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New York 
 
 State College of Agriculture 
 
 At Cornell University 
 
 Ithaca, N. Y. 
 
 Library 
 
'^ 
 
 Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of this book is in 
 the Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924000364707 
 
Cornell University Library 
 S 534.N7C74 
 
 Agricultural education in New York state 
 
 3 1924 000 364 707 
 
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION IN NEW YORK STATE 
 BELOW THE UNIVERSITY GRADE 
 
 DEPARTliIENT OP RURAL ECONOIJ^Y 
 
 W. R. Cone 
 College of Agriculture 
 
 /"/■ 
 
Introduction 
 
 Of the various branches of vocational educa- 
 tion in which the youth of to-day is being instructed, 
 agricultural training, undoubtedly, is receiving the 
 greatest attention at the present time throughout the 
 United States, The Land Grant Act of 1862 and subse- 
 quent acts placed the study of agriculture as a colle- 
 giate subject upon a firm foundation throughout the 
 States of the Union, but it v/as not until within the 
 first decade of the 20th century that this branch of 
 education was introduced into the so-called secondary 
 schools and high schools of this country. Within the 
 past five years, many of the States have passed most 
 favorable laws and have made most liberal approria- 
 tlons for carrying on the study of agriculture, me- 
 chanic arts, and domestic science in schools below the 
 university rank. 
 
 The marked tendency everywhere in American ed- 
 ucation is to increase State aid therefor. Such help 
 is being given more and more, especially to encourage 
 and assist local communities to undertake such new and 
 more serviceable training of children as will better 
 fit them for useful and profitable employment in the 
 
 1 
 
2 
 
 induetriee, In agriculture, and in the houflehold, and 
 make them generally better citizens. 
 
 It is the purpose of this paper to give a 
 brief history of the development and the present sta- 
 tus of the courses in agriculture in the schools of 
 New York State below the rank of the State College of 
 Agriculture at Cornell Univeristy. The writer will 
 comment, favorably or unfavorably, on the various 
 phases of development, as they appeal to him, through- 
 out the article. 
 
 The schools considered will be secondary 
 schools of agriculture, union and high schools, normal 
 schools, and rural district schools. By the term sec- 
 ondary schools will be meant those schools in the State , 
 supported by State money, devoted exclusively to the 
 teaching of agriculture and domestic science. Union 
 schools and high schools will mean those schools which 
 are conducting courses in agriculture and domestic sci- 
 ence, or both, in connection with the regular academic 
 course, and which are receiving State aid toward main- 
 taining such courses. Rural district school will in- 
 clude all public schools below the union and high 
 school grade. 
 
state School of Agriculture at Canton 
 LawB of New York, 682: pp. 17-48, 1906 
 
 The first secondary school of agriculture to 
 be founded was at St. Lawrence University, located at 
 canton, New York, by an act of the Legislature enti- 
 tled, "An Act to establish a state school of agricul- 
 ture at St. Lawrence University," and making an appro- 
 priation therefor. This Act became a law I'ay 31, 1906, 
 and an appropriation of $8000 was made for the purpose 
 of constructing and equipping a suitable building for 
 a state school of agriculture upon the grounds of St. 
 Lawrence University at Canton, ?;ew York. The Act des- 
 ignated that such building should be known as the New 
 York State School of Agriculture at St. Lawrence Uni- 
 versity and that such building and equipment shall be 
 and remain the property of the State. The law further 
 provided that before any part of the fSOOO appropria- 
 tion should become available, the land upon which the 
 building was to stand together with a strip ten feet 
 around the building with a right of way to the same 
 should be conveyed to the people of the State by St. 
 Lawrence University. The University, hoivever, during 
 the pleasure of the state, has complete control over 
 the land thus conveyed and the buildings erected 
 thereon. 
 
4 
 Objects and Purposes of School 
 Such school shall have for its ohjects and pur- 
 
 poses 
 
 1. The instruction of pupils attending such 
 school, in agriculture and all allied subjects. 
 
 2. The giving of instruction throughout the 
 State by means of schools, lectures and other univer- 
 sity extension methods for the promotion of agricul- 
 tural knowledge. 
 
 3. The conducting of investigations and ex- 
 periments for the purpose of ascertaining the best 
 methods of fertilization of fields, gardens, and plan- 
 tations, and the best modes of tillage and farm man- 
 agement and improvement of live stock. 
 
 4. The printing of leaflets and the dissemi- 
 nation of agricultiu:al knowledge by means of lectures 
 and otherwise ; the printing and free distribution of 
 the results of such investigations and experiments, and 
 the publication of bulletins containing such informa- 
 tion as may be deemed desirable and profitable in pro- 
 moting the agricultural interests of the tJtate , such 
 work to be conducted as far as practicable in harmony 
 with the New York State college of Agriculture at 
 Cornell University. 
 
5 
 Powers and Dutiee of Boards of Trustees 
 The board of trustees of St. Lawrence Univer- 
 sity shall have the general care, supervision and con- 
 trol of such school and of all its affairs, and to 
 carry out its objects and pui'poses shall : 
 
 1. Employ, and at pleasure remove teachers, 
 experts, chemists and all necessary clerks and assis- 
 tants. 
 
 2. Adopt rules not inconsistant with laws con- 
 trolling the affairs of such schools. 
 
 3. Prescribe the course of instruction, the 
 methods of investigation and experiments to be follow- 
 ed in such school, and the degrees to be conferred on 
 graduation therefrom. 
 
 Through the courtesy of Director H. E. Cook the 
 
 following data was obtained regarding the Bt. Lawrence 
 
 School of Agriculture : 
 
 Length of school year 35 weeks 
 
 Number of year's work offered for a 
 complete course 2 years and 3 years 
 
 Length of short course 3 months 
 
 Niimber of students enrolled in the 
 school during the present school year 
 (1913-1914) who are registered for 
 the complete course Boys 79 Girls 43 
 
 Number of students enrolled in the 
 domestic science course Girls 43 
 
number of studentB enrolled in the 
 short couree in agriculture Boys 14 
 
 Number of students coming from 
 cities and the larger towns iioys 40 airls 40 
 
 number of instructors employed 
 in the school 16 
 
 Present yearly appropriation for main- 
 taining the school $35,000 
 
 State School of Agriculture at Alfred 
 Laws of Uew York, 200: p. 516, 1908 
 
 The act to establish a state school of agricul- 
 ture at Alfred, New York, was passed May 6, 1908. A 
 sum of $75,000 was appropriated at the time for the 
 purpose of purchasing suitable lands at Alfred, Bew 
 York, and erecting thereon necessary buildings, and 
 providing appurtenances, and for the purchase of farm 
 implements, livestock, and all other equipment and 
 supplies necessary for said school of agriculture. 
 
 Alfred University was authorized and empowered 
 to purchase lands to the amount of not more than 300 
 acres, construct the buildings, and let contracts sub- 
 ject to the approval of the Commissioner of Agricul- 
 ture. The buildings of said school of agriculture 
 were to include the principal building, in which are 
 located laboratories, lecture and demonstration rooms, 
 
7 
 furnished with neceosary apparatus ; a harn, dairy 
 house, and such other conBtructions and appurtenances 
 as were necesnary. 
 
 The object of the school of agriculture at 
 Alfred is similar to the school at St, Lawrence, and 
 the administration of the running affairs of the 
 school is in the hands of the trustees and faculty of 
 Alfred University. The administration and management 
 of the school are in the hands of a hoard of managers 
 approved annually by the trustees of Alfred University. 
 The state corjjmissioner of agriculture, the director of 
 the State College of Agriculture at Cornell University, 
 and a person to be annually appointed or elected by the 
 state grange are members ex-officio of this board of 
 managers. The University is required to make a detail- 
 ed report to the commissioner of agriculture annually 
 on the first day of December, of the expenditures and 
 general operations carried on upon the farm during the 
 preceding year. 
 
 The following data relating to work done in the 
 
 School of Agriculture at Alfred was obtained through 
 
 the kindness of Assistant Director C. A. Du Bois : 
 
 Length of school year 36 weeks 
 
 Number of year's work offered for a 
 complete course 2 years 
 
 Length of short course 4 weeks 
 
8 
 
 Number of students enrolled in the 
 school during the present school year 
 (1913-1914) who are registered for 
 the complete course Boys 113 Girls 34 
 
 Number of students enrolled in the 
 domestic science course Girls 32 
 
 Niimber of students enrolled in the 
 short course in agriculture Boys 26 
 
 Number of students coming from the 
 cities and the larger towns Boys 29 Girls 5 
 
 Number of instructors employed 
 in the school 21 
 
 Present yearly appropriation for 
 maintaining the school $35,000 
 
 State School of Agriculture at Morrisville 
 Laws of New York, 201: p. 519, 1908 
 
 The act to establish a state school of agricul- 
 ture at Morrisville was signed by the Governor, May 6, 
 1908. The act not only made an appropriation therefor, 
 but authorized and empowered the Board of Supervisors 
 of Madison County to convey to the people of the fHate 
 of New York the buildings and lands at Morrisville 
 heretofore used and occupied for county seat purposes. 
 
 The object and purposes of the school are sim- 
 ilar to the agricultural schools at St. Lawrence and 
 Alfred. 
 
 The care, management and control of said school. 
 
9 
 property and premises are exercised by a board of seven 
 trustees. The state commissioner of agriculture and 
 the director of the New York State College of Agricul- 
 ture are. ex-officio, members of the board of trustees. 
 The other five trustees are appointed by the Governor 
 by and with the consent of the Senate. At least two of 
 such trustees must be residents of Madison County. One 
 shall be a person recommended by the state grange. Each 
 trustee serves for a term of four years without compen- 
 sation. 
 
 An appropriation of |20,000 was included in the 
 original act for the purpose of altering, equipping and 
 maintaining the buildings located at I'orrisville, J[ew 
 York, known as the courthouse, county clerk's office, 
 sheriff's residence, and jail ; also for the erection 
 of any new buildings and purchase of any land that 
 might be necessary for the purpose of said school of ag- 
 riculture. As previously stated, the Jioard of Supervi- 
 sors of Madison County were authorized and empowered to 
 convey, without consideration, to the people of the 
 State the land and premises located at Morrisville upon 
 which the county buildings were located. 
 
 The writer is indebted to Director H. G. Kelyar 
 for the following data regarding the work in the Morris- 
 ville School of Agriculture : 
 
10 
 
 Length of school year 36 weeics 
 
 Number of year's woi-k offered for a 
 complete course 2 years 
 
 Length of short course 5 weeks 
 
 Number of students enrolled in the 
 school during the present school year 
 (1913-1914) who are registered for 
 the complete course Boys 87 Girls 14 
 
 number of students enrolled in the 
 domestic science courses 
 
 Complete course Girls 14 
 Short course " 32 
 
 Number of students enrolled in the 
 short course in agriculture Boys 24 
 
 Number of students coming from the 
 cities and the larger towns Boys 14 Girls 3 
 
 Number of instructors employed 
 in the school 11 
 
 Present yearly appropriation for 
 maintaining the school ^36,030 
 
 State School of Agriculture at Cobleskill 
 Laws of New York, 852, p. 2385, 1911 
 
 An act, duly passed by the Legislature, to es- 
 tablish a state school of agriculture at Cobleskill, 
 Schoharie County, was approved by the Governor July 28, 
 1911. The corporate name of the school if the Schoharie 
 State School of Agriculture. An appropriation of 
 1,000 was included in the Act for the purpose of 
 
11 
 
 purchasing a site, erecting iDuildingB and equipping 
 the sarfle. 
 
 State School of Agriculture and 
 Domeetic Science at Delhi 
 
 Laws of New York, 675: p. 1770, 1913 
 
 The Governor approved an Act of the Legislature 
 on May 24, 1913, to estahlish a state school of agri- 
 culture and domestic science at Delhi, Delav/are County. 
 The name designated to the school was the State School 
 of Agriculture and Domestic Science at Delhi. The Act 
 also carried with it an appropriation of f 50, 000 for 
 the purchase of land at Delhi, erecting all necessary 
 buildings and supplying all necessary appurtances and 
 apparatus . 
 
 The object, management and control of the last 
 tv/o schools are the same as those for the Morrisville 
 School of Agriculture and will not be repeated here. 
 Up to the present time (1914) nothing has been done in 
 the way of purchase of land, erecting buildings, or 
 otherwise carrying out the provisions of the Acts to 
 establish the last two mentioned schools of agriculture, 
 
 I am informed from a reliable source that the 
 feasibility of the establishment of these two schools 
 
12 
 is being seriously considered by the authorities at 
 Albany and there is a possibility of the annulment of 
 the two Acts. Inasrauch as the establishment of these 
 two schools provides for three state schools of agri- 
 culture of a similar character within a radius of less 
 than one hundred miles, it does not seem to me that 
 the State is justified in going to the expense of equip- 
 ping and maintaining three separate schoolB for this 
 particular part of the State. Furthermore, it is neces- 
 sary for each of the secondary agricultural schools to 
 have a radius of from 100 to 200 miles from which to 
 draw their students. 
 
 YOU will note from the data on the Morrisville 
 School that the nximber of students in this school from 
 this entire section of the State is 157. Under these 
 conditions, I fail to see how two other agricultural 
 schools would be able to secure students enough to 
 maintain proper courses of instruction. It is time lor 
 the people of l^ew xork »tate to rise up in righteous 
 indignation over such acts of political favoritism 
 among our Legislators at Albany. 
 
 State School of Agriculture on Long Island 
 Laws of New York, 319: p. 637, 1912 
 
 A state school of agriculture was established 
 
13 
 on Long Island by the signature of the Governor April 
 15, 1912. The "bill alBO provided for an appropriation 
 of |50,000 for carrying out the provinions of the Act. 
 
 Thru the kindness of Mr. Ezra A. Tuttle of 
 Eastport, Long Island, I have been able to obtain the 
 following information regarding the present status of 
 the school : 
 
 The school will be located at Farmingdale , Long 
 Island. It has about 300 acres of land, and is planned 
 to be a practical, all-the-year-round school to make 
 practical farmers and home makers. The girls will have 
 cottages where they will live and k6ep house and make 
 vegetable and flower gardens. Each cottage will be the 
 home of eight girls. The boys will run the farm. 
 
 As yet (I'ebruary 11, 1914) there has been little 
 done except the purchase of the land and drawing up the 
 general plans for the buildings. It is hoped by those 
 in charge that the school rnay be opened in a small way 
 in September, 1914. The courses will include both long 
 and short course in general agriculture and domestic 
 ncience. Four years' work will be required for the 
 complete courses. The general control and management 
 of the school will be similar to the schools already 
 mentioned. Professor A. A, Johnson of Famingdale . 
 Long Island, has been appointed director of the new 
 school. 
 
14 
 
 A Buimnary of the data from the St. Lawrence, 
 
 Alfred and Morrisville Schools of Agriculture shows 
 
 the following interesting facts : 
 
 Total number of students registered 
 in the three schools (1913-1914) 
 for the complete course Boys 279 Girls 91 
 
 Total number of students registered 
 in the domestic science courses Girls 86 
 
 Total number of students registered 
 in the short courses in general 
 agriculture Boys 64 
 
 Total number of students coming 
 from cities and larger towns Boys 83 Girls 48 
 
 Percentage from cities and large 
 towns Boys 24 Girls 30 
 
 Number of instructors employed 48 
 
 Annual state appropriations for 
 maintaining these schools ^106,030 
 
 Considering the total number of students at- 
 tending these schools and the total annual appropria- 
 tions, the average cost for instruction per year per 
 student would be $212.91. Inasmuch as considerable 
 extension work is done in the community by each of 
 these schools this amount is probably too high for 
 each student. IVTevertheless it would seem as though 
 the total number of students receiving instruction in 
 agriculture and domestic science in these schools does 
 not warrant such a large expenditure of money by the 
 State. If this same amount were distributed more 
 
^rd :>.. 
 
15 
 evenly over the State, in maintaining efficient courses 
 in agriculture and domestic science in the high schools 
 of the State, I believe a far greater number of young 
 people would be given instruction along these lines and 
 equally as valuable service rendered to the farming in- 
 terests of the State. 
 
 Agriculture in the Cortland State normal School 
 
 Courses for training teachers of agriculture 
 were introduced in the Cortland State llormal School in 
 the fall of 1911. Up to this date (1914), this is the 
 only normal School in the State conducting a course in 
 agriculture. These courses were organized with the 
 idea of offering the students an opportunity to observe 
 and participate in commiinity cooperative work. The 
 work is in charge of two instructors, one of whom is 
 employed during the summer to keep in touch with the 
 community work. Cooperative fertilizer, seed and ro- 
 tation tests have been and are being carried on with 
 farmers in the vicinity of Cortland. In these teats 
 the students assist in carrying out the work and keep 
 in close touch with the results. Orchard management, 
 drainage, lime requirements and farm accounting are 
 other lines of work in which the School is cooperating 
 
.'•^■{fn 
 
16 
 with the farmers of the community. In return for the 
 assistance rendered by the School, the farmers offer 
 their fields of standing grain, pastures and meadows 
 for the work of the farm crops classes, and their sta- 
 bles and herds for cattle judging and dairying. Many 
 of the successful farmers of the community are invited 
 to give talks to the classes in agriculture along their 
 particular line of farming. 
 
 The object of the course is to train teachers 
 in agriculture, not only to be capable of giving agri- 
 cultural instruction in the classroom, but, also, to 
 carry on cooperative experiments and demonstrations 
 with the farmers in the community in which they may be 
 serving as agricultural teacher. 
 
 The following extracts from a letter received 
 from Mr. A. K. Getman will further explain the work 
 done in agriculture in the Cortland TTormal School : 
 
 "We are offering two courses, (l) a one-year 
 course open only to those students who have a training 
 class certificate and have successfully taught at least 
 one year ; 12; a two-year course open only to young 
 men of high school graduation and of sufficient farm ex- 
 perience to meet our entrance requirements. Our stu- 
 dents range in age from 21 to 20. 
 
 We are now registering 17 students. 
 
 We are now teaching soils, farm crops, botany, 
 
.f".,.i 
 
 xcinv '■''.'"• • -a'- 
 
 
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 ?-* --* rs f^y*« ' 
 
17 
 horticulture, chemiatry, agricultural chemiatry, animal 
 husbandry, poultry, dairying, farm management, ento- 
 mology, plant pathology and bacteriology, and advanced 
 science methods. 
 
 As many of the laboratories as possible are 
 conducted in the field. It has been our experience 
 that field work is much more satisfactory where mate- 
 rial is available. I have been employed by the school 
 for the past two seasons to conduct extension work in 
 the community. This work has been along the line of 
 starting alfalfa, carrying on fertilizer and lime ex- 
 periments, orchard demonstrations, and a complete farm 
 management survey of the township of Homer." 
 
 Agriculture in the High School 
 
 Perhaps the form of agricultural education that 
 is receiving the greatest attention in this State to- 
 day is the establishing of courses in agriculture and 
 domestic science in the high schools of the State, 
 These courses are under the direct supervision of the 
 Vocational Division of the Education Department at 
 Albany. These courses are maintained on the same basis 
 as the regular non- technical high school course and 
 State aid is received by schools conducting such course 
 
18 
 in the same manner an for other public school education. 
 
 Conditions for Sharing in Allot2nents of 
 State Money for Vocational Instruction 
 
 Education Law of New York State, 
 Sections 604 and 605 
 
 The conditions for sharing in the allotment of 
 Btate aid for vocational instruction are stated in full 
 below : 
 
 1. The Commiflsioner of Education in the annual 
 apportionment of the State school moneys shall appor- 
 tion therefrom to each city and union free school dis- 
 trict for each general industrial school, trade school, 
 part-time or continuation school or evening vocational 
 school, maintained therein for thirty-six weeks during 
 the school year and employing one teacher whose work is 
 devoted exclusively to such school, and having an enrol- 
 ment of at least fifteen pupils and maintaining an or- 
 ganization and a course of study, and conducted in a 
 manner approved by him, a sum equal to two-thirds of 
 the salary paid to such teacher, but not exceeding one 
 thousand dollars. 
 
 2. Me shall also apportion in like manner to 
 each city, union free school district or common school 
 district for each school of agriculture, mechanic arts 
 
19 
 and homeraalcing, maintained therein for thirty-six weeka 
 during the school year, and employing one teacher whose 
 work is devoted exclusively to such school, and having 
 an enrolment of at least fifteen pupils and maintaining 
 an organization and course of study and conducted in a 
 manner approved by him, a sum equal to two- thirds of the 
 salary paid to such teacher. Such teacher may be em- 
 ployed for the entire year, and during the time that the 
 said school is not open shall he engaged in performing 
 such educational services as may he required by the 
 board of education or trustees, under regulations adopt- 
 ed by the Commissioner of Education. Where a contract 
 is made with a teacher for the entire year and such 
 teacher is employed for such period, as herein provided, 
 the Coriimissioner of Education shall make an additional 
 apportionment to such city or district of the sum of two 
 hundred dollars. But the total amount apportioned in 
 each year on account of such teacher shall not exc&ed 
 one thousand dollars. 
 
 3. The Commissioner of Education shall also 
 
 AG - -■ ECO'-,, 
 
 make an additional apportionment to each city and union 
 free school district for each additional teacher em- 
 ployed exclusively in the schools mentioned in the pre- 
 ceding subdivisions of this section for thrity-six 
 weeks during the school year, a sum equal to one- third 
 of the salary, paid to each such additional teacher, but 
 
20 
 not exceeding one thousand dollars for each teacher. 
 
 4. The Commissioner of Education, in his dis- 
 cretion, may apportion to a district or city manitain- 
 ing such schools or employing such teoxhers for a 
 shorter time than thirty-six weeks, or for a less time 
 than a regular school day, an amount pro rata to the 
 time such schools are maintained or such teachers are 
 employed. This section shall not be construed to en- 
 title manual training high schools or other secondary 
 schoolH maintaining manual training departments, to an 
 apportionment of funds herein provided for. 
 
 Any person employed as teacher as provided here- 
 in may serve as principal of the school in which the 
 said industrial or trade school or course, or school or 
 course of agriculture, mechanic arts and homemaking, is 
 maintained. 
 
 Application of such moneys.- All moneys appor- 
 tioned by the Commissioner of Education for schools 
 under this article shall be used exclusively for the 
 payment of the salaries of teachers employed in such 
 schools in the city or district to vrtiich such moneys 
 are apportioned. 
 
 Approval by the Commissioner of Education 
 It should be observed that among conditions for 
 sharing in the appropriation for vocationa^l schools, it 
 
21 
 la required that they shall maintain an organization 
 and a course of study, and be conducted in a manner 
 approved by the Commissioner of Education. 
 
 The law specifically designates five kinds of 
 vacational schools : general industrial schools ; 
 trade schools ; schools of agriculture ; and evening 
 schools. 
 
 Types of f'chools of Agriculture, liechanic 
 Arts and Hornemeicing 
 
 Division of Vocational Schools, 
 Bui. 545, pp. 6-7 
 
 Two general types of agricultural schools are 
 recognized by the Department. 
 
 1, Intermediate schools of agriculture, me- 
 chanic arts and homerjiaking.- These are small schools 
 of distinctly rural type offering four years of voca- 
 tional work based upon six years of elementary school 
 work, ThiR type of school is not to be maintained in 
 connection v/ith any other secondary school course or 
 department. These schools are planned for districts 
 which do not at present maintain an academic depart- 
 ment. Districts now maintaining an academic depart- 
 ment of junior or middle grade may reorganize and es- 
 tablish an intermediate school. The course is so 
 
22 
 organized that pupils who are graduated from the inter- 
 mediate school may prepare for agricultural courses in 
 college by two years of additional v/ork in an approved 
 high school. 
 
 In addition to the elementary teaching staff 
 there should he three vocational teachers : (l) a prin- 
 cipal qualified to teach agriculture ; (2) a woman 
 qualified to teach homemaking subjects ; (3) a teacher 
 qualified to teach the English, history, etc. Each of 
 these teachers should hold a special vocational certif- 
 icate for the particular work in which he or she is 
 engaged. 
 
 2. High school of agriculture, mechanic arts 
 and homemaking.- These are vocational departments of 
 high schools located in villages and rural communities. 
 Pupils in these departments recite English, history, 
 etc. in common with pupils in other departments of the 
 school. It iB therefore assumed that the principa,l of 
 the school is also principal of the school of agricul- 
 ture, mechanic arts and homemaking. Official communi- 
 cation should come from and be directed to him. 
 
 In case a qualified teacher of agriculture is 
 serving as principal, he may be considered as the first 
 teacher of agriculture under the following conditions, 
 namely, that (a) all his teaching is of vocational sub- 
 jects ; (b) he teaches at least fifteen hours each 
 
23 
 week, each doubel laboratory period counting aa one 
 hour ; (c) and asnietant is provided. 
 
 Cities and large villages may, under the law, 
 establish and maintain schools or departments of agri- 
 culture but should be careful to keep the work strictly 
 vocational. 
 
 Central Rural High Schools 
 
 A bill to establish central rural schools was 
 approved by the Governor Inarch 18, 1914. By the terms 
 of this bill the CoramiBsioner of Jffiducation is author- 
 ized and empowered to lay out in this State in an ter- 
 ritory exclusive of a city school, districts conven- 
 iently located for the attendance of scholars and of 
 suitable size for the establishment of central schools 
 to give instruction usually given in the conjmon Dchools 
 and in high schools, including instruction in agricul- 
 ture. 
 
 .Iny central district thus established shall 
 have the same pov/ers and be subject to the same limita- 
 tions that are now conferred or imposed by law upon 
 union free school districts. 
 
 Whenever any such district shall comply with 
 the requirements of section six hundred and four of the 
 
24 
 Education Law in relation to the establishment of gen- 
 eral schools of agriculture and horaeraaking , the Com- 
 miBflioner of Education shall make the same annual ap- 
 propriation of state school money to such central school 
 as is now required to be made by law to a high school or 
 union free school district complying therewith. Any 
 such central district shall also receive all other al- 
 lowances of public moneys apportioned by the Htate v;hich 
 it would be entitled to receive if it were a union free 
 school district. 
 
 The Commissioner of Education shall have power 
 in any such central district to require the payment by 
 the district of such expense of transportation of school 
 children to and from the school as in his judgment jus- 
 tice requires, and the same shall be a charge upon the 
 district. 
 
 Courses of Study in ii^riculture and 
 Domestic Science in High Schools 
 
 There are no prescribed courser? of study in 
 agriculture and homemaking, but, in general, it is left 
 to each parti cul-r school to formulate such courses as 
 will best meet the needs of the respective community, 
 However, each course of study, so formulated, must be 
 
25 
 
 approved by the Educational Department. The Department 
 requires that there muBt be provision of two weekly 
 laboratory exerciseB of ninety minutes each in each 
 class taught by the agricultural teacher. 
 
 Home Project Work in Agriculture 
 
 One of the new features of agricultural in- 
 struction that is being carried out in high schools at 
 the present time is knovm as the Home Project ^ork. 
 
 This work is essentially as follows : 
 
 Each boy, with the advice of the teacher and 
 the father, selects a problem or problems to be v;orked 
 out by him at home under the direction of the teacher 
 of agriculture and with the cooperation of the father. 
 In order to make this work effective, it is made an 
 integral part of the formal and organized instruction 
 carried on in the nchool. Each year's work in agri- 
 culture is to have as its conclusion a number of indiv- 
 ual or group projects which have grown out of the 
 classroom instruction and previous experience of the 
 pupils. No credit is to be given for any subject in 
 agriculture until a satisfactory project for that year 
 has been carried out by the pupil seeking such credit. 
 
 The project study records include : 
 
26 
 
 1. Notes on all reference reading v;ith the ref- 
 
 erence included. 
 
 2. All plans, drawings, etc. 
 
 3. Reaults of laboratory exijorimenta perforins d 
 
 in relation to the project. 
 
 4. Accurate accounts of all expenditures and 
 
 receipts. 
 In order to carry out the provisions of the 
 home project work it is neceoeary that the teacher of 
 agriculture supervise the work during the summer months 
 and all union and high nchools conducting agricultural 
 courses are now employing Ruch teachers for the entire 
 year. 
 
 During the school year of 1912-1913 there were 
 twenty-seven high schools in the State conducting 
 courses of agriculture for which they received State 
 aid. ±5esides these, there were seventeen other high 
 schools teaching agriculture to some extent without ex- 
 pecting special State aid. 
 
 The number of pupils receiving instruction in 
 agriculture and homemaking in these schools are as 
 follows : 
 
27 
 iioys enrolled in regular coursee 490 
 
 ijirle H II I. « 246 
 
 JTumber enrolling after farm fall work 
 wan done 209 
 
 Pupila in 7th and 8th grade agriculture 260 
 
 Day pupils using equipment "but not en- 
 rolled in the vocational course 499 
 
 Total number of pupils receiving some 
 inatruction in agriculture or home- 
 making in nchool conducting regular 
 courses 1704 
 
 Total number receiving some agricul- 
 tural training in other high schools 268 
 
 Total number of pupils instructed 1972 
 
 Agriculture in the Rural District Bchool 
 
 It is quite impossible to give a very definite 
 idea of the extent of agricultural instruction in the 
 rural schools of the State at the present time inasmuch 
 as the teaching of this course is optional with the 
 district, or more frequently with the teacher. The 
 Education Department at Albany outlines courses of 
 Mature Study, Agriculture and homeraaking in the syllabus 
 for elementary schools, and makes general suggestions 
 for conducting such course, but leaves the detailed 
 carrying out of the work to the particular community. 
 
 The v;ork in agriculture in the public schools 
 
28 
 began in the early part of the present century. with 
 Nature Study work, brought about largely through the 
 influence of the Nature Study Leaflets issued by 
 Cornell University. While Nature atudy still forms 
 the basis of the work, yet at the present time the aim 
 is more and more to connect the Nature Study work with 
 practical agriculture. 
 
 Three key words may be used to outline the 
 course of study :- Recognition, Adaptation, Utilization. 
 In grades from one to three, the pupil learns to recog- 
 nize natural objects, to study general characters, and 
 to cultivate the power of observation ; grades four to 
 six - the interrelation of parts and how they are a- 
 dapted to the life purpose of the plant and animal ; 
 grades seven and eight - how objects may be utilized as 
 economic factors in relation to man. 
 
 The course as outlined by the Education Depart- 
 ment of the State includes the study of birds, animals, 
 plants, inf3ects, and trees. It makes use of the school 
 garden for the lower grades and may be extended to the 
 working out of larger problems on the home farm by 
 pupils of the seventh and eighth grades. 
 
 The study of agriculture in the rural schools 
 is largely stimulated through the efforts of the de- 
 partment of Rural Education at Cornell University. It 
 is through this Department that most of the material 
 
29 
 is olDtained for conducting the courses along both 
 practical and scientific lines. This Department be- 
 gan to supply leaflets to teachers and pupils in 1911 
 and have gradually extended its influence until the 
 past year they have reached 92,000 teachers in the 
 State and about 168,000 children. One leaflet a year 
 is compiled for the use of the teacher and three times 
 a year leaflets are published for the children. These 
 are sent out through the recommendation of the District 
 School Superintendents, or any teacher or child may re- 
 ceive these leaflets on application to the Department 
 at Cornell, 
 
 The success of agricultural work done in the 
 rural schools of the State is to a large extent due to 
 the active work done by District Superintendents in 
 stimulating an interest in this subject in their re- 
 spective districts. That the work has been and is 
 being carried on successfully in some districts, is 
 manifested by the school exhibits at local fairs, and 
 the excellent exhibits that are shown each year during 
 Farmers' Week at Cornell University. 
 
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