The Indiana State Board of Education EDUCATIONAL BULLETIN Educational Bulletiu No. 20 Indiana Survey Series No. 5 REPORT OF THE JEFFERSON COUNTY SURVEY FOR VOCATIONAL EDUCATION Application for entry as second-class matter at tho post office at Indianapoii- INDIANAPOx. JANUARY 1, 1917 Pass L^ I 4(22 Book - X 4- A 5 i«/ The Indiana State Board of Education ii EDUCATIONAL BULLETIN Educational Bulletin No. 20 Survey Series No. 5 REPORT OF THE JEFFERSON COUNTY SURVEY FOR VOCATIONAL EDUCATION Application for entry as second-class matter at the post office at Indianapolis pending INDIANAPOLIS January 1, 1917 ■/Is- Approved by State Board of Education p. Of P. MAR 6 1917 FORT WAYNE PRINTING COMPANY CONTRACTORS FOR STATE PRINTING AND BINDING 1917 DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION Vocational Division Charles A. Greathottse Superintendent of Public Instruction \\ . F. Book In Charge of Vocational Work Z. M. Smith Special Agent for Agricultural Education Adelaide Steele Baylor Special Agent to Supervise Domestic Science Education ( Iharles 11. \Vl\Sl.nn Special Agent for Vocational Research (iii) TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Foreword I. Introduction 1 II. Summary of Findings 5 1. Present agricultural conditions in Jefferson County 5 (1) Geography 5 (2) Farm assets 6 (3) Crop activities for the year 1914 7 (4) Animal industry 7 (5) Miscellaneous products 7 (6) Total agricultural business 8 (7) Average yield of crops for two five-year periods 8 (8) Present status of agricultural efficiency 8 2. Population and people of Jefferson County 9 3. Agriculture for rural betterment 10 4. Present work of public schools 10 (1) Qualifications of rural teachers 10 (2) Length of school term 11 (3) Consolidation of rural schools 11 III. Conclusions and recommendations of the Stale Survey Committee. .. 13 1. Dominant occupations and vocational needs of Jefferson ( 'ounty 13 (1) Dominant occupations 1,5 (2) Present defects of agricultural situation 14 (3) Need for vocational training 17 2. Specific suggestions for rural betterment work 17 ( 1 ) County industrial society 17 (2) Co-operation of all agencies devoted to social improvement and rural betterment work 18 (3 ) Formulation and development of a county agricultural pro- gram 19 (4) Need for developing and encouraging a definite manufac- turing program for the county 19 (5) Highway improvement 20 (6) Employment of a county agent of agriculture 21 (7) Recreation and productive efficiency 21 3. Recommendations for organizing and developing vocational and prevocational work in the schools of Jefferson Count y 22 (1) The problem of providing efficient vocational instruction in Jefferson County 22 (2) School consolidation 22 (3) Construction of new buildings 24 (v) VI PAGE (4) Qualification of teachers in rural and consolidated schools . . 24 (5) Prevocational work.. - 24 (6) Building up community life and interest 25 (7) Vocational high schools 25 (8) Short term day and evening vocational courses 27 (9) State aid for vocational education 29 IV. Complete data and findings obtained in Survey . 31 1. Present agricultural activities and conditions. 31 (1) Classification and extent of land in Jefferson County. ....... 31 (2) Farm assets 32 (3) Agricultual efficiency in Jefferson County! : 3 (a) Total acreage, yield and value of agricultural products in 1914 35 (b) Report of Farm Management Demonstration Survey 43 (4) Soil survey of Jefferson County 50 (5) Distribution and adaptability of the several varieties of land in Jefferson County 54 (6) Decrease in population ...,.....'.. GO (7) Jefferson County mortgage burden 67 (8) Sociological conditions 07 2. Agencies for rural betterment ........; 08 (1) The Jefferson County Grange 08 (2) Present conditions and work of the public schools of the county 71 (a) Attendance, withdrawals and length of school term. . . 71 (b) Qualifications and efficiency of rural teachers in Jefferson County 75 (c) Amount and kind of instruction in elementary agri- culture and domestic science given in the rural schools of the county 78 (d) Amount and kind of home project work done in agri- culture and domestic science. . . SO (e) Consolidation of rural schools in Jefferson County ... 80 (3) Present tax rate and distribution of local and state tax funds 81 (4) Definition of vocational education and statement of prin- ciples : 82 Appendix General analyses of the agricultural occupations of the county to de- termine the desirable requirements for efficient work 85 THE JEFFERSON COUNTY VOCATIONAL SURVEY FOREWORD In February, 1913, the Indiana State Legislature passed a Vocational Education Law designed to stimulate vocational education by granting state aid to all communities which would organize and conduct vocational depart- ments and schools approved by the State Board of Education. This law, prepared by the Special Commission on Industrial Education appointed by the Legislature two years previously to study Indiana's need for vocational training, was recommended by leading citizens, labor leaders and prominent school and business men throughout the state and provides for three distinct, types of work, as follows: (1) The organization of state-aided vocational departments and schools designed to train for all trades, crafts and Avage-earning pursuits in the field of industry, for all occupations and wage-earning pursuits on the farm and for "all occupations connected with the household." (2) The law requires all schools in the state to give instruction in elementary agriculture, "domest ie science" and industrial arts as a part of their regular course of instruction (See Section V). (3) Provisions are also made for appointing a County Agent of Agriculture for any eountj' in the state willing to meet the state half way in paying the salary of such agent, who is to devote his major time to giving special instruction and help to the farmers of his county. (See Section 12.) The law further provides that such investigations may be made by the Stale Board of Education and its special agents, as, in their judgment, are needed to put vocational education in the state ona scientific and business-like basis. ( See Section 6.) A Deputy State Superintendent in charge of vocational work and a Special Agent to Supervise Agricultural Education were appointed by the State Board of Education the following May, and as the sections of the law providing for state-aided vocational schools did not go into effect until September of the following year, the first year was devoted to a study of the problems involved in the organization and conduct of the special vocational schools to be established, to organizing the trade extension work for farmers, and to developing the instruction in industrial arts, agriculture and domestic science, which the law prescribed should be taught in all the schools of the state as a part of their regular course of instruction. During this first year vocational schools in all parts of the country were visited and the experiments made in vocational education in different cities and states carefully studied. One conviction which the study of these experi- ments left in our minds Avas the fact that in most of the cities and states visited they Avere not in reality stressing the occupations in which the majority of their people were engaged. It also became apparent that all the vocational schools visited were more or less handicapped by the fact that no careful (vii> viii Foreword and complete study of present day industries had been made to determine just what occupations should be prepared for and what sort of training was required to fit in an efficient way for the work that was to be done. We also became aware of the fact that tne Indiana situation presented some problems that were distinctly unique and new. It became apparent that a careful and systematic study of Indiana's specific needs for vocational training would have to be made and the more important industries of the state analyzed, before the problem of providing vocational training for the people of the state could be effectively and economically solved. As a result steps were imme- diately taken and plans formulated for making such vocational surveys. In February, 1914, W. L. Bryan, President of Indiana University, an- nounced to Superintendent Chas. A. Greathouse and W. F. Book, State Director of Vocational Education, that Indiana University desired to co- operate with the state in the development of the vocational work by providing free of charge to the Vocational Department, for at least one year, the services of an expert in industrial education, Avhom he desired should work on such problems or tasks as the State Board of Education might direct. In Septem- ber, 1914, R. J. Leonard came to Indiana University as Professor of Voca- tional Education and, in conformity with President Bryan's plan, was loaned to the state for the year. During this year Professor Leonard, working in co- operation with the Vocational Department, made a study of the people of Indiana and their occupations, collecting and organizing all facts which might indicate where the emphasis in developing vocational education in the state should be laid. This study was published by Indiana University in February, 1915, and constitutes the first Indiana study for purposes of vocational education made. In December, 1914, the State Director of Vocational Education made ar- rangements with the Superintendent and Board of Education at Hammond, to have Professor Leonard make a detailed study of the industries and schools of Hammond, with a view of ascertaining the facts pertaining to the industries and schools, which would enable us to make wise recommendations for devel- oping vocational instruction in Hammond. This study was published bs r the Hammond Board of Education in April, 1915, and constitutes the second study for purposes of vocational education made in the state. Other minor studies of the needs of teachers of the practical arts subjects in the regular schools and the need for vocational instruction in particular communities were made by the State Department during this year. Indiana University also provided the full time services of one woman (paying all her salary and travelling expenses) to help supervise the domestic science work given in the regular schools. The Indiana State Normal School did the same. Purdue University provided the services of two women to help supervise the work in domestic science and three men to help supervise the work in agri- culture. In April, 1915, Professor R. J. Leonard was invited to confer with Super- intendent J. T. Giles and the Board of Education of Richmond, Indiana, relative to making a Vocational Survey of Richmond. On May 6, 1915, Superintendent Giles was authorized by the Richmond Board of Education to extend an invitation to Professor Leonard to direct a vocational survey in that city, and preliminary arrangements for making the Survey were made during May and June. In June, 1915, Mr. P. A. Reid, a member of the State Foreword ix Board of Education and also a member of the Richmond School Board, asked the State Board of Education to co-operate in making the Richmond Survey, and urged that some financial aid be given for this work, explaining that unless such assistance could be given no adequate Survey could be made. At the September meeting of the State Board of Education a tentative plan for making a number of typical state surveys for purposes of vocational education was presented to the State Board of Education by W. F. Book, State Director of Vocational Education. By November 30, a plan for eon- ducting a joint Survey at Richmond was agreed upon, $1,000 voted for the Avork, and the State Director of Vocational Education instructed to draw up an agreement between the State Board of Education, Indiana University and the Board of Education of Richmond for making a joint vocational Survey at Richmond. On December 9th, this agreement was approved by the State Board of Education and the money appropriated for the Richmond Survey. Before plans for the Richmond Survey had been completed arrangements for making other vocational surveys had been made. On November 30, 1915, a tentative plan for making a survey of the city of Madison and Jefferson County, to be conducted jointly by the State Board of Education, the Madi- son City and Jefferson County Boards of Education and Hanover College, was presented to the State Board of Education for its approval. The general plan for conducting this Survey was approved, the Survey authorized, money voted and Mr. Book instructed to draw up a suitable agreement for conducting the Survey. On November 23rd, the Evansville Board of Education voted to invite the State Board of Education "to make a survey of the city of Evansville, looking towards the establishment of a day vocational school." Preliminary arrangements for making this Survey and for securing a suitable man to direct the vocational research contemplated were made during December. On January 11th, the State Board of Education, in regular session, took up the request by the Evansville Board of Education for a vocational survey. Superintendent Tomlin stated that the city of Evansville, by action of its Board of Education, wished to have a vocational survey of the city of Evans- ville made under the direction of the State Board of Education at the earliest possible date. After a full discussion of the Evansville request, the State Board of Education approved a tentative plan for conducting the Evansville Survey presented by W. F. Book, State Director of Vocational Education, and appropriated $2,800 for the work. The Board also authorized W. F. Book, State Director of Vocational Education to sign an agreement with the Board of Education of Evansville for making the Survey. On January 27th, the State Board of Education, upon the recommendation of State Superintendent Chas. A. Greathouse, and W. F. Book, State Director of Vocational Education, elected Mr. Chas. H. Winslow as State Director of Vocational Research and directed Mr. Winslow and Mr. Book to work out and report to the State Board of Education, a state plan for conducting the various vocational surveys contemplated. This plan was approved by the State Board in February. This state plan for making vocational surveys not only defined the authority and duties of the State Board of Education, the State Director of Vocational Education and State Director of Vocational Research, but also made provisions for the necessary administrative machin- ery, state and local, required to carry on all state vocational surveys. Among x Foreword other things this plan provided for a permanent State Survey Committee, to have control of the several surveys to be made. This Committee was given authority to determine the method and scope of each survey and was charged with the duty of making complete and detailed recommendations to the state and local boards of education for organizing and developing vocational work in the several communities where surveys were to be made. The field work on the Evansville, Madison City and Jefferson County Surveys was done during the spring and early summer of 1916. The findings of the Evansville Survey were discussed by the State Survey Committee and recommendations made for organizing vocational education in Evansville, at their meetings in October and December. In April and May, 1916, on invitation of Superintendent J. G. Collicott, W. F. Book, State Director of Vocational Education, held conferences with the Indianapolis Board of School Commissioners, discussing the advisability of making a vocational survey in Indianapolis, and plans for making the kind of study of the industries and schools needed to put the vocational work of the city on a proper basis. As a result of these conferences all parties agreed that the problems of providing vocational training for the youth and citizens of Indianapolis should be Avorked out in as thorough and scientific a way as possible. It was the feeling of all that vocational instruction in Indianapolis should be placed on a permanent basis and properly connected up with the present work of the public schools. In order to attain these results in.the most economic and efficient way a definite plan for making a vocational survey in Indianapolis was worked out by the Indianapolis Board of School Commis- sioners in co-operation with W. F. Book, State Director of Vocational Edu- cation, and J. G. Collicott, Superintendent of the Indianapolis Schools. At this time, Mr. A. S. Hurrell, Principal of the Technical High Schools at Buffalo, was brought to Indianapolis and placed in charge of the vocational and prevocational work of the city, and Mr. Book was asked by the Indian- apolis Board of School Commissioners to work out, in co-operation with Superintendent Collicott, an agreement for making a vocational survey, to be conducted jointly by the School City of Indianapolis and the Indiana State Board of Education. This agreement was approved and signed by the Indianapolis Board of School Commissioners and the State Board of Educa- tion on June 20, 1916, and Charles H. Winslow, Special Agent of the Indiana State Board of Educatiqn, placed in charge of the Survey. Field work on the Indianapolis Survey was begun July 5, 1916. Co-operation of National Society for the Promotion of Industrial Education in the Indiana Surveys. — As soon as a regular state program for vocational research had been planned and definitely decided upon and a State Director £or Vocational Research secured, the National Society for the Promotion of Industrial Education was invited to hold its Tenth Annual Meeting in Indianapolis, and urged to take a prominent part in making the Indiana Surveys. The opportunity of considering at its next annual convention the problem of vocational training from a state angle and the opportunity of co- operating in a state survey caused the National Society for the Promotion of Industrial Education to decline the invitations extended to it by a number of other prominent cities throughout the country and to decide to hold its Tenth Annual Convention in Indianapolis. FOREWOKD Xi The Secretary of the National Society and two members of the regular Survey Committee, C. R. Richards and C. A. Prosser, were appointed on the Indiana State Survey Committee, Dr. Prosser being made Chairman of the Committee. In addition to the personal service which these gentlemen have given, the National Society has contributed much expert advice and assistance by calling upon its entire membership for help. To the National Society for the Promotion of Industrial Education, and to C. A. Prosser, Chairman of the State Survey Committee and C. R. Richards and Alvin E. Dodd, who have given so freely of their time and energy to the Indiana Sur- veys, the State Board of Education and State of Indiana are deeply indebted for expert service in planning and helping to direct the work of the Evansville and Indianapolis and Jefferson County Surveys. We are also specially in- debted to G. I. Christie, of Purdue University, and W . A. Millis, President of Hanover College, for their co-operation and personal service in. conducting the Jefferson County Survey. Without their aid and assistance this Survey could not have been made. Special acknowledgments are due to W. A. Millis, President of Hanover College under whose direction and supervision the Jefferson County Survey was made. Purpose of the Indiana Surveys. — The aim of the Indiana Surveys, as con- ceived by the Vocational Department and State Board of Education, was to ascertain from a study of the industries of a particular community the facts that would be needed to outline an efficient and economic program of voca- tional training for the community, and to ascertain from a study of the work being done in the public, private and parochial schools of the community how far the vocational needs of that community were already being met by existing agencies. The ultimate purpose was to suggest a definite program for organizing and developing vocational education in the particular city or district covered by the Survey, but it is hoped that by selecting a number of typical communities throughout the state, some definite help might also be obtained for solving the problem of providing an efficient scheme of vocational training for the state as a whole. CHARLES A. GREATHOUSE, President Indiana State Board of Education. WILLIAM F. BOOK, (State Director of Vocational Education. A Survey of Jefferson County, Indiana, for Purposes of Vocational Education I INTRODUCTION The Survey of which report is herewith submitted was made under provision of the Indiana State Board of Education, during the months from June to December, 1916. The object of the in- vestigation was to discover a group of facts upon which more definite plans may be made for vocational instruction in that portion of the state of which Jefferson County is typical. This county was selected because it is fairly typical of a certain districl in the state and because its problem is peculiarly agricultural. There is no urban life outside Madison, the county seal, which has a population of less than 8,000. Although Madison was active in small manufactures and prominent as a commercial center of the state during the first half century of its history, it is now and has been for the last half century distinctively a "community ••(Miter" for the county and interested almost exclusively in agri- cultural trade. The other towns and villages of the county are small neighborhood centers. Agriculture is the only industry outside of Madison. There is no mining, no large timber industry and no clay industry. There is considerable shell fishing in those townships which border on the river. This industry, however, belongs to Madison rather than to (lie county. There is also a small medicinal root industry. Purpose of the Surrey. The specific aim of the Jefferson County Survey was to analyze the agricultural conditions of the county, in order to show, first, the need with respect to agricul- tural development which must be satisfied in order to establish rural life on a satisfactory basis, both from the standpoint of the local community and from the standpoint of the state and the county, at large; in the second place, to determine the provisions already made for rural betterment in order to show how these must be reorganized and supplemented. The Survey is confined to the industrial and educational aspects of the situation. No attempt was made to survey home conditions, the church situation. 2 Jefferson County Survey and the status of social life in general. These aspects were omitted, not because they were considered foreign to the sub- ject, but because it seemed necessary to reserve them for future investigation. Method. During the spring and summer of 1915, preliminary arrangements were made by Dr. W. F. Book, Stale Director of Vocational Education with the Madison Board of Education, Donald Dushane, Superintendent of Schools, and Dr. W. A. Millis, President of Hanover College, for making a vocational survey of Madison City and Jefferson County. On November 30, 1915, a tentative plan was presented to the State Board of Education by Dr. Book for making these Surveys. A general plan to be conducted jointly by the State Board of Education, the Madison City and Jefferson County Boards of Education and Hanover College. The general plan for conducting this Survey, as presented by Dr. Book, was approved by the State Board of Education, the Survey authorized, money voted for the work and Dr. Book instructed by the State Board to draw up an agreement with the local school authorities for conducting the Survey. The Survey was made by a committee composed of Dr. W. F. Book, Director of Vocational Education in Indiana; Mr. Charles H. Winslow, Director of Vocational Research for the State Board of Education; Professor G. I. Christie, Superintendent Extension Work, Purdue University; Mr. Z. M. Smith, State Supervisor of Agricultural Education, and President William A. Millis of Han- over College. The Local Committee consisted oi President Millis, Chairman; Mr. Joseph H. Hanna, County Superintendent of Schools and Professor Glenn. Culbertson, Professor of Agriculture in Hanover College. The field work was done by Mr. Robert J. Millis and Mr. Fletcher N. Hufford, students in sociology in Hanover College. The studies in farm management were made by Mr. W. W. Sylvester, of Purdue University, and in soils by Mr. E. T. Kirkendall of Purdue University. The analysis of farm occupations was prepared by Mr. Z. M. Smith, State -Super- visor of Agricultural Education. The sources of information and methods pursued in obtaining data are set forth in different parts of the report. While there necessarily is a large element of personal judgment involved in some of the studies made, special care was exercised at all times to eliminate bias and to arrive at trustworthy conclusions. Slight consideration was given to the problem of home economics for Introduction 3 the reason that this phase of the rural situation will be taken up in a later report. The Survey was organized along four main lines and the re- port, therefore, properly falls into four divisions: (1) The eco- nomic situation, setting forth important facts pertaining to the location, history and industries of the county, the character and extent of land and other property with which the farmer has to work; (2) the status of husbandry in the county, or present agri- cultural conditions; (3) financial resources of the county and agencies for rural betterment, i. e., the effort for rural betterment made by the people of the county through granges and other community organizations; (4) the status and work of the public schools of the county. II SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS 1. PRESENT AGRICULTURAL CONDITIONS IN JEFFERSON COUNTY i (1) Geography Jefferson County is located on the Ohio river in the south- eastern part of Indiana. By river, it is fifty miles from Louis- ville and one hundred miles from Cincinnati. It is sixty-eight miles from Indianapolis. The Pennsylvania and Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern railroads pass through the county. The sur- face of the county is much broken by streams which find their way through it to the river. The county has an area of approxi- mately 400 square miles. Of this, 10 square miles are bottom land, 43 are locally known as "flats/' 200 square miles consist of rolling uplands and the remainder consists of hillsides. Natur- ally, a considerable portion of this area is waste land, that is, too rough for cultivation and pasture. A considerable part of the county is also wild land, that is, land which has never been brought under care, or else has been abandoned as unprofitable for culti- vation. Most of this waste and abandoned land may be devel- oped or restored by judicious reforestation. This county was one of the first in the state to be settled and, naturally, the soils have suffered very greatly from imprudent handling. While considerable farm land is in excellent condi- tion and gives profitable returns, much is reduced to a low state of productivity. The county is well watered and for the most part well adapted to various grasses. The county was once well timbered, but this resource has practically been exhausted. There is an abundance of clay suitable for the manufacture of brick and tile and plenty of stone suitable for highway building. (5) 6 Jefferson County Survey (2) Farm Assets The assets of the 1917 farms of the county are set forth in the following tables: (a) Land 203,317 (100%) Under cultivation : 89,439 (44%) Pasture land 75,530, (37%) Timber land 22,599 (11%) Wasteland 15,749 (8%) There are, on an average, 39.4 acres of pasture land to each farm; 16.62 acres of timber land; 8.24 acres of waste land. (b) Valuation of Farm Property Land . $5,831,310 Improvements. 1 ,904 ,330 Implements 788,000 Stock, feed and supplies 1 ,791 ,286 Total $10,314,926 Average value of all property to each farm . $ 5 , 380 . 8 1 Total value of all land and improvements. 7,735,640.00 Average value of land and improvements per farm 4 ,055 . 28 Seven hundred and fifty-five farms, or 39|% of all farms in the county, are under mortgage for a ' total of $465,594, an average of $616.68 per farm of those mortgaged, or $242.87 per farm for all farms mortgaged and not mortgaged. There is a. mortgage burden of 6% of the value of land and improvements. The total working property other than land and improvements is $2,579,286, or $1,345.53 per farm. Of the 1,917 farms, 1,802 are operated by their owners; 115 by tenants. Of the 115 landlords, 22 live in the townships in which their farms are located; 49 outside the township but within the count}-; 44 outside the county. Summary of Findings (3) Crop Activities for the Year 1914* Acreage Total Yield Per Acre Yield Value Corn 28,544 639,903 22.41 bu. $ 479,927.25 Wheat 15,165 212,478 14.01 (< 244,349.70 Oats 2,314 36,814 15.90 " 16,566.30 Hay 15,350 13,208 .86 tons 211,328.00 Rye 998 9,096 9.11 bu. 9,096.00 Alfalfa 1,355 2,619 1.93 tons 31,428.00 Sunflowers 205 164 , 000 800 lbs. 4 , 100 . 00 Tobacco 1,485 1,749,086 1,177.82 " 157,417.74 Tomatoes 1,095 5,836 5.33 tons 58,360.00 66,511 ,212,572.99 (4) Animal Industry Value Products Dairy $288,471 Poultry 135,723 Other animals 227 , 877 $1652,071 Value Animals on hand, January, 1915 $169,226 54,511 671,924 $895,661 Total $457,697 190,234 899,801 L, 547, 732 (5) Miscellaneous Products Estimated value of kitchen gardens $ 11 ,950 Estimated value of market gardens, 397 acres 39 , 700 Estimated value orchards, 2,418 acres 48,360 Reported value medicinal root, etc 10,000 Reported value timber 100 ,000 $210,010 *The crop reports for 1914 were used in this study for the leason that these were the latest reports concerning, all farm activities available at the time of the Survey. The following estimates of certain crops reported for 1916 by Mr. George B. Bryant, Field Agent for the U. S. Bureau of Crop Estimates, will serve as a means of com- parison and check for the reports for 1914: Crops Total Acreage Total Yield Total per Acre Total Value Corn 30,785 677,270 bu. 22 bu. $609,543.00 Wheat 15,430 154,300 " 10 " 246,880.00 Oats 2,444 73,320 " 30 " 36,600.00 Rye 1,080 10,800 " 10 " 12,900.00 Tobacco 3,000 2,850,000 lbs. 950 lbs. 427,500.00 The Survey Committee desire to call attention to the fact that the service of the State Statician would be more valuable to the state if the results of his investigations were published within a reasonable time after the collection of data. 8 Jefferson County Survey (6) Total Agricultural Business Crops.... $1,212,572.99 Animal industry . .' 1 , 547 , 732 . 00 Miscellaneous 210 , 010 . 00 $2,970,314.99 Deducting value of animals at hand at begin- ning of year 895 , 661 . 00 Leaves net production of $2 , 074 , 653 . 99 The agricultural situation is also revealed in part by a com-, parison of crop reports for a period of ten years. (7) Average Yield of Crops for Two Five-Year Periods Corn 1905-1910 inclusive. 1911-1914 Wheat 1905-1910 1911-1914 Oats 1905-1910 1911-1914 Rye 1909-1911 1912-1914 Hay 1909-1911 1912-1914 Alfalfa 1909-1911 1912-1914 Tobacco 1905-1910 1911-1914 29 92 bus iels 19 18 15 84 11 84 23 88 17 20 10 .06 8 18 94 86 2 16 1 .78 ' 762 67 pounds ,056 80 i (8) Present Status of Agricultural Efficiency As previously indicated, an unusually large proportion of the farm families own the farms upon which they live. About 4% may be said to have first-class housing; about 19% have second- class housing and 74% have third-class houses. A majority of the 118 "farm hand" families are of fair sociological status and practically all are native born. About 1% of the farmers keep accounts; 7% are improving their soils and 12% are tilling their crops intelligently. About the same number are breeding and feeding their animals and conducting dairy work properly; 16% have good kitchen gardens and some 4% are giving proper care Summary of Findings 9 to their orchards. Very few give intelligent care to their timber and probably not more than 10% make the best use of fertilizers. Drainage is rare, although a considerable part of the land is wet. The above ratings are only approximations, but granting that they should be doubled, it is still apparent that the agricultural efficiency of the people is surprisingly low. This becomes more evident when the observer finds 80 bushel corn and 20 bushel corn produced in adjacent fields of the same native soil, or finds one man making money rapidly and his neighbor being sold out by the court. The reasons for this situation are clearly indicated in that section of the findings which has to do with Farm Manage- ment in the county. 2. POPULATION AND PEOPLE OF JEFFERSON COUNTY The population of the county, outside of the city of Madison, decreased from 15,571 in 1890 to 13,549 in 1910, a loss of 12.9%. During the same period, the loss in Madison was 22.4%, and the loss for the whole county was 16.2%. For the last census decade the loss in the county was 10% and in the county outside Madison the same. The loss in the school enumeration for the entire county from 1900 to 1910 was 14.3%. The ratio for the rural population is approximately the same. The higher percentage of decrease in population between the ages of 6 and 21, together with the fact that the number of farm families has not decreased materially, indicates that one factor in the loss of population in the county is the diminishing size of the farm family. The other factor evidently is the migration of the unattached element of the population, due largely to the belief that there are better pros- pects elsewhere. The people of Jefferson County on the whole are of excellent stock, chiefly of German, Scotch and English ancestry. A small element of less desirable folks are found among the river hills — in part a class that follows the river and in part an element which shifts back and forth across the Kentucky border. Physi- cally and mentally, the general population is as sturdy as any in the state. There are still many families in the county which, in former years, have contributed to the state much of its best leadership. 10 Jefferson County Survey 3. AGRICULTURE FOR RURAL BETTERMENT The Commercial Club of Madison is alive to the agricultural situation and is making an effort to improve it. Hanover College, located in the county, is alive to the problem and endeavor- ing to stimulate betterment by giving special courses of instruc- tion and by working in co-operation with other agencies. The four granges are doing valuable work, likewise the farmer's insti- tutes and extension activities of Purdue University. It is true, however, that only a small portion of the entire population is being reached, and thus far efforts to obtain sufficient local support to enable the authorities to employ a county agent have been futile. The local newspapers and churches have been sympathetic toward the movement for agricultural betterment, but they have not been as aggressive as it is hoped they will be- come in the future. Both agencies may be counted on to give effective support to any movement organized on lines broad enough to insure improvement. 4. PRESENT WORK OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS The rural schools thus far have accomplished little in the way of meeting the vocational needs of the young people and cit- izens of the county, notwithstanding the desire of the County Superintendent and trustees to make the schools serve the people efficiently. The Survey reveals a number of significant facts with reference to this aspect of the problem. Of the 4,832 pupils en- rolled in the public schools of the county during the last five-year period, 2,178, or 45%, withdrew before completing the elementary courses. Of these 2,178 withdrawals, 1,360 removed from the township, 35 were excluded for delinquency, 26 had poor health, 95 were mentally deficient, 10 died, 31 were compelled to go to work, while 621 dropped out because of indifference as soon as they passed the age^of compulsory attendance, thus indicating the failure of the school to interest them or their parents. (1) Qualifications of Rural Teachers A study of the qualifications of the rural teachers reveals that 203 of the 312 certificates which have been issued to them are for the minimum period, 12 months repre- senting the lowest grade of license issued by the state. Of the 85 teachers employed last year, 39 hold the minimum li- cense and six at the time of reporting held none at all. Of these Summary of Findings 11 85 teachers, 34% had had not to exceed six months of teaching experience. They had had an average of one year college and professional study beyond the high school grade. Only 27 had devoted as much as six weeks to the study of agriculture and domestic science beyond the little instruction, if any, they had received in the high school. About half the teachers only, as demanded by Section V of the Vocational Law with regard to teaching elementary agriculture and domestic science in their schools, declare they are complying with the law. 1 On the aver- age, each teacher has been employed in three different schools during the last five-year period and has been employed in her present school an average of 1.85 years. (2) Length of School Term The school terms for the last five-year period have averaged 117.7 days per year. Only one township, Lan- caster, has maintained an average above the legal minimum of 120 days. Taxes are high. The rates for local school purposes varying from 62.6 cents on the $100 to $1,075. The total tax budget paid by the farmers ranges from $2.42 on the $100 to $3.10. An equitable assessment of property would greatly increase the amount of taxable property, make possible lower rates and yield a decided increase in the funds. The prac- tice of the trustees is to employ teachers who hold the lowest grade certificates and, therefore, who receive the minimum wage. Most of the townships receive aid from the State Deficiency fund avail- able to the needy counties of the state. (3) Consolidation of Rural Schools Three of the ten townships have consolidated their schools in part. The Survey reveals the possibility of such consolidations in all the townships to such extent •that there would remain only 20 to 25 one-room schools in the entire county. It is also found that the consolidated schools secure the best teachers and the best equipment, graduate a greater per cent of their pupils and have an average recitation period of 21 minutes as against the average period of 14 minutes in the one-room^schools. 1. This section provides that elementary domestic science and agriculture shall be taught in all public schools of the state as a part of their regular course of instruction. 12 Jefferson County Survey The Committee making the Survey feels that the solution of the rural problem primarily must come through the public schools. The rural schools of Jefferson County are not meeting the issue at present, but it is clearly possible by a proper reorganization to make these same schools contribute effectively to the regenera- tion of the county. It is possible to devise a vigorous administra- tion of public affairs which will enable the school to render its full share of service without unduly increasing the burdens of the taxpayer. Ill CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE STATE SURVEY COMMITTEE 1. DOMINANT OCCUPATIONS AND VOCATIONAL NEEDS OF JEFFERSON COUNTY (1) Dominant Occupations The Survey demonstrates that the needs of Jefferson County are: First of all things, more effective agriculture. From the standpoint of the city of Madision this is of first concern, likewise from the standpoint of the general and social improvement of the county. The efficiency of the farmer determines the possibilities of better schooling, better church life, better family life and better citizenship. Jefferson County is not pulling its own load. The schools require aid from the State Deficiency Fund, provided for counties unable to maintain the minimum standard of education required by the state. The churches require supplemental aid from the state and national religious boards. Jefferson County must have better farming to help the people "pull their own load." But Jefferson County also owes her share of service to the state and society at large. The people of the county should understand that agriculture offers t he only means, directly or indirectly, by which this service may be given. It can not be emphasized too much that the future welfare of the city of Madison and of the county depends upon the organization of the business of the county around farming as its principal industry, and the education of the farmer for greater efficiency. The second .most pressing need of the county and of the farmers in particular is better marketing facilities for the produce of the farms. In part, this must be secured through improvement of the highways of the county. In part, it may be secured through co- operation of the farmers to obtain the economies of bulk handling. Better marketing conditions may be secured also by improved facilities for river transportation. The natural markets for this county are Louisville and Cincinnati. With a regular and effl- (13) 14 Jefferson County Survey cient packet service, insuring prompt and regular shipment, the farmer may enjoy exceptional facilities for reaching valuable markets. There is also great need for the establishment within the county of small selected manufacturing industries, which would give adequate local markets for farm products. There is at present an enormous waste of produce which may be utilized readily in the promotion of dairying and the establish- ment of creameries, factories for preserving orchard and garden food- stuffs, and for the manufacture of various kinds of prepared foods and other articles of commerce made from plant materials. Such industries necessarily would be seasonal to a great extent, yet it is possible for an establishment to organize a sequence of activities which would keep the concern going most, if not all, of the year. There would thus be fairly regular employment for labor, partic- ularly unskilled labor, which predominates in an agricultural region, and a fairly constant market for produce which is now lost, both to the producer and to the consumer. Attention should be called to the mistaken policy of the com- mercial organizations of Madison to build up manufacturing industries that are not related to this region, either as to raw ma- terial or market. There is always room, of course, for the profit- able operation of a limited number of such enterprises, but they are of small value to the community at large as compared to those enterprises which encourage, supplement and utilize the products of the contiguous region. (2) Present Defects of the Agricultural Situation Specifically, agricultural betterment in Jefferson county re- quires, first of all, the spiritual awakening of the farmer. The county rests under the heavy hand of the feeling that it is not possible for it to do the bigger and better things possible in what are supposed to be more favored sections of the state. The people need to be brought to realize that they have good natural re- sources, advantages and opportunities, and that it is possible to make this county one of the best in the state, agriculturally. 1. The Survey shows further that the second point of attack is the handling of soils. These are neither peculiar nor difficult in Jefferson County but they must be worked with regard to their chemical and physical properties. In a great many cases this is done intelligently and with great profit. But on a majority of the farms there is little effort in the direction of scientific culture, Committee Conclusions and Recommendations 15 and these farms, therefore, are producing far less than they may yield if properly managed. Jefferson County for many years has been an active market for commercial fertilizers. It is patent that a good part of the expenditures for these fertilizers is wasted because of ignorance of the real needs of the soils. Taking the county as a whole, the barn-yard manure is largely wasted, either through failure to utilize it at all or because of improper handling. All the soils need humus and many need lime. Both are locally available at reasonable cost and in sufficient quantity. Considerable improvement is evident all over the county in the planting and cultivation of crops, yet there is room for, and urgent need of a better understanding of the relation between cultivation and soil conditions. Very little of the county has been properly drained, yet most of the land needs drainage. Where farms have been tiled, immediate improvement has been secured. 2. The animal industry of the county is not well developed or profitably proportioned. This part of the state cannot com- pete with the corn belt or with the wheat fields of the northwest, but it is well adapted to dairying and the related industries. The large acreage not fitted for cultivation but suited readily to grasses, the abundance of water, and the location with reference to mar- kets, indicate that dairying should be the major industry. As a matter of fact, it is a minor activity and very generally "woman's work." The county as a whole is especially adapted to poultry and to sheep raising, both immensely profitable, the latter utiliz- ing a large acreage of rough land which at present is bringing small return. Poultry raising is incidental on the average farm and there are few sheep in the county. The farmers are discouraged in sheep raising because of the destructiveness of dogs which they seem unwilling to dispose of. It should be pointed out that, with infrequent exceptions, pasture land is permitted to go wild. Prop- er care is lacking in seeding and in the removal of noxious growths. 3. Approximately one-fifth of all the land in the county is listed by tax officials as timber and waste land. There is prac- tically no care of the timber. The "broken" districts are all adapted to timber growing and formerly were covered with mag- nificent growths of the finest woods. Those have been wasted through ignorance and imprudence, not only sacrificing this re- source, but facilitating the denudation of the hillsides and up- lands. The farmers need to be taught the value and the art of 16 Jefferson County Survey reforestation. On. many farms this is now going on with favor- able prospects. 4. About one-half of the county is classified as rolling uplands, splendidly adapted to horticulture. One of the farmers of the county is the prize apple grower of Indiana. Many others have developed splendid orchards, commercially profitable, demon- strating the possibilities of the county in this industry. Of some 128,000 acres available there are 2,418 planted in orchards. The report shows that even this small acreage does not receive the care necessary for profitable results. The Survey reveals that the average family fails conspicuously to realize the possibilities of the kitchen garden, as well as the farm orchard — sources from which much of the family living may be had. About 16% only of the families are reported as having good gardens. With most farmers, the garden is not considered of sufficient importance to justify systematic attention. It is "woman's work." 5. The studies in farm management indicate that farming in Jefferson County has not been placed on a satisfactory business basis. The farmers do not know whether they are really making or losing money. If they have a large bank balance at the end of the year, they conclude that they have done well though they have impoverished their soil or cut out their timber to make up the balance. No proper distinction is made between acquiring wealth and accumulating a bank account, or "making money." Hence, many farmers are losing wealth without realizing it; many are making money in certain activities but losing much in others without knowing it. There is urgent need for the introduction into farm management of- the same business methods which are found necessary in every successful manufacturing or commercial enterprise. 6. There is no organization of the farming industry of the county outside the granges, which reach only a small part of the population and which thus far have not undertaken to become co-ordinating agencies. There is no co-ordination of agricultural activities, except such as necessarily result from custom and con- temporary imitation. There is no county program of selected industries constituting the principal effort of the county, and around which the whole farming business of the county might be organized. It is unnecessary to say that there should be such a program and that there should be an organization which would Committee Conclusions and Recommendations 17 reach all the farmers, one function of which would be to define the specific direction of future development. (3) Need for Vocational Training The foregoing statement regarding the agricultural situation inevitably leads to the conclusion that the imperative need of Jefferson County is vocational education of the youth, so virile, so thorough-going, so definitely vocational, that the new genera- tion of farmers and farm women will bring to agriculture in this county a genuine enthusiasm for their calling, a vision of the magnificent possibilities of this hill country and the best knowl- edge and skill available. No compromise will succeed. Habit is strong in the older communities; the people are individualistic in thought and feeling and they will not be willing to change their methods as completely as the situation requires. This means that while much may be done in providing help through vocational instruction for adults and in organizing the agencies of the county devoted to rural betterment work, the chief solution of the prob- lem must be found in providing the right sort of vocational train- ing for children. The program for vocational education and rural betterment work in Jefferson County is recommended by the Committee. 2. SPECIFIC SUGGESTIONS FOR RURAL BETTERMENT WORK (1) County Industrial Society The organization of a county industrial society including the community leaders of the several neighborhoods in the county is recommended. Such an industrial society should serve as an agency for the active expression of opinions of that portion of the citizenship which is definitely forward looking, and should actively lead in all movements which seek to bring about a co- ordination of industrial activities. Agriculture offers no exception to the rule that modern industry is becoming increasingly specialized. In a sense, the farming industry of Jefferson County may be "general," that is, general in the sense that the farmers will continue to raise all of the staple crops and principal kinds of farm animals. On the other hand, their activities must be specialized in the sense that certain crops and certain animal industries must be emphasized if the farmers are to realize the largest returns possible under conditions existing in the county. There are certain things that cannot be 18 Jefferson County Survey done so well here as elsewhere. There are other things which can be done better in Jefferson County than in other parts of the state. It is, therefore, a matter of good sense to emphasize those things in which the county has a special advantage. But specialization requires organization, not only of the pro- gram of the individual farm, but of the neighborhood and of the county. To say that dairying and sheep raising should be the principal industry of the county does not mean that every farmer should establish a dairy and procure a flock of sheep. The highest efficiency follows a division of labor in which each farmer does the thing which he can do best, always in due relation to what others are doing. That is to say, there should be a co-ordination of ac- tivities and of individual programs; a proper co-ordination of county and town, farm and factory, of producer and consumer if the highest degree of efficiency is to be attained. It cannot be emphasized too strongly that it is only by securing the highest possible efficiency in management, as well as farm processes that Jefferson County can keep step with modern development. A county industrial society, gathering together the "key men" and the most progressive farmers and business men of the county, could render invaluable service in many directions. Such a so- ciety would call forth the native leadership; it would constitute a compact body of the most active citizenship and thus make pos- sible a definite, intelligent public opinion to spread the forward movement; it would serve to work out the necessary co-ordinations and by suggestion and promotion bring them into actual opera- tion; it would also provide a means for connecting the county with the state and federal agencies devoted to rural betterment. Such a society would have something of the same functions with respect to the local industrial situation that the County Central Committee of a political party bears to local or state politics. (2) Co-operation of All Agencies Devoted to Social Im- provement and Rural Betterment Work Under the leadership of the above named industrial society a vigorous and concerted effort of schools, churches, granges, news- papers, commercial clubs, farmers clubs and other related agencies of the county might be obtained to develop enthusiasm for country life and to compel a realization of the agricultural possibilities of the county. Committee Conclusions and Recommendations 19 (3) Formulation and Development of a County Argicul- tural Program The Committee believe that the organization of a county agricultural program around dairying, sheep raising, poultry raising, orcharding, berry growing, general horticulture and tomato growing as "major" activities in the county is highly de- sirable. There are several reasons why such a program would be particularly profitable. (a) Jefferson County is not naturally a grain-growing region. It, therefore, cannot hope to compete with the grain belt. It is naturally adapted to stock raising, par- ticularly cattle and sheep. Ever since the herdsmen of King Solomon tended their flocks and herds, the hills have suggested cattle and sheep. At the present time, notwith- standing the fact that there is no organized effort to make stock raising a primary activity, the farmers obtain almost if not half of their income from animal husbandry. (b) With the development of the animal industry, the farmer would have a market for all his products on his own farm and save for himself a certain middleman's profit. He would convert the product of the soil and labor into a form most convenient and profitable for marketing, and re- tain the largest possible amount of soil fertility for his land. (c) Dairying will bring about that selection, and bal- ancing of crops and stock feeding, which will most readily restore the depleted soils of the county. (d) Dairying, sheep raising, poultry keeping and fruit growing industries yield products for which there is always a steady demand. (4) Need for Developing and Encouraging a Definite Manufacturing Program for the County The Committee believes the development of local manu- facturing enterprises to utilize the products of the farm is a most needed aspect of development for the county. It is always the part of sound business management to relate the manufacturing enterprises of a region as closely as possible to the natural resources of the region; to locate the factory as closely to the raw material used as possible, market and labor facilities always considered. There is, of course, place for a cer- 20 Jefferson County Survey tain amount of what may be called unrelated manufacturing in any community, but there are certain economies secured in the enterprises which employ local labor and use local raw materials which are missed in unrelated enterprises. A steel industry in Madison, supposing that it could be successfully maintained, would give employment to a number of people, who in turn would furnish so much market for food, clothing and shelter materials. A food manufacturing industry in Madison, employing the same number of persons would create an equal market for food, clothing and shelter for the personal consumption of these employees, but also would save to the county a large margin in the cost of trans- porting raw materials used for manufacturing purposes and at the same time encourage the development of agricultural activities throughout the county. It would convert the present waste into marketable products, eliminate certain middlemen's profits and thus increase greatly the purchasing power of the rural popula- tion. It is, therefore, clearly to the interest of the city of Madison and the county as well to develop the most extensive and attrac- tive market possible for what the farmer can produce. In enlarg- ing the market for the farmer the merchant enlarges his own market. The history of the commercial activities of Madison in earlier days, when packing house, woolen and starch manufactur- ing industries, utilizing local products, were the outstanding ac- tivities, is significant in this connection. (5) Highway Improvement A definite program for highway improvement should be adopted. This program should provide for the active con- struction and repair of roads and bridges with reference to permanency of improvement and within a budget which, while sufficient for tangible results, would not embarrass the development of the county in other respects. The inefficiency of road building and repair in Jefferson County is notorious and is due primarily to three causes: (1) The lack of a definite pro- gram to be followed for a term of years, the result of which is the construction of unimportant roads, while the main highways have been left to deteriorate to the vanishing point. (2) Incompetent engineering. (3) Political abuse of the office of County Road Superintendent. The present county officials are, in the main, efficient, but have little or no control over the construction work. The county has ample deposits of first-class materials for road Committee Conclusions and Recommendations 21 building, but too often the engineer authorizes poor material and the result is that many roads must be rebuilt before the bonds issued on the original construction have been paid. With this poor return for the money invested, it is significant to find that 41% of the public funds collected from the tax payers is expended on roads and bridges. It is believed by the Committee that this is too large an investment to entrust to the care of inefficient management of road construction and repair in vogue. (6) Employment of a County Agent of Agriculture The Committee further recommends that a competent county agent of agriculture should be appointed, not so much with reference to his immediate service as an advisor to the individual farmers, as for his ability to promote the general agricultural program sug- gested above and to assist in co-ordinating the agencies for rural betterment in the county. Ample provisions for the appointment of such an agent in co-operation with the state are provided for by law, and the nature of the work and service of such an agent to the community is clearly set forth in other publications of the State Board of Education. (See second Annual Report on Vo- cational Work in the State Vocational Bulletin No. 17, January, 1917.) (7) Recreation and Productive Efficiency It is a well established fact that recreation is an important factor in securing industrial efficiency. Most factory managements are coming to understand that shorter hours with wholesome recreation secure increased activity and increased accuracy. The familiar pro- verb with reference to the relation of all work and juvenile stupidity is readily seen, and the adage applies equally well to the work and activities of communities. The Committee believes that Jeffer- son County is suffering from depletion of energy and spirit, be- cause of a lack of recreation and wholesome play and a decrease in population because of unrelieved drudgery. Besides, the in- dividualism of rural life probably is more readily reduced because of a lack of recreative activities than because of any other factor. To secure the desired results in this direction, the Committee believes that proper recreation centers should be distributed through the county at natural meeting places rather than concentrated at the county seat. 22 Jefferson County Survey 3. RECOMMENDATION FOR ORGANIZING AND DEVELOPING VOCATIONAL AND PREVOCATIONAL WORK IN THE SCHOOLS OF JEFFERSON COUNTY (1) The Problem of Providing Efficient Vocational Instruc- tion in Jefferson County In order to meet the situation in Jefferson County the Com- mittee believes that three types of work must be provided for: (a) The prevocational work to be carried on in the regular schools (the instruction in elementary agriculture and in the industrial and household arts which the law prescribes shall be taught in all the schools of the state) should be further developed and improved. (b) A second problem is to organize vocational departments and courses which will enable the young people of the county to get real vocational instruction in agriculture and in prepara- tion for occupations in the household. Since a large majority of the young people of the County cannot or do not go on to school beyond the 8th or 12th school year and since the predominant and most important occupations of the county are agriculture and home-making, the organizations of all-day vocational de- partments for these occupations is, it would seem, the most im- portant vocational problem in the county. Those desiring to fit themselves specifically for other occupations must, for the time being at least, be provided for by vocational schools in other communities. (c) A third problem consists of providing vocational instruc- tion for the young people and adults now out of school by means of dull season day courses of the continuation type or evening vo- cational courses, where men and women and youths who have dropped out of school may attend a short term vocational course for a part of each day or week during the dull season or at such times as suitable instruction may be provided. The same type of instruction may be given in evening schools for adults if more suitable arrangements can be made for this particular school work. The Committee has attempted to make specific recommenda- tions for each of these types of work. (2) School Consolidation The consolidation of rural schqols so far as feasible under existing topographic and highway conditions and wherever possible in connection with existing township schools, is strong- Committee Conclusions and Recommendations 23 ly urged. There is no need in the state of Indiana to pre- sent arguments in favor of school consolidation. The im- mensely superior advantages for general education now enjoyed by the pupils of Madison, Deputy, and DuPont should satisfy all of the wisdom of consolidation. The Committee fells strongly that none of the above named problems can be solved satisfactorily unless some form of consolidation can be worked out. Conse- quently it makes the following suggestions for the combination of schools in the different townships : (1) In Madison Township, Antioch at Hanover or at Lower Clifty. (2) In Milton township, the six schools in the eastern part of the township at Brooksburg, where an agricultural high school should be organized. (3) In Shelby township, the merg- ing of the six schools on the north side at Canaan with the reor- ganization of the high school at that point as recommended elsewhere. (4) In Lancaster township the three schools situated near DuPont to be merged with the school at DuPont. (5) In Monroe township all schools to be consolidated at the center of the township and a vocational high school established in connection therewith. (6) Graham township should combine the Possum Trot, Pleasant Valley and New Schools with the schools in the town of Deputy. (7) Smyrna should combine all schools at Volga and establish a vocational high school in connection there- with. (8) In Republican township, the Hall, Independence and Scotland schools should be merged with the Kent schools. (9) In Saluda township, the College Corner, Sheeps Run, Mills and Ten-Cent Schools should be combined with the Saluda High School. The four one-room schools in the southern part of the township might be combined at Tayneville. Most of these combinations are feasible with present road con- ditions. The highway program recommended above, however, should include those connections which will facilitate the above consolidation. In addition to the increased efficiency of the country schools which will thus be secured, there will be a decided gain from the fact that it will be possible to procure sufficient equipment and teaching force to carry on all needed vocational work. It may as well be recognized that nothing can be accomplished in the way of vocational work in the old fashioned district schools except perhaps to develop a better attitude toward country life. The building program called for below will cost something and maintenance may be a trifle more than at present but the in- 24 Jefferson County Survey creased cost is immaterial in view of the increased industrial pros- perity which will follow as a result of the real efficiency which this reorganization will secure. (3) Construction of New Buildings The Committee recommend and urge that all new school buildings to be erected in the county in the future shall be con- structed with reference to the needs for carrying on vocational work, following plans and suggestions to be submitted by the State Board of Education in each case. If this recommendation is disregarded satisfactory vocational work cannot be done. (4) Qualification of Teachers in Rural and Consolidated Schools The Committee feels very strongly that only such teachers should be employed in the one-room rural schools who have taken some special training in agriculture and the household arts and who manifest an interest in a positive program for rural betterment. The present custom of employing inexperienced teachers because they receive a minimum wage, in the opinion of the Committee, is uneconomic and should be condemned by all forward looking citizens of the county. The Committee believes that Trustees and Boards of Education not only should employ the most efficient teachers available but should retain these teachers in the same positions for the full period of "their efficiency. The frequent change of teachers makes any continuity of plan and effort impossible, to say nothing of the great loss sustained each time a new adjustment is made. No teacher should be employed who is not strong enough to stay in the same school indefinitely, and once employed there is a possible increase of from 50 to 100% in efficiency by keeping a teacher in a particular school for a number of years. The County is sustain- ing a proportionate waste by its present policy of rapid rotation. The Committee also advises emphatically against the present policy of trustees keeping their teachers ignorant of the schools to which they will be assigned until a day or two before the term opens. Such practice, in their judgment, is indefensible. (5) Prevocational Work The Committee recommends that special emphasis should be placed on home project and boys' and girls' club work, to the end Committee Conclusions and Recommendations 25 that all pupils may be enlisted in real home and farm projects carried on under expert direction. This will provide a means not only of developing a fine enthusiasm, but also will provide a means of giving the pupil opportunity for the practical applica- tion of his class room instruction. (6) Building up Community Life and Interest The Committee further recommends that the instruction in music now given in the public schools be directed largely through the organization of orchestras, glee clubs, choral societies, etc., and that good church singing be encouraged. The Committee further believes that the instruction in art or drawing should be directed more toward cultivating an appreciation for the beauty of the countryside than towards skill in expression. (7) Vocational High Schools The Committee recommends: (1) That the high schools at North Madison, Ryker's Ridge, Canaan, Deputy, DuPont, Kent and Saluda be organized as vocational high schools as the special agents of the State Board of Education having the vocational work in charge may direct; (2) that special vocational teachers be employed in these schools with the provision that they shall supervise the prevocational work done in the grades, teach in the part-time and evening schools described below and help to direct the home project, club and demonstration work of pupils both vocational and prevocational — during the summer months. The Committee wishes to emphasize the fact that in its opinion the industrial future of Jefferson County depends primar- ily upon the kind and amount of education given the youth; that this education shall be frankly vocational, and in particular that it will depend especially upon the character of the instruction given in the high schools. The Committee believes the first duty of the high school is to the community which maintains it; that the interests of the communities which support the schools desig- nated in the recommendation are distinctively agricultural, and that these high schools must, therefore, look directly to the prepar- ation for efficient rural life rather than for city life or college en- trance. It is recognized that the school must maintain an "open path" to institutions of higher education, but the Committee believes the course of study contemplated in this recommenda- tion will have equal if not greater value in preparing for subse- 26 Jefferson County Survey quent study than the traditional high school courses now in vogue. Without questioning the educational value of the study of foreign languages and of higher mathematics, it is frankly asserted that there is no sufficient reason for them in the township high school, except as a preparation for college entrance. It must be observed that the committee asks for a new kind of school so far as Jefferson County is concerned. The type of vo- cational high school recommended requires four things new in the high school work of this county, namely, a new aim, a new teacher, a new course of study, and a new school equipment. The new aim has been stated as the preparation in ideals, sympathies, instruc- tion and training for efficient country life. The teacher must possess a broad general education together with thorough tech- nical training, active sympathy with rural activities, and strong powers of community leadership. He must be selected not only with reference to his ability in the class room but as supervisor of his particular work in the grade schools and with reference to his ability to conduct the continuation school work recommended and the field work referred to in that connection. The conventional type of school building will not meet the requirements. The conventional building was devised as a place for learning books by the memory record. The new building must be constructed as a place to work in, with laboratories, shops, and outside facilities for field work and animal study. It will run more to utility and less to architecture and probably will cost less than the type of building which is now prevalent in the state. It will be essentially a country school house and not a city school house. The new course of study will not discard those subjects which admittedly are essential to intelligent citizenship and a whole- some personal life. It will retain them but substitute the voca- tional subjects required to train for country life, in place of other subjects, which are adjudged non-essential for this purpose. The principal difference is that agriculture and home economics, instead of foreign language and higher mathematics, will be made the major studies. The course of study will comprise such scope of study and weighing of subjects as follows: Committee Conclusions and Recommendations 27 Subjects I. For Both Boys and Girls — ■ English Composition and Literature. Algebra — Constructive Geometry .... History — European and American . . . Civics and Economics General Science — Biological and Phys- ical Physics and Chemistry Gardening Horticulture Poultry Dairying. Art and Music II. For Boys — Industrial History Farm Mechanics and Mechanical Drawing Soils, Fertilizers, Cultivation Crops and Animal Husbandry Farm Management and Farm Ac- counts Shop Work in Wood and Cement .... III. For Girls- Foods, Cooking, etc Clothing, Sewing, Textiles, Laundry, etc Home Planning, Decoration, Furnish- ing, Landscape Gardening Sanitation and Hygiene Home Nursing Household Management and Ac- counts Art No. Years V2 1 1 Y X X PQ «i H w d tab 1/1 ?od sh +? -a * ™ D O CD d ■* U5S 03 ® fl n ^^ a> a) +=> d !> o3 d cd _. f/) 03 CO J2 o3 to r] —• P I >*. % ^ QJ H as -p y ■ H p — 8 « »• d ha .3 d g w> >> ? 3 g d ti® J8 M o3 ,d S ® £? Sag -p d ® ,d d 03 o te- r^ d Survey Data and Findings 71 (2) Present Conditions and Work of the Public Schools of the County (a) Attendance, Withdrawals and Length of School Term The status of the rural schools of the county is presented in part by an exhibit of statistics of attendance, enrollment, with- drawals, graduation and class schedules of all the schools of the county outside the city of Madison covering the five-year period from 1911 to 1915-16. The data as relates to enumeration, en- rollment, and attendance were gathered from the records in the office of the County Superintendent of Schools. The statistics of withdrawals were compiled from investigations of the personal history of all the children who have been enrolled in the rural schools of this county during the last five years. The data relating to recitation periods were compiled from the "recitation programs" of the schools for the last year and involve an examina- tion of all school records available in the county outside Madison. Table XXIX comprises the average annual enumeration of school children, the average annual enrollment in the grades, the average annual enrollment in high school, the average annual attendance of minors at college, and the total number of individ- uals who have been enrolled in the grades for the five-year period. Table XXX contains a result of the study of the withdrawals from the grades in the rural schools. Those reported as with- drawn on account of disciplinary trouble were children whose presence in school was so clearly detrimental that they were dis- missed or "frozen out." Those reported as lacking capacity were adjudged by the investigators as true cases of sub-normality. It is significant that the number who withdrew on account of eco- nomic strain is so small. It is also extremely significant that almosl thirty per cent of the total losses were on account of indif- ference. The enormous shifting of population, as shown by the withdrawals on account of removal, was very surprising in view of the supposed stationary character of the population of "purely rural" counties. This suggests a fairly insurmountable obstacle to the administration of a constructive program in the rural schools of this county. Table XXXI reveals in another comparison the shifting char- acter of the school population, the failure of the school to main- tain the legal school term and the exceptionally high per cent of common school graduates who enter high school. Table XXXII shows the average length of recitation periods 72 Jefferson County Survey of each of the grades for all the schools of the several townships, and was compiled from the recitation programs followed in the schools last year. The advantage of the consolidated school over the one-room school in this respect is very clearly revealed. Tables XXXIII and XXXIV are submitted to show the rel- ative attention paid by the several townships to their schools in the way of support. The connection between school maintenance and the road and bridge problem of the hill country, the impos- sibility of greatly increasing the school budget in view of the almost prohibitive tax rate prevailing, are serious aspects of the situation. Highways and schools present the only avenue in which much discretion is granted to local officials. Good roads are necessary to a sound rural development. The improvement of the schools, therefore, is conditioned on such improvements in methods of road construction and repair as will reduce the burden of road taxation and permit a corresponding increase of school support. TABLE XIX SCHOOLS ATTENDED Township Average Enumera- tion Average Enrollment in Grades Average Enrollment in High School Average Number Minors in College Total Number Persons Enrolled in Last 5 Years Hanover Saluda 296 416 251 355 204 339 335 361 779 367 106 335 175 221 127 201' 235 268 446 367 31 28 25 25 30 40 25 50 74 40 14 1 1 336 703 Republican Graham 317 383 Smyrna 1 2 215 Lancaster Monroe 525 447 Shelby 1 3 1 566 Madison Milton 877 463 County 3,703 2,481 368 24 4,832 Survey Data and Findings 73 .-J O O w o m O & W. < < Q W H X! X X H PQ «! H c3 03 03 (73 Total Number Withdrawals M»aNioMO)NHco COin*^(MHOO»lOM TfHNHNHHNM 05 o CM 0) Ml s O'-iOOOOOOOO i-H -d CD Q (NOMiMOtHi-HOiHO o Removal from Township -fcOOCD'O'-lCOGiCO^ co ■-< o> >o ■* t-^ co n z f re w s - n c a H 03 s re re (S d > B X CD += re e, d re 03 O h F O > - X F c a a < d | 3 > ■p ~< 5 o O 74 Jefferson County Survey TABLE XXXI WITHDRAWALS, GRADUATION, ETC Township Total Number New Pupils Ad- mitted in 5 Years Total Number Eighth Grade Gradu- ates Total Number Eighth Grade Enter- ing High School Total Number Pupils Enrolled Last 5 Years Total Number Persons With- drawn Last 5 Years Average Number Days School per Year Number Class Room Hanover Saluda Republican Graham 192 465 178 203 110 405 265 372 538 249 42 67 48 46 35 57 68 39 148 68 39 49 44 44 30 51 25 31 146 40 336 703 317 283 215 525 447 566 877 463 82 453 149 247 125 213 189 137 351 233 118. 114.2 115.4 119. 117.4 130.4 116. 118.4 117. 111. 6 13 9 10 6 Lancaster Monroe Shelby Madison Milton 10 9 14 IS 11 County 2,977 618 499 4,732 2,179 117.7 100 TABLE XXXII LENGTH OF RECITATION PERIODS IN MINUTES (a) District Schools Township First Grade Sec- ond Grade Tliird Grade Fourth Grade Fifth Grade Sixth Grade Sev- enth Grade Eighth Grade 15 11 10 10 15 12.8 11 10 15 10 12 15 15 15 12 15 15 15 12 15 15 15 13 15 15 15 15 15 15 Saluda Republican 15 15 Graham 15 Smyrna Lancaster 11.5 10 13.7 12 13.8 13 13.8 1 5 5 Monroe Madison Milton 9.2 10 9 10 10 9.5 12.2 12 9.5 12.2 12 ' 9.5 13 . 5 15 9.5 14 11.3 9.5 15 13 9 . 5 15 15 9 . 5 Hanover. ( Jraha m . Madison. (b) Consolidated Schools 25 25 19.15 20.3 20.3 21.6 21.6 15 18 18 17 18 18.5 22 5 17.5 16.5 14 25 25 20 20 (c) Average Length of Recitation Period by Grades For one-room district schools In the consolidated schools 10.7 19.2 11 23.2 12.4 17.2 12.8 8.20 13.6 19.4 13.2 21.7 13.9 23 21.6 21.3 25 14.4 23.6 Stjkvey Data and Findings 75 (b) Qualifications and Efficiency of Rural Teachers in Jefferson County The chief factor in a school situation is always the efficiency of the teacher. The present status of the rural schools of this county is necessarily determined largely by the professional char- acter of the teachers employed. The future development of the schools is limited almost completely by the possibility of develop- ing the teachers. Therefore, a considerable part of the time and energy of the investigation of the schools was devoted to a study of the teaching force of the county. The results portrayed in Tables 33 to 39, inclusive, require little analysis. The infor- mation presented therein was obtained from the teachers them- selves in answer to the questionaire incorporated herewith as a part of the report. Ninety-eight of the one hundred six rural teachers of the county responded to this request. The failure of the other eight to reply apparently was due to profound indiffer- ence, which itself is significant. Data concerning grade teachers only have been included in the tables. Table XXXIII presents the intellectual and professional at- tainments of the 85 grade teachers, as measured by the grade of license held. It is interesting to note that of the 312 certificates held by these teachers at different times 203 were for the mini- mum period and only 22 for the highest grade. It is also interest- ing to observe that of the 85 teachers employed last year 39 hold the twelve months certificate, while six had no license in force at at the time of replying to the questionaire. Table XXXIV reveals that of the 85 grade teachers employed last year, 16 were teaching their first school and 13 their second school. In other words, more than 34% had little or no experi- ence. The most significant feature of this table is the exhibit in the last two columns showing the rapid shifting of teachers from school to school, evidencing the utter impossibilitjr of obtaining the effective continuity of work outside or inside the school room, the more so under the present lack of supervised instruction. This table suggests the futility of any effective constructive cam- paign through the schools. Table XXXV represents the academic training of the teachers. By a "unit" of study is meant the pursuit of a subject in daily recitations for a period of three months. Almost 13% have had no high school education, while 21% have not progressed beyond the second year of high school. Only 17 have had the inspira- 76 Jeffekson County Survey tion of college study and these for less than one term, on the average. Table XXXVI is an exhibit of professional training of the 85 grade teachers reporting. Of these 85, fourteen have had no professional training, and only 32 teachers have had more than two terms of normal work. It is significant, in connection with the introduction of instruction in agriculture and domestic sci- ence in the rural schools, that of the 85 teachers only 27 have had as much as six weeks study in agriculture since leaving the high school, and 29 have had an only equal amount of domestic science. An examination of the high school training of these teachers will show that few of them had either subject in high school. Yet all of these 85, save six, are licensed to teach both subjects. Fifty- five of the 85 teachers have had country experience, most of them altogether. It is clear that most of them will teach, not scientific agriculture or domestic science, but the things which they learned by rote on the home farm. One may inquire what prospects of betterment is offered by these teachers. TABLE XXXIII AGE AND LICENSES OF TEACHERS IN THE GRADES Number of each grade Number of license which of each grade of High- Low- Med- has been held by license held by teach- Township est est ium the teachers ers of township in age age a,ge employed in the townships force at this time 12 24 36 12 24 36 mo. mo. mo. mo. mo. mo. None 41 50 28 20 20 18 24 29 24 5 21 12 3 10 3 1 4 3 4 5 1 2 1 1 3 1 Republican 1 Graham 32 50 20 20 25 25 15 18 7 3 2 3 3 3 1 2 1 Smyrna Lancaster 48 46 40 69 53 21 18 18 22 20 24 33 24 34 30 10 24 30 42 26 2 19 21 13 6 2 4 1 6 2 5 3 4 3 6 1 1 6 3 2 1 4 1 7 2 1 Monroe Shelby Madison 2 .Milton 203 87 22 39 21 21 6 Survey Data and Findings 77 TABLE XXXIV TEACHING EXPERIENCE ' Number Average Average Number Number Number Having Average Number Years Having C Having 12 More Than Number Different Each Township Months Months Than 12 Months Schools Teacher Exper- Exper- Months Exper- Taught Has ience ience Exper- ience ience Last 5 Years Taught in Her Last School 1 1 3 4 5 6 4 53 11 22 1.8 2.3 2 2.6 1.9 1.4 2 1 1 2 4 3 24 40 2 2.6 1 1 2 3 1 2 1 5 5 6 35 63 35 2.75 2.4 1.7 1.5 1.7 Shelby 1.8 3 2 13 5 101 28 2 1.7 3 Milton 1.7 County Averages. 16 13 56 41.2 1.76 1.76 TABLE XXXV ACADEMIC TRAINING OF GRADE TEACHERS Number of Average Teachers Who Average Number Number Attended Hig h Number Having 4 Average Township Years School Years or More Number Study in the Grades High School Units College College Units 1 2 3 4 Study Credit 1 yr. yr. yr. yi'. yr. Hanover S.2 1 l 3 3.4 4 9 Saluda 8.7 3 2 6 2.7 2 4 Republican 8.2 1 1 5 3.4 1 1.4 Graham 8.4 1 1 5 3.4 Smyrna 8.3 1 1 4 3 1 4 Lancaster 8.6 8 4 1 2.5 Monroe 8.3 3 1 3 2 Shelby 8.6 1 1 4 5 3 4 4.6 8 2 3 9 3.4 3 1.6 Milton 8.3 1 2 7 3.4 1 2.4 11 1 \ 1S 17 Average for county 8.76 3.17 2.95 78 Jefferson County Survey TABLE XXXVI PROFESSIONAL TRAINING OF GRADE TEACHERS (85 teachers reporting) Num- Aver- Number ber Num- age Having 6 Aver- Hav- ber Num- Num- Weeks or age ing Hav- ber Hav- More ber More Num- Township Some Amount ing No Hav- ing 4 ing 8 Units than 8 Units Pro- ber School of Train- Units Units fes- Agri- Do- Jour- Train- ing sional cul- mestic nals ing Train- ing ture ence Sci. Read 5 9 . 6 1 2 1 3 4 4 2 5 1 11 11.3 6.9 1 5 2 1 5 2 2 8 •> 2 Republican 2.3 Graham G 1 1 3 2 ' 7.6 2 2 2.7 Smyrna 6 1 2 3 10.5 2 3 3.5 Lancaster 7 1 1 2 4 9.3 2 3 2 Monroe 4 3 1 1 2 5.1 3 5 2.S Shelby 9 2 6 1 2 7.1 3 2 2.8 Madison 9 4 1 S 20.3 2 3 4.4 Milton. 10 3 4 3 S.4 5 3 2 7 County 71 14 14 2.5 32 27 29 Average for the 9.75 2 82 (c) Amount and Kind of Instruction in Elementary Agriculture and Domestic Science Given in the Rural School of the ■ County* t Tables XXXVII and XXXVIII portray the character and amount of instruction in the practical arts subjects, agriculture and domestic science, which these teachers report. In the first place about one-half only of the teachers to which the vocational law applies are complying with the law so far as can he determined from the claim which they submit. It is not likely that they have underestimated the amount of work done. *Section V of Indiana Vocational Law requires all schools of the state to give instruction in Elementary Agriculture and Elementary Domestic Science as a part of their regular course of instruction as the State Board of Education may direct. Sukvey Data and Findings 79 TABLE XXXVII INSTRUCTION IN AGRICULTURE IN THE GRADED SCHOOLS OF THE COUNTY Township Number Teachers in Charge of Grades 5 to 8* Agriculture Number of Teachers Giving Instruction in the Subject in Grades Average Total Number Minutes per Week in Agriculture Given by Those Who Are Teaching Subject Number Teachers Having County 5 6 7 8 Hanover. ....... 4 11 6 6 6 7 9 13 8 11 1 1 1 i i 1 2 2 2 1 1 1 5 4 4 2 5 3 5 7 6 1 1 3 4 6 7 GO 48 79 62 48 38 88 ' 90 33 3S 1 11 5 6 6 7 6 S 7 9 Republican Graham Lancaster Monroe Shelbv Madison Milton 81 5 9 42 42 58.4 66 ♦State Board of Education requires that elementary agriculture and domestic science be taught in the 7th and 8th school years. TABLE XXXVIII INSTRUCTION IN DOMESTIC SCIENCE IN THE GRADES Township Number of Teachers in Charge of Grades 5 to 8 Number Teachers Giving Instruction in Domestic Science in Grades Average Number Minutes per Week in Domestic Science Given Where Taught 5 6 7 8 Hanover 4 11 6 6 6 7 9 13 8 11 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 5 4 3 2 5 3 3 4 5 1 2 2 5 3 5 2 5 6 6 90 35 48 48 66 53 96 80 32 38 Saluda Republican Graham Smyrna Lancaster Monroe Shelby Madison Milton County 81 6 8 35 37 Average time where taught 58.6 80 Jefferson Counyt Survey (cf) Amount and Kind of Home Project Work Done in Agriculture and Domestic Science Most of the instruction given in elementary agriculture and domestic science in the elementary schools is mere rote work from a textbook. Judging from the replies to the question with refer- ence to home project work, it is apparent that the great majority of teachers do not have a clear conception either of the meaning of home project work or of its possibilities. See Table XXXIX below. TABLE XXXIX Total number teachers in charge of grades 5 to 8, inclusive 81 Number reporting no home project work in agriculture. 49 Number reporting work acceptable to investigators 5 Number reporting home work not accepted 27 Number reporting no home project work in domestic science 49 Number reporting home work acceptable to investigators 15 Number reporting work not acceptable to investigators 17 (e) Consolidation of Rural Schools in Jefferson County 1. Hanover township is consolidated with the exception of one one-room school of colored children which cannot be incor- porated on account of race prejudice. 2. Madison township is more than half consolidated. It is possible to combine the Antioch and lower Clifty schools and to merge the Stony Point school into the North Madi- son schools, thus completing consolidation. 3. Milton contemplates the combination of six schools at Brooksburg, which is entirely feasible. The combination of the other four schools is not practicable for topographic reasons. 4. Shelby township contemplates the combination of six schools at Canaan, thus merging almost half of her schools. It is hardly practicable to make further combinations under present conditions. 5. In Lancaster township it is feasible to combine three one- room schools at Du Pont and two at Middlefork, thus closing all but two one-room schools in this township. The senti- ment, however, seems to be hostile to this step. 6. Monroe township may readily consolidate at two points. 7. Graham township very easily may consolidate the Possum Trot, Pleasant Valley and New schools with the Deputy schools, but it is not at all feasible on account of topography and distance to undertake more. Survey Data and Findings 81 9. 10. Smyrna township may readily consolidate all but one of the one-room schools at Volga the township village located in the center of the township. In Republican township Hall's, Independence, Scotland and Kent schools may be combined at Kent, leaving three one- room schools to continue. In Saluda township the College Corner, Sheep's Run, Mills and Ten Cent schools may be combined with the Saluda High School, and the three or possibly four schools in the south end of the township at Painville, leaving two one-room schools in the river bluff country. AH the above combinations are feasible with the present road conditions, and with the construction of a total of three or four miles of new road transportation would offer no difficulties of con- sequence. With such consolidation, there would remain in the county but twenty or twenty-five one-room schools. With fur- ther road improvements, the number may be further reduced, and under a county administration, as distinguished from the present township administration, additional reductions may be made. 3. Present Tax Rate and Distribution of Local and State Tax Funds Tables XL and XLI show the present rate of taxation in the several townships of the county and the distribution of same for all purposes. TABLE XL DISTRIBUTION OF PUBLIC FUNDS AS SHOWN BY RATES OF TAXATION (Rate expressed in cents on the hundred dollars) Township For State Educa- tional Institu- tions General State Expense G eneral County Expense General Town- ship Expense Roads and Bridges Common Schools Total Tax Levied All Pur- poses Hanover. . . Saluda 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 18.5 18.5 18.5 18.5 18. t 18.5 18.5 18.5 18.5 18.5 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 21 30 18 16 21 15 23 17 6 23 134.9 112.9 117.9 107.9 135.9 120.9 94.9 128.9 72.9 88.9 94.6 99.6 69.6 104.6 63.9 88.6 64.6 62.6 107.6 65.6 3.10 Republican G raham Smyrna 3.02 2.55 2.88 Lancaster . . . Monroe. . Shelby 2.80 2.84 2.42 Madison Milton 2.68 2.46 - 2.68 82 Jefferson County Suevey TABLE XLI PERCENTAGE OF INCOME OF LOCAL TAXES APPORTIONED TO DIFFERENT PURPOSES Per Cent to State Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent Township Educa- to General General to General to Roads to the tional State County Township and Common Institu- Expense Expense Expense Bridges Schools tions Hanover 2.25 5.96 10.9 6.77 43.51 30.51 Saluda 2.32 6.12 11.22 9.98 37.42 32.98 Republican 2.64 6.90 12.83 6.79 44.49 26.26 2.46 2.50 2.46 2.89 2.61 6.42 6.60 6.51 7.64 6.90 11.80 12.14 11.96 14.05 12.68 5.55 7.50 5.27 9.50 6.34 36.19 48.53 42.56 39.21 48.09 36 . 31 22.71 31 23 26.69 Shelby 23.35 Madison 2.84 7.52 13.82 2.43 29.63 42.73 Milton 2.95 7.72 14.34 9.70 37.51 27.68 County. ... 2.59 6.83 12.57 6.98 40.71 30.04 4. Definition of Vocational Education and Statement of Principles In order to make clear the meaning of vocational education as employed in the report and its relationship to regular educa- tion, the following statement for the State Board of Education is given. Meaning of Vocational Education. Vocational education, as defined and provided for in the Indiana Law means just what the term implies, an education of training which aims to fit an individual or group of individuals for a particular occupation or trade, or which seeks to help those already engaged in an occupa- tion for which training can be given, to become more proficient in their work by teaching them the science, mathematics and tech- nique which underlie that occupation or trade. In a vocational department or school, the entire course of study is made up of such practical or vocational subjects and such related academic and science subjects as are necessary, or as may prove particularly helpful to a group of boys and girls desiring to prepare themselves for the occupations taught in the school. All subjects which con- tribute to this purpose — technical, scientific and academic — -are selected. All subjects which do not contribute to this vocational purpose are excluded from the curriculum. Survey Data and Findings 83 In a vocational department or school organized to prepare girls for scientific home-making or occupations connected with the household, for example, only those subjects are taught which contribute directly to the purpose of the school. For example: (1) Courses dealing with the selection and preparation of foods, such as cooking, marketing, gardening, etc.; (2) courses giving instruction in the selection and making of suitable clothing for the family, such as sewing, dressmaking, millinery, laundering, the study of textiles, care of clothing, etc. ; (3) courses giving special attention to the care of the home, embracing the study of clean- ing and heating devices, personal and home hygiene and the like; (4) courses dealing with the selecting and furnishing the home, such as home decoration, home furnishing, house planning, proper location of a home, landscape gardening, etc.; (5) courses which give instruction in the proper management of a home, such as scientific household management, household accounting, home nursing, care of the sick, feeding and care of children, etc.; (6) the study of those scientific and academic subjects which have a direct and helpful Bearing on the occupations to be learned, such as English, history, civics, household physics, household chemistry, music, including violin, piano, orchestra, voice, chorus work or the history of music; drawing and art as applied to home making. In a vocational department of school designed to prepare for an agricultural career the curriculum would contain only such technical, scientific and academic subjects as would give specific help to a group of students desiring to fit themselves on a high plane for this line of work. Stated broadly and generally, therefore, vocational education seeks to train all kinds of men and women, young and old, in all sorts of ways for all kinds of useful and productive work, to the end that they may be made more intelligent and productive citi- zens and, therefore, happier men and women. Theoretically, it means that we seek to develop the full talents and capacities of all our people: (1) By ascertaining what these talents are; (2) by giving full opportunity in our schools for cultivating whatever talents and capacities the pupils may possess. Practically it means that we seek to fit all groups of people for some form of creative and useful work to the end that they may be made not only self-supporting and happy, but useful and productive citi- zens of the state. . Relation of Vocational and General Education. The Committee 84 Jefferson County Survey believes that it is important for the citizens and school people of Jefferson County to understand just how the vocational work recommended in this report is related to the work already at- tempted by the public schools. The Committee believes it is important that all should understand that the vocational depart- ments and vocational schools to be established under the new Indiana law do not come as a substitute for or as an attempt to modify the present work of our public schools, but rather as an attempt to extend and enlarge their sphere of work. A vocational department or course is organized to do a distinct type of work not attempted heretofore by our regular schools. Vocational instruction does not conflict with the regular and fundamental work done in the public schools. Vocational and general educa- tion are merely "different phases of the same educational process. A certain amount of general education is necessary before voca- tional training, as such, can profitably begin. The two phases of educational effort do not and cannot conflict. General educa- tion comes first, vocational education comes, or should come, as the culmination or last step in the educational process of every individual. In the passage of the vocational law, Indiana merely undertook the added task of providing, in addition to general education, efficient vocational training for all the people desiring to avail themselves of such training. The people of the state have come to feel that the chief aim and purpose of education and life does not consist primarily in learning how to consume intelligently, but rather in learning how to produce. They have recognized the fact that it takes a skilled and willing worker and producer to make a good citizen, and they believe that every citizen should be pre- pared by education and training for some form of useful work. Indiana, we are pleased to say, is one of the few states clearly recognizing that until this has been accomplished, the individual will not be able to make his own life of value to himself or himself of service to societv. APPENDIX GENERAL ANALYSES OF THE AGRICULTURAL OCCUPATIONS OF THE COUNTY TO DETERMINE THE DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS FOR EF- FICIENT WORK The chart analysis of farm occupations, covers briefly the field of agriculture of which a successful farmer must have a general knowledge. No one farmer is expected to have specialized knowl- edge of each subject in the field, but he must have a comprehen- sive view of the entire field in order that he can intelligently make a selection of the type of farming which he can pursue most profitably. The Committee has recommended that Jefferson County farmers do not attempt to practice grain farming but that they should engage in such types of farming as dairying, fruit growing, sheep raising, poultry keeping and gardening. The chart has a direct bearing on the foregoing recommendation. For example, if dairying is to be the major industry on a given farm, the farmer should have intimate knowledge of diarying and should follow the business intensively. He should, however, have general knowledge of the entire field so that he can intelligently select his minor activities such as gardening, poultry, livestock raising, and properly relate them to his major line. The chart does not give detailed outlines of the several sub- jects. Only the leading topics are enumerated. 86 Farm Occupations SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE DAIRYING Types and breeds. Bacteriology — Principles of breeding. Souring of milk, ripening cream; di- Diseases and how to prevent or control. sease. Principles and practice of sanitation, in Food value of milk, and its products. barn, milk house; keep cows, utensils, Keeping records — clothing and hands clean. Butter fat tests. Light and ventilation. Pounds of milk produced. Proper care -and handling of milk, cream, Pounds of butter produced. butter, cheese. Amount and kind of feeds used. Cooling milk. Relation to soil maintenance, and im- Testing for butterfat. provement. Feeding and management. Value of herd bull. Chemistry of feeds — Cow testing association. Proteids. Carbohydrates. Balanced rations. Feeding practice. HORSES Types and breeds. Principles of feeding. Principles of breeding. Proper housing. Diseases and how to prevent and control. Knowledge of markets and principles of Defects — how to recognize. buying and selling. Judging animal — Keeping records of breeding and foaling As to purpose. dates, of other important items, such On basis of use. as feed, cost, income. Keep kind and numbers needed. BEEF CATTLE Types and breeds. Management in relation to size of farm, Principles of breeding. hogs, market, conditions, etc. Diseases and how to prevent and control. Relation to Soil. Principles of feeding — Improvement. Kinds of feed. Knowledge of markets and principle of Amount of feed. buying and selling. How. Keeping complete records of the business. Shelter — Value of herdbull. Sanitation, comfort. J udging beef — Type; to determine whether good feeder. Farm Occupations 87 SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE Types and breeds. Principles of breeding. Diseases and how to prevent and control. Principles of feeding — Brood sows and pigs. Fattening hogs. Proper housing — Brood sows and pigs. Fattening hogs. Principles of sanitation — Houses. Lots. Farm. Relation to cattle feeding. Relations to soil improvement. Knowledge of markets, and principles of buying and selling. Fail and spring litter management. Keeping complete records of the business. Practice in judging. Types and breeds. Principles of breeding. Diseases and how to prevent and control. Principles of feeding. Proper housing. Principles of sanitation. Care of wool. Knowledge of markets and principles of buying and selling. Practice in judging. Keeping complete records of the business. POULTRY Care of eggs. Keeping complete records of egg produc- tion, feeds used, poultry sold, eggs sold — all items of cost and income. Securing and holding customers, for high- class products. Knowledge of markets and principles of buying and selling. Value of eggs as food. Proper use in the home. Types and breeds. Principle breeding. Diseases and pests and how to prevent and control. Principles and practice of sanitation in poultry house and yard. Principles of feeding — Feeds, Purpose. Eggs — Meat. Amount to feed, Kind to feed. When and how. Poultry house construe don. Hatching problems — Selecting eggs. Breeding pens. Selecting sitters. Selecting and using incubator and brooder. Care of chicks. Fattening for market. Grading eggs. SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE VEGETABLES Principles of plant, breed- ing and propagation. Kinds and varieties of veg- etables that should be grown for home use, and those that meet the de- mands of the market. Soil adapted to vegetables to be grown. Management of soil. Cultivation. Relation of topography to location of garden. Planning the garden — Kitchen, market, truck. Diseases and pest and how to prevent and control them. Spraying: Why, when, how, material, appara- tus. Preservation — Storage. Canning. Marketing surplus. Preparation for markets. Value as food. (For use in home.) Knowledge of markets and principles of buying and selling. Keeping complete records. UNIFORM KNOWLEDGE Principles of plant breeding and propaga- tion. Fruits adapted to state, locality, farm. Soil adapted to fruits to be grown. Management of soil. Relation to topography. Spraying — Why, when, how, material, apparatus. Budding and grafting — Why, when, how. Materials, equipment. Diseases and pests — how to prevent and control. Planting — When, what, how. Preservation — Storage. Canning. Marketing — Principles of buying and selling. Value as a food. (For proper use in home.) Keep complete records. LANDSCAPE GARDENING Beautiflcation of lawn and surroundings. Kind of trees, shrubs, and flowers to plant. — Why, when, how. How to make and keep the lawn. Fences in goed repair. Buildings in good repair and painted. Clean and neat appearance in all parts of the farm. AGRONOMY Soils. Types. Formation. Structure. Texture. Drainage. Vegetable matter. Lime. Temperature. Porosity. Weight. Preparation of seedbed. Cultivation rotation of crops. Legumes. Barnyard manure. Acidity. Puddling Commercial fertilizers. Aeriation. Capillary moisture. Free water. Maintenance. Improvement. Grain Crops. Corn, oats, wheat, rye, barley, soy beans. Principles of plant breed- ing, and propagation. Knowledge of varieties. Judge of good seed. Selecting seed, storing seed. Testing seed. Plant foods required. Planting. Cultivating. Harvesting. Storing. Knowledge of market, and principles of buying and selling. Value as feed. Keeping complete record*. Forage Crops. Clovers, alfalfa, cowpeas, soy beans, vetch, tim- othy, bluegrass, sor- ghum, rape, millet, red top. Judge of good, clean, seed. Knowledge of varieties. Preparation of seedbed. Plant foods required. Adaptation to soil, clim- ate, and use. How and when to harvest. Value as feed. How to use forago. Relation to soil, main- tenance, building, de- pletion. SCIENCE Chemistry, physics, botany, entomology. Elementary principles of chemistry — Soils, water, feeds, milk. Physics — Building, heating, lighting, machinery, drainage. Botany — Principles of- plant breeding, propaga- tion — growth. Entomology — Diseases, insects, pests. Bacteriology — Milk. Water. Disease. FARM MECHANICS Drawing plans and making blueprints — Frame buildings, silos, gates, etc. Cement work — Walks, posts, foundations. Woodwork — Building, repairing. Practical knowledge of machinery and Implements — Proper care and use of same. Binder, mower, plows, cultivators, churn, separator, spraying and pruning appar- atus, engines, etc. Probably some elementary work In black- smithing. EDUCATIONAL Mathematics. History. Civics. English. Literature. Arts. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE Animal and crop units in proportion to size of farm, kind of soil, ability to secure labor, nearness of markets, kind of roads. Keeping complete and accurate records of business. Practical working knowledge of principles of buying and selling. Soil maintenance. Soil improvement. Organizer. Executive. Crop rotation. Careful planning as to kind of farming — Dairy, poultry, general, etc. Animals and crops to be emphasized lu 1 general farming, LIBRARY OF CONGRESS (& 019 736 479 8