be.
L. w. Dahms.
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