THE CHEM AW A
AM ERICAN
5
Men th a t are skilled in th e trades and professions becam e such
by study and practice. B ook-learning is a failure if practice does not
follow th e stu d y every day. T h e lessons in ag ric u ltu re and farm p rac
tice will go h an d -in -h an d . O ne can best learn to swim by ta k in g his
lessons w hile in the w ater, so the children should learn ag ricu ltu re by
doing some w ork on a model school farm . Better farm practice would
be carried on in th e hom es of the d istrict if a model farm was co n d u ct
ed in th eir m idst.
F arm ers clubs and children s clubs for the advancem ent of ag ric u l
tu re would be properly looked after the year ro u n d . A full record of
farm operations w ould be kept of the school farm . T his would give
the pupils a know ledge of farm accounts.
Co-operation in th e d istrict would be very beneficial in m any ways.
C hickens are profitable, but not m any farm ers feel th at they can spare
the tim e in the sp rin g of th e year to look after the h atch in g of the
chicks. T he school should handle a co-operative hatchery th at would
supply th e com m unity w ith chicks.
A gasoline engine would be necessary to pum p w ater into the tan k on
the farm , so why not have th is engine serve th e com m unity in m any
w ays w hile the boys and girls are receiving valuable training? One of
the hard tasks of the home is th e family w ashing. A co-operative
laun d ry would serve a valuable purpose in m aking th e homes happy.
T h e school farm should contain ten acres, and should be equipped
w ith m odern conveniences. All perm anent im provem ents are made at
district expense. All personal property, such as horses, cattle, hogs,
chickens, tools, etc., are for the teach er’s use on the farm and are
bought and owned by him .
A farm er should have em ploym ent for his team the year round. So
the te ach e r’s team m ust be kept busy. Some y o u n g man of the district
will make a good team ster and as such can m ake daily wages on the
school farm and team ing for others.
T h e train in g of the whole self th at is w rapped w ithin a ch ild ’s being
is the problem of hom e and school train in g . T h e tim e has been when
th e head received most of the train in g at the expense of the hands and
heart. B ook-learning has its sphere, but to be of value m ust be sup-
lem ented by actual practice, so do not hesitate in learn in g to do th in gs
by doing. W e are so in the habit of sending children to school to study
books th a t it seems the only way for them to get an education. T he
half days employed on the farm and in the dom estic kitchen under a
skilled in stru cto r are of greater value than th e half days spent in poring
over books. T eachers are so accustom ed to teaching books th at th ey
feel lost when they are obliged to teach the real th in g s th at books treat
of.