Farm Boys and Girls

by William A. McKeever

Fig. 16.—Using the Babcock milk-tester in a New York school.

One of the more direct means of educating the boys and girls for a happy, contented life on the farm is to teach them while young the rudiments of agriculture. This method is now actually being put into practice in thousands of the rural schools. The state of Kansas recently enacted a law requiring all candidates for teachers’ certificates to pass a test in the elements of agriculture and also requiring that the rudiments of this subject be taught in every district school. Other states have similar laws. As a result of this and like provisions, there is now a tremendous awakening in the direction named. The boys and girls in the country schools are finding new meaning and a new interest in the fields and farms upon which they are growing up.

It is a comparatively simple matter, that of teaching the young how the plant germinates and grows, how the seed is produced, and how farm crops are cared for and harvested. Likewise, it is easy to describe the elements of the various types of soil and to show how these elements contribute to the life and growth of the plant. The questions of moisture in its relation to plant life, of insects harmful and helpful to growing crops and animals, of the bird life as related in its economic aspects to farming—all such matters can be easily taught to children by the young-woman school teacher. It is only necessary for the latter to take an elementary course of instruction herself, to read a number of collateral texts, and to get into the spirit of the undertaking. In a similar manner, instruction in regard to farm animals may be given, the emphasis being placed upon the consideration of the types of live stock actually raised and marketed in the home neighborhood.

It must be emphasized that these matters relating to elementary agriculture and animal husbandry can be made just as interesting and quite as cultural as any of the subjects in the general curriculum of the schools. Wherefore, the rural dweller who catches the spirit of such instruction should lead out in the securing of public measures and public improvements looking toward an early embodiment of these new subjects within the prescribed course of study.

Domestic economy and home sanitation

The time is now at hand when the district school failing to give any attention to practical household affairs is to be classed as out of date and unprogressive. Well-written texts and pamphlets covering the home-keeping subjects are now both available and cheap, so that the excuse for deferring their use is approaching the zero point.

Of course it is impracticable as yet to have apparatus for cooking and sewing installed in the one-teacher district school, but the bare rudiments of these subjects may nevertheless be taught with the expectation that home practice may be thereby improved and better understood. Perhaps the most practical method of present procedure is that of organizing an independent class of the girls of suitable age and meeting them informally. The texts and pamphlets furnished by the college extension departments may be followed. In case of graded and high school courses this work should by all means be carried on as a regular class exercise.

Home sanitation may easily and profitably be taught in the district school, even though only one or two periods per week be set apart for the purpose. Perhaps the best method of instruction is that of presenting carefully one specific lesson at a time. For example, pure drinking water, clean milk, food contamination by house flies may be treated each in its turn. Adequate charts and illustrations should be brought into service.

Consolidation of rural schools

There is much agitation nowadays in regard to consolidating the rural schools. Although present progress is slow, it seems comparatively certain that the one-teacher rural school is destined in time to become a thing of the past. However, there is no particular haste in the matter, provided some such plans as the foregoing be put into effect in case of the single school. Perhaps the sparsely settled district has the greatest justification for looking toward consolidation. It happens that there are thousands of small schools having an attendance of from five to ten pupils. In such an instance, it is practically impossible to do the best work, the children lacking the spur of rivalry and enthusiasm and the helpful lessons in social ethics offered only by the larger massing of the young at play.