N78 fi>tatc College of agriculture at Corneir tHnitjersitp 3ti)aca, f).. W- I.{6rarp H?^. ■*.^^ ^^^^^^^1 ■ -m ^H ^^^^H ■gvj wei 'u mr lu HkL?^ 3ni-soiapioij£B9 jepuig lunouiotflii^ Form S5— 5000 (T^) (£>■ AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE EXTENSION UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS 55-5 N 7 .; CONTINUATION SCHOOLS SHORT COURSES FOR COLLEGES, NORMALS AND HIGH SCHOOLS By A. W. NOLAN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION V .,:■.: si, * •5 mmmmpii '* ^^^^B'l^^^K ^■LW ''^'' 1 -y ^ ^^^fi^' Short Course Students Mt. Pulaski, Illinois, Township High School (COURTESY L. F. FULWILER, Principal.) Urbana, Illinois January, 1914 N7o SHORT COURSES FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS CONTENTS Page 1. Agriculture 4 2. English.; 7 3. Hygiene and Good Health 9 4. History and Civics 10 5. Business Arithmetic 12 6. Household Science 14 SHORT COURSES FOR COLLEGES, NORMALS AND HIGH SCHOOLS FOREWORD Short courses in agriculture and household science have been successful in colleges and universities, and as fast as the idea grows that the high schools are to be the colleges of the masses of the people, the demand for short courses will arise in them. This is well. It is too true that our high schools seem to be laboring under the delusion that they must prepare their stu- dents for college, come what may. A few progressive schools, — and there will soon be many more, — are opening their doors to young men and women and to the adults of the community who have no prospects for a complete high school coursej much less a college course. In serving these persons the high schools, with no thought of entrance units, give to the students such courses of instruction as will fit them to live more successful and more sat- isfying lives in their own community. Some one has said that the one-room country school and the summer sessions of colleges and universities are the "open shops" while all other schools be- long to the "union." Short courses belong to the "open shop," — they are free for all, there are no entrance requirements and no final examinations for. higher schools. They serve the common people. The courses outlined in this circular have been supcessfully given in a few schools. In some instances it may seem desirable to have more than six weeks short course, but for a beginning a maximum of six weeks is advised. The numbers given for each topic within the week, represent roughly the subject-matter for each day of the week. The regular teachers of the school, to- gether with such local help as the leaders in the community can give, may carry on the short course without seriously interfering with the work of the regular school courses. ^^■P^V7 ^ 1 '*i\-^ H^- Iff ^^^101 Jt- JlUx.. /' iik_l_^ Class In Soil Fertility. Short Course, Mt. Pulaski Township HiqH School I. AGRICULTURE First Week Farm Crops — Principles of Improvement to Teach I. Selecting and breeding seed. Seed a factor determining successful agriculture. 1. What constitutes good seed. a. Trueness to type. b. Alive and healthy. c. Maximum size. d. Capable of vigorous germination. e. Clean and pure. 2. Time to select seed, factors entering into seed selec- tion. 3. Principles and methods of seed breeding — corn as a type. a. Breeding for desirable characteristics. b. Importance of pedigree in seed. II. Care of seed. 1. Seeds are living things. 2. Methods of seed storage. III. Tillage as a means of crop improvement. 1. Relation to soil fertility. 2. Improves soil physically. 3. Relation to water supply. 4. Relation to pests. IV. Drainage, values and methods of. V. Crop rotation. 1. In grain farming. 2. In live stock farming. Practical v^^ork : Judging and scoring corn. Second Week The Farm Orchard and Garden — Principles of Improvement to Teach I. Importance of home orchard and garden. 1. Source of food. 2. Source of profit. 3. Source of beauty. II. Planting fruit trees. 1. Selecting nursery stock. 2. Setting the young trees. 3. Pruning. 4. Cultivation. III. Caring for old orchards. 1. Renewing the soil. 2. Pruning the trees. 3. Spraying. 4. Grafting. IV. The farmer's wood lot. 1. Caring for the old. 2. Planting the new. V. The home vegetable garden. 1. Soil enrichment. 2. Seed and varieties. 3. Cultivation. Practical work : Exercises in pruning, grafting, etc. Third Week Farm Animals — Principles of Improvement to Teach I. Some advantages of pure-bred live stock over "scrubs." 1. Bring higher prices on the market. 2. Yield more and better products on same or less feed. 3. Require more skill in care and breeding; give greater pride and satisfaction to the farmer. 6 II. Methods of improving live stock. 1. Have ideals. 2. Pure-bred sires. 3. Selection of best for breeding— prolific females, etc. 4. Intelligent care and handling. III. Recognition and acquaintance vs^ith good types and breeds. 1. Judging live stock. 2. Pedigrees. IV. Feeding and care. 1. Feeding for a purpose. 2. Balanced rations. 3. Economy in proper feeding. 4. Sheltering and general care. Practical vi^ork: Comparative judging and placing of ani- mals in judging rings. Demands of community vs'ill determine the animals to use. Fourth Week The Illinois System of Soil Improvement I. The soil and elements of plant food. 1. Occurrence of elements. 2. Loss of plant food. 3. Good soil content — Illinois soils. II. Limestone — Source and use. 1. Ground limestone, application. 2. Corrects acidity. 3. Improves physical condition. 4. Adds calcium. 5. May liberate other plant food. III. Nitrogen — source and use. 1. A limiting element. 2. Commercial nitrogen too expensive. 3. Cheapest and best source, legumes. 4. Clover crop turned under. 5. Values of active organic matter. Fifth Week IV. Phosphorus— source and use. 1. A limiting element. 2. Fine ground rock phosphate best source. 3. Must be applied with active organic matter. 4. Amounts and time to apply. 5. Examples of profitable returns. V. Potassium — source and use. 1. Abundance in most soils. 2. How to liberate potassium. 3. Use in peaty soils. VI. Steps in permanent soil improvement. ' Practical Work in Soils. 1. Examination of sample of mineral plant food. 2. Testing soils for acidity with litmus paper. 3. Examination of nodules on roots of legumes. 4. Learning data from State Experiment Station. 5. Visiting fields of farmers to observe soils and to note methods of soil treatment. Sixth Week Special Farmers' Week Suggested For each day of this week take up for review the work of each of the preceding weeks. Bring out the main principles of plant and animal improvement. Text-books Recommended Elements of Agriculture — ^Warren. Manual of Practical Farming — McLennan. See list of available bulletins of the State Experiment Station. Use Extension Circular — "Studies in Soil Improvement," as supplement to text on soils. II. ENGLISH First Week 1. Begin class work in an appreciative reading and under- standing of selections from Irving's Sketch Book. Read Rip Van Winkle. 2. Principles and practices in correct letter writing. Em- phasize spelling, correct form, etc. 3. Read Legend of Sleepy Hollow. 4. Letter writing continued. 5. Read the story of the "Argument with the Millionaire" from Grayson's Adventures in Contentment. Second Week 1. Reading with appreciative understanding in class reci- tation selections from Longfellow. Read The Birds of Killings- worth, The Rainy Day, and the Children's Hour. 2. Composition work. Paragraphs on personal experiences, growing out of the writer's vocation. 3. Read from Whittier and Bryant. Read "The Song of Labor," "Ode to a Water Fowl," and others. 4. Composition continued. Each student should write two themes a week. 5. Read from Riley and Garleton. Selections from "Neigh- borly Poems" and "Farm Ballads." Third Week 1. Class reading and study of good essays. Read "Emerson's essay on Nature." 2. Composition. An opinion discussed. 3. Read good editorials from great daily newspapers or monthly magazines. 4. Composition. An article for the press on some agricul- tural or country life topic. 5. Read a few of Fitch's Vest Pocket Essays, as a type of humorous essays. Fourth Week 1. A study of historical documents. Read the Declaration of Independence. 2. Composition. An exposition on some current political question. 3. Read the Constitution of the United States. 4. Composition. An opinion on the President of the United States. 5. Read the Constitution of the State. Fifth Week 1. Read in class during the week one of Shakespeare's plays. Read Merchant of Venice. Read it for its splendid Eng- lish which runs on so smoothly that you are unconscious of its excellence. Read it for the plot, the major and minor stories. See the loyal friendship of Bassanio and Antonio, and the preju- dice against the Jews. Watch your sympathies as you follow. Shylock. 2. Composition. Selected subject. 3. Shakespeare continued. 4. Composition continued. 5. Shakespeare continued. Note : If Merchant of Venice is read in class, require the class to read Julius Caesar outside. Read this tragedy for the 'plot principally. Sixth Week 1. Oral reading by members of the class from favorite selec- tions studied during the course. 2. Students read before the class compositions reviewing their favorite selections studied during the course. 3. Read good brief articles from standard agricultural magazines, noting the English as well as the content. 4. Brief talks by students on assigned topics. 5. Lecture by the instructor on reading and speaking good English. In the English course require the students to read outside of class one of Shakespeare's plays, either Merchant of Venice or Julius Caesar; Dickens' Hard Times; David Grayson's Adven- tures in Happiness or Adventures in Contentment; and Carleton's One Way Out and Nev^^ Lives for Old. Note: Many of the standard English classics may be pro- cured in leaflet form from C. M. Parker, Taylorville, Blinois, at a penny each. An old time spelling school vs^ould be a good exercise to have during farmers' week. EL HYGIENE AND GOOD HEALTH First Week 1. Introductory talk by instructor on rural sanitation in general and the importance of conserving health. 2. Fresh aii' and ventilation. 3. Bacteria in relation to health. 4. Sunshine versus darkness in health. 5. Dust and cleanliness. Second Week 1. Rest and sleep, values, amounts, etc. 2. Care of the eyes. 3. Pure water and its use for health. 4. The health and care of the skin. 5. Alcohol and health. Third Week 1. Care of the teeth. 2. Use of drugs and medicines. 3. ^Vholesome food. Balanced rations. 4. Cooking and eating food. Purposes of food. 5. Is the farmer's food right? etc. 10 Fourth Week 1. Exercise for recreation and in work. 2. Exercise and fresh air. 3. Factors depleting muscular strength. 4. Work, heat and fuel of the body. 5. Clothing in relation to health. Fifth Week 1. Some preventable diseases, typhoid fever, tuberculosis, 2. Insects and human health. 3. Some studies in first aid to the injured. 4. Relation of mind to body. 5. Laws of health mandatory. Sixth Week (Special Farmers' Week) 1. Fresh air in schools, homes and churches. 2. Pure water supply for man and beast. 3. Pure food, its sources and preparation. 4. Patent medicines, drugs and alcohol. 5. Health a personal and national asset. Text-books Good Health and the Body and its Defenses, by Gulick. Send for State Board of Health Circular. Also for Circulars issued by the Chicago Board of Health. IV. HISTORY AND CIVICS First Week 1. Colonial history of the United States; discovery, explo- ration and colonization. 2. Making of the constitution of the United States ; its mak- ers and its compromises. 3. Depai'tments of government; legislative, executive, and judicial. 4. Territorial acquisition of the United States: Louisiana purchase, Florida purchase, Oregon country, Mexican cession, Alaska purchase, Spanish cession. 5. A study of biographies: Penn, Washington, Franklin, Jefferson, Jackson, Clay, Calhoun, Webster, Lincoln,' Douglas, Grant, Lee, Garfield, Cleveland, McKinley. 11 Second Week 1. Machinery of parties. Great parties before the Civil War : Federalist, Anti-federalist, Democratic-Republican, Demo- crat, National Republican, Whig, Republican. 2. The tariff question: Protection, tariff for revenue. 3. Money and banking: Continental paper money, United States bank, independent sub-treasury, metallic currency, green- backs, national banking system, double standard (gold and sil- ver), single standard (gold). 4. Systems of taxation : Direct, indirect. 5. International affairs : Treaty with France in 1778, treaty of 1783, Jay's treaty, second war with England, the Monroe doc- trine, the Northeast boundary dispute, Oregon question, war with Mexico, relation with England and France during the Civil War, war with Spain, the United States and universal peace, the pres- ent Mexican disturbances. Third Week 1. Early history of Illinois: French explorations, settle- ments, the English in the Illinois country, expedition of George Rogers Clark, territorial government. 2. Some leading men in Illinois history: Edwards. Cook, Coles, Duncan, McLean, Kane, Ford, John Reynolds, Hardin, Lin- coln, Douglas, Norman B. Judd, Grant, Logan, Palmer, Yates, Oglesby, Funk. 3. Some interesting facts of local history. 4. Organization for government in local and state affairs. 5. Some recent legislation affecting the commonwealth of Illii;ois. Fourth Week 1. Periods in the development of American agriculture. Factors contributing to expansion and progress. 2. The conservation movement; its origin, organization and purposes. 3. The country life movement. Progress in rural com- munication, agricultural education, farmers' organization, and general awakening in country life. 4. Agricultural education. Early movements, the land grant colleges, experiment stations, secondary and elementary school work in agriculture, farmers' institutes, etc. 12 5. Farmers' civic duties to community, state and nation, relating especially to the above country life movements. Fifth Week 1. Country life organizations — early efforts at organization, the Grange, farmers' clubs — the National Rural Service organi- zation. 2. Hoys' laws are made, the initiatiye and referendum, rep- resentative government, etc. 3. Powers and duties of suffrage. An educated citizenship the key to successful democracy. Woman suffrage. 4. Review of important topics, reports and written tests upon more practical phases of this study. Sixth Week (Special Farmers' Week) 1. Leading men in the great periods of United States his- tory, their work and influence. 2. The Constitution of the United States, its main provis- ions and organization. 3. The farmer's part in the nation's progress, as a producer and as a social force. 4. Great political issues of the day — statements of prob- lems and methods of solution. 5. Keeping up with the country's history. (Suggestions from Professor G. M. Thompson, University of Illinois). Note: Any available text-books on United States history may be used by the students in this course. References History of Illinois — Thompson. Rural Economics — Carver. World's Work Magazine. Current Events — Weekly. Daily Newspapers. Note : In the above course work in law for the farmer may be substituted for some topics, using Lyons' Commercial Law as a text. V. BUSINESS ARITHMETIC' First Week 1. Drill on abstract problems in rapid addition and multi- plication. 13 2. Drill on problems of long division and simple fractions. 3. Problems in farm measurements. (Nolan's Lessons in Agriculture, p. 20). 4. Measurements of bins, boxes, wagon loads of grain, etc. 5. Descriptions of land by township, range and section. Second Week 1. Elements of percentage. 2. Problems illustrating percentage in stands of corn, ger- mination tests, spray mixtures, etc. 3. Review of tables of denominate numbers. 4. Problems in lumber measurements. 5. Problems in orchard measurements. Third Week 1. Problems in animal husbandry. (Nolan's Lessons, p. 88,89). 2. Problems in animal feeding. (Nolan's Lessons, p. 98, 99) . 3. Problems in dairying. (Nolan's Lessons, p. 109). 4. Problems in costs and profits in poultry raising. 5. Review of principles of profit and loss. Illustrate with problems studied above. Fourth Week 1. Principles and methods in farm book-keeping, bills, notes, checks, receipts, etc. 2. Practice in cash accounts and personal accounts. (No- lan's Lessons, p. 119-121). 3. Keeping crop records of fields in rotation systems. (No- lan's Lessons, p. 123-125) . 4. Problems in assessments of farm values for taxation. 5. Drill in computing interest,, on notes, rents, etc. Fifth Week 1. Problems in handling soil. (Nolan's Lessons, p. 143). 2. Problems in fertilizers. (Nolan's Lessons, p. 149-157). 3. Problems in drainage. (Nolan's Lessons, p. 161). 4. Problems in cost of production of standard farm crops. 5. Review any points not clear. Sixth Week (Special Farmers' Week) 1. Drill problems in the four fundamental arithmetical processes. 14 2. Drill in writing notes, checks, contracts for leases, re- ceipts, and other business forms. 3. Computing interest, tax rates, etc. 4. Problems in land measurements. 5. Systems of farm accounts and records. Text-books One Hundred Lessons in Agriculture — Nolan. Practical Arithmetic — Steven & Butler. See current issues of the Atlantic Monthly. VI. HOUSEHOLD SCIENCE First Week 1. Value of Water. Preparation of tea, coffee, succulent fruits. 2. Value of salts' and bulk or roughage. Preparation of fruits, vegetables. 3. Effect of heat on starch. Preparation of starchy vege- tables, cereals, toast. 4. Effect of heat on protein. Preparation of eggs. 5. Preparation and service of a simple breakfast. Second Week 1. Poods rich in protein. Preparation of eggs, milk, cheese. 2. Value of protein. Selection and preparation of meats — tough and tender. 3. Effect of heat on fat. Use of left-over meatSi Frying. 4. Value of fat. Preparation of salad dressings and salads. 5. Preparation and service of a lunch or supper. Third Week 1. Starch and sugar as foods. Preparation of corn starch pudding, fondant. 2. Liquid and air as leavening agents. Preparation of pop- overs, sponge cake. 3. Soda and acid as a leavening agent. Preparation of muffins, biscuit, plain cake. 4. Yeast as a leavening agent. Preparation of bread, rolls. 5. Planning the food value, cost, and service of a dinner. Fourth Week 1. Planning, designing, and selection of material for a vs'aist or underwaist. 2. Drafting the pattern. 15 3. Gutting and fitting the waist. 4. Stitches, seams, plackets, bands, etc., applied on waist. 5. Finishing the waist. Fifth Week 1. Heating, lighting, and ventilation of the house. 2. Plumbing and water supply. 3. Furnishing and decoration of the house. 4. Care of the house. 5. Household management. Sixth Week (Special Farmers' Week) 1. The food problem. Selection, preparation, and use. 2. Selection, preparation, and use of vegetables and meats. 3. Textiles in the home. 4. Home sanitation and public health. 5. Bread judging. Texts Food : Government bulletins. Glothing: Household Textiles, or Some Points in Ghoosing Textiles, by Gibbs. House : Home Sanitation, by Talbot. Short Course Class in Sewing. Mt. Ptlaski Towship High School 16 References See Syllabus of Domestic Science and Domestic Art, Depart ment of Household Science, University of Illinois. (Prepared by Miss Helena M. Pincomb, University of Illi- nois) . SUGGESTIVE DAILY PROGRAM FOR SHORT COURSES 9-10 a. m. — Good Health Problems. 10-11 a. m. — History and Civics. 11-12 a. m. — Business Arithmetic. 1- 2 p. m. — English Literature and Composition. 2- 4 p. m. — Household Science and Agriculture. TEN GOOD REFERENCE BOOKS IN AGRICULTURE Nature-Study and Life — Hodges, Ginn & Go. Field Crops— Wilson & Warburton, Webb Pub. Go., St. Paul.| Beginnings in Animal Husbandry — Plumb, Webb Pub. Go. Soils and Soil Fertility— Whitson & Walster, Webb' Pub. Go.| Agricultural Engineering — Davidson, Webb Pub. Go. Principles of Fruit Growing — Bailey, Macmillan. Story of the Soil— Hopkins, Pub. by author. Manual of Gardening — Bailey, Macmillan. Checking the Waste — Gregory, Bobbs-Merrill Go., Indian- apolis. Report of Country Life Commission — Bailey, Sturgis & Wal- ton. GOOD AGRICULTURAL MAGAZINES The Country Gentleman — Curtis Publishing Go. The Rural Educator — Columbus, Ohio. Breeder's Gazette — Chicago, 111.