The length of the courses varies from one to four years with the most common length two years except in the district schools of Alabama and Georgia where the four-year course is the rule. The admission requirements very properly are not high for most of these in stitutions. Completion of the elementary school is expected, except for students over 16 who are commonly admitted regardless of previous academic preparation. In most of these schools the instruction is designed to meet the .needs of boys who have come from the farm and who expect to return to it without further opportunity for study. In addition to the instruction in such agricultural subjects as farm crops, soils, animal husbandry, farm management, fruit growing, poultry husbandry. and dairying, the students have work in English. civics, arithmetic, and some basic science work. In these institutions the tendency has been to follow too closely in the footsteps of the col leges of agriculture so far as organization and presentation of the work are concerned. Most of the schools are provided with a farm.
It was noted in connection with the colleges of agriculture that in the early stages they developed more rapidly than did those that were a part of a university. When the later class finally started they had a more substantial growth. A striking parallel occurs in the development of agriculture in struction of secondary grade. The first few years of its growth the special schools were prominent and there were few agricultural de partments in high schools. These, however, are developing rapidly in recent years. In 1915-16 there were 421 State-aided vocational depart ments of agriculture in public high schools and 2,981 public high schools teaching agricul ture. In the vocational departments the course of study is commonly four years in length al though frequently short courses are also offered. In other high schools the courses com monly run from a half year to two years.
February 23, President Wilson signed the Smith-Hughes bill for vocational education. This measure which makes provision for Fed eral aid to the States for vocational education in agriculture, trade and industrial subjects, and home economics, is certain to exert a marked influence upon the development of secondary agriculture. Like the Smith-Lever Act this law makes the development of vocational education in agriculture a co-operative enterprise between the various States and the Federal govern ment. The law went into operation 1 July 1917 and provides Federal funds to the amount of $500,000 for the stimulus of vocational educa tion in agriculture. This amount is increased by $250,000 annually until $2,000,000 is reached when it is increased to $3,000,000, which is the maximum, by annual increments of $500,000. This money is appropriated among the States in the proportion that the rural population of each State bears to the total rural population of all the States. In order to receive the benefits of this act there must be expended from sources within the State an amount equal to the amount received from the National government. The
instruction must be designed for pupils over 14 years of age but it must be below college grade. The law further provides that the funds must be expended through State supported or supervised schools, and arrangements must be made so that pupils obtain at least six months of practical experience each year. The law makes provision for the preparation of teachers of vocational agriculture.
This act is administered by the Federal Board for Vocational Education which con sists of a representative of labor, a representa tive of agriculture, a representative of trade and industry, and the following ex-officio mem bers; secretary of agriculture, secretary of com merce, secretary of labor and the commissioner of education.
In all of the early attempts to develop agri cultural instruction in secondary schools it was considered necessary to maintain a farm. In recent years the home project plan, which has been developed largely through the efforts of R W. Stimson of Massachusetts, has proved more satisfactory as a means of affording voca tional experience. The home project is or dinarily a productive enterprise that is an out growth of the school instruction but is carried on by the pupil at his home under the super vision of the agricultural instructor. The next 10 years are certain to witness a marked de velopment and extension of the home project method in agricultural teaching in high schools.
Elementary Schools.— Agricultural instruc tion in the high schools raises many problems that are difficult of solution but the problem is even more serious in the rural elementary school. There are a number of States in which such instruction is required by law but in a large measure it has failed to function because it has been too bookish. This is chiefly due to the fact that in most States there is no adequate system for the preparation of rural teachers. They are unable to go into the school and utilize the experiences of the country child and the opportunities of the farming community for educational purposes. However, some very good results have been attained in spite of the many difficulties. The consolidation of schools has greatly increased the possibilities of instruc tion in agriculture for pupils of the upper grades. This is also true of the intermediate schools of agriculture and mechanic arts of New York State; and the junior high schools to be found in the rural communities of Ver mont. The latter have had a very marked de velopment since 1915 when provision was made for them by special legislation. (See AGRICUL TURAL COLLEGES; AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION). Consult Bailey, L. H., 'Cyclopedia of American Agriculture) (New York 1910-11) ; Carney, M., 'Country Life and the Country School) (Chicago 1912) ; Bulletins of United States Department of Agriculture and of State Experiment Stations.