COURSE OF STUDY FOR COUNTY SCHOOLS OF AGRICULTURE.

FIRST YEAR.

For Boys.

English-grammar, writing, spelling.
Arithmetic.

First semester... Plants-elementary botany.

Carpentry.

Drawing.

English composition and business correspondance.
Business arithmetic and farm bookkeeping.

Vegetable, flower and fruit gardening.

Second semester.

Soils and fertilizers.

SECOND YEAR.

First semester...

Second semester.

FIRST YEAR.

Blacksmithing, shop work, harness and tool repairing.
Rural architecture, 3 days; gardening, 2 days.
Commerce and commercial geography.

For Girls.

English-grammar, writing, spelling.

Arithmetic.

First semester... Cooking and sewing.

Domestic hygiene.

Drawing.

English-composition and business correspondence.
Business arithmetic and farm bookkeeping.

SHORT COURSES.

Under the provisions of Section eight of the Act it is provided that short courses may be given during the winter months for students of advanced age and for farmers of the county. These courses should be continued from four to six weeks and should cover such subjects as dairying, stock feeding, stock raising, the sugar beet, rotation of crops, gardening, fruit raising, and such other subjects as may be suitable for the locality. I believe these short courses may be made a most important factor in the agricultural advancement of the county.

LIBRARY AND REFERENCE BOOKS.

The following books should be placed in the library of the county school of agriculture as soon as possible. If they cannot all be purchased at the start the list should be made complete at the earliest possible date.

Studies and observations in the schoolroom. Educational Publishing Co.

Laboratory manual of organic chemistry. Wiley & Sons.

Working tools and how to use them... .D. C. Heath & Co.

Teachers' handbook of manual training.. The Macmillan Co.

School and home sanitation and decoration. D. C. Heath & Co.

During the year thirty-two county normal training classes have been in operation in the following counties: Arenac, Antrim, Charlevoix, Clinton, Gratiot, Kalkaska, Oakland, Osceola, St. Clair, Wexford, Barry, Ionia, Ingham, Iosco, Macomb, Mason, Mecosta, Midland, Oceana, Shiawassee, Calhoun, Cass, Manistee, Newaygo, Otsego, Allegan, Branch, Lapeer, Lenawee, Ottawa, Saginaw, Van Buren.

Permission has been given for the establishment of five additional training classes in the following counties: Cheboygan, Genesee, Montcalm, Menominee, Tuscola.

Graduates.

Four hundred students were graduated in June, 1907, making an average of twelve students for each class. This number added to those who had already graduated and were teaching, together with those graduated from the rural courses of the State normal schools, has provided sufficient trained teachers to supply twenty per cent of the rural schools of the State. For the school year opening in September,

1907, thirty-six classes were in operation with an attendance of about six hundred students.

On the first of March, 1907, a meeting was held in Lansing of all the training class teachers, superintendents and commissioners. At this meeting subjects directly connected with the work of the training classes and the rural schools were discussed; among others the subject of agriculture in the rural schools, geography, language work were given especial attention. All but two of the teachers were present at this meeting and it was most excellent in its results.

We find that the spirit of the students in the training classes is excellent. They are imbued with the proper teacher's spirit and are anxious to devote their services to the improvement of the rural schools of the State.

We have been very fortunate in securing suitable persons to give instruction in these classes and it is to be hoped that the tenure of office of these persons will be permanent. It is not advisable that the teachers in these classes be changed about as frequently as teachers are changed in the public schools. They should remain in the county where they locate long enough to gain the confidence of the teachers and of the people and thus become of real service to the public schools of the county.

Visitations.

The State Superintendent has general supervision of county normal training classes, and a representative of the Department has made one or more visits to each of these classes during the year. In these visits the Department desires to see the actual work done and to make such suggestions as may be helpful and as will improve the character of the product of the training classes.

It is not necessary to give herewith the plan of organization and course of study, as we have been pursuing the same as was used during the year 1906.

When we consider that at the time the law was enacted authorizing the establishment of these classes less than two per cent of the teachers employed in the rural schools of the State had ever received any special training to fit them for their work and at the present time twenty per cent of the rural schools are employng trained teachers, it is very apparent that the establishment of these classes was a wise measure on the part of the legislature, and that our people may look forward confidently to the time in the near future when all our rural schools will be taught by persons who have had special training to fit them for their work.

Summer

In fourteen of the county normals, summer sessions of from two to four weeks were held, thus giving additional opportunity for study and training to the general teaching force of the county. sessions. We are very much pleased at the reports received from the county commissioners and school officers in regard to the work of the graduates of the training classes. Almost without exception these reports show that the young people appreciate their opportunities and responsibilities, and show a decided improvement in the work over teachers who have not had this training. It should always be borne in mind that experience is not the equivalent of training, as training should always precede and be the basis upon which a proper experience may be secured. The one who relies upon experience may go along for years repeating errors and mistakes without knowing that he has done so.

So far as the instruction in rural schools is concerned, all our people should take courage at the thought that we are in a fair way to give to our young people such instruction as will enable them to make the most of their opportunities.