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Summer, 1944 HOME AND COUNTRY 3 M J U NIOR NEWS I944 Achlevement Days Homemaking Club members every- where are now completing 1943-44 club programmes and attending Ach- ievement llnys. It is evident that members of The Milky Way, The Cereal Shelf, The Supper Club and other Nutrition Clubs are food conscious, know Canâ€" ada's official food rules and endeavour to follow them. Delicious custards of just-right consistency, plain and dressed-up teabiscuits, light and ex. treinely good, and a variety of cereal products are.evidence of the skill acquired by girls in preparing nour. ishing, economical food for family meals in war days. In spite of difficulties in procuring material for clothing, bedroom and clothes closet accessories, garments and accessories at Achievement Days have shown wise buying with good quality material. A cotton slip re. cently received from the North Bruce Achievement Day ranks with the best slips since the first year of the Being Well Dressed and Well Groonied Club in 1935-36. Lincoln, Oxford and Peterborough had fine displays of smart cotton dresses, many of them made by inexperienced juniors. Cot- ton accessories at Renfrew and North- umberland were colourful and most attractive. Northumberland had a splendid day with 55 members out of a possible 56 'n attendance, with every club exhi ting. Club Storlcs Repeatedly reports show high per- centage completions, with every club participating in Achievement Day. Again and again. however, Home Economics Coaches tell of clubs never getting started, not completing, or completing meetings but not attending Achievement Days. This is disap- pointing. It shows need for encour- agement and assistance from parents and adults. It was David Lloyd George who said, "Nothing is so dam- aging to character as an unfinished tas ". Club stories, skits and demonstra- tions from county to county show creative ability, originality and a fund of information on the part of members and leaders. In 3 Clothes Closet Up-To-Date club story in Vic» toria County, one found the feather on a hat chattering to the brim and crown, telling in gayest form about clothes closets up-toâ€"date. The brim perked up when it heard that there was to be a hat standard which would help keep it in shape, while the crown felt young again on hearing that a hat cover was being made to protect it from the dust. V Leaders Are Loyal In Carleton County one read of the important part played by local Insti- tutes in sponsoring and encouraging club work, by sending leaders to training school, purchasing supplies for demonstrations at club meetings and consistent interest through the club year. County and Provincial i-Ion- our girls are taking their places as club leaders and giving commendable leadership. Former Chicago ‘Tl‘l'p Winners, now with an international vision of clubs for rural boys and. girls, have been doing a particularly good job in promoting and leading clubs this year. Eileen Walsh ~of Middlesex had two record clubs With 14 girls completing The Club Stands on Guard, and nine The Milky Wayâ€" 100% completions. . ‘Transportation has been difficult for clubs with members scattered over a distance. However, determined girls have hiked their three or four miles and enjoyed-it. Others have cycled, ridden horseback, driven Dobbinâ€" and. thus managed in rain or shine to make their club meetings. As for Achievement Days, with greater dis- tances, cli‘ibsfrom afar frequently arâ€" rivcdgfirst and in full force" This happened at Grey County With the 'Drom‘orefllub making their 40 miles brig t’d nd‘ early. . Trlbule lo Junlors and Northern Members Special tribute should be aid splendid work and enthusiasm befall; and. 1d year old members. These Juniors were on hand with record books complete, sometimes with mis- spelt ivords but invariably with better books to their credit than we would have attempted at their age. Usually there was an understanding, wise leaders working with these girls and interested and coâ€"opcrative parents encouraging their daughters. Miss Lilly Petty, Home Economics Coach for the North, reports all kinds of good work up there. Many clubs have been doing most practical work as a result of their club studies. The Clute Club in the Cochrane District, used Dressing Up Home Vegetable Dishes for hot school lunches. Mem~ bers of‘this club walked three miles to meetings and on one cold January day could not take their vegetables for roll call. They would have frozen en route. The Earwick Club in Rainy River was instrumental in promoting and establishing an immunization clinic for scarlet fever. Some 180 children were “cliniced”. Northern Clubs have been making up British war garments, and they all come in beautifully pressed and with excellent workmanship. One busy Jul’llO'l' who does considerable work outside, has just requested garments to make up during the summer months when it is too wet to work outdoors. Fall Programmes Plan ned Fall and Winter Programmes are being planned. Special committees have been set up in some counties to promote the organization of clubs, to interest girls in club work and secure leaders. This will, we hope, overcome the problems encountered in some places of girls without leaders or leaders without girls. The Home Economics Coach will be most happy to hear from any Institute with girls available for fall clubs. A folder, Homemaking Clubs for Rural Girls, will be sent any Institute wish- ing detailed information on the Home- making Club programme. Send your request to your Home Economics Coach or to Miss Florence P. Eadie. Gardens Growing Some 2,000 gardeners, members of Girls' Garden Brigades, have gardens growing. Right now they are waging war on weeds and garden pests and, with hoe and cultivator, dressing up their gardens in “Sunday best” for a visit from the Agricultural Represent- ative or Home Economics Coach. Questions are piling up for these call- ers,â€"“Why did the spinach go to seed?" “Are the carrots planted too closely?" “Are my flowers planted in a suitable place?" “How do I start an asparagus bed?" Record books help tell the story of the gai'dengwith planting dates, re- port on soil samples and recommenda- tions followed, dates when vegetables were ready for use, etc. Plans will be made by the Coach for canning dem- onstrations,â€"canning tomatoes for first and second year gardeners, can- ning fruit for third year gardeners. Many local fairs are asking for club exhibits this fall. If transporta. tion problems can be pvercome un- doubtedly many clubs Will be showing their communities what they mean by “Vegetables to keep us fit". There are hot, busy days ahead for these farm daughter gardeners, days when gardens will be left and gar- deners will lend a hand with other farm crops. Nevertheless, it is hoped that there will be a high percentage of completions with creditable produc- tion records from these 2,000 gar- deners. One has high hopes after meeting enthusiastic young gardeners and receiving most encouraging re- ports from others. _ . (Contributed by Miss F. P. Eadie, W.I. Branch.) RURAL EDUCATION NORMAN DAVIES, B.A,, Inspector of Agricultural Classes, Ontario Department of Education The agencies related to rural edu- cation are by no means confined to the formal training ol‘lered in schools. They include Federations of Agricul- ture, Farm Forums, Women's Insti- tutes, Agricultural Societies, Horticul- tural Societies, Agricultural Repre- sentatives, Short Courses and Club work. For the purpose of this article, however, the discussion will be con- fined mainly to the provisions made for agricultural instruction and the development of rural ideals through the courses ofiered in the schools. Courses in Agriculture have been included in the curriculum for ele- mentary schools for many years. The Regulations of the Department of Education have provided special grants to meet necessary expenditures. In addition to training at the Normal Schools, teachers have been able, ex- cept during the past four years, to attend summer courses leading to the elementary, intermediate or specialist certificate in Agriculture. Many of these teachers are doing excellent work in the schools which they serve. Because of war conditions the number of schools now taking the work is less than four years ago. Recognition of the importance and nature of agriculâ€" tural instruction in the schools is an essential need for further advance- ment in this field when conditions are again normal. Improve School Grounds For several years an efi'ort has been made to increase the emphasis on practical work in agricultural instruc- tion. The programme of “Improve- ment of Rural School Grounds" start- ed in 1940 and the annual awards made by the Ontario Horticultural Association have done much to in- crease practical activities in rural schools and to develop a civic pride in the appearance of school property. There are a large number of sdiools, some of which have been visited by the writer, where the results are of a high standard. Desirable rural ideals and interests are maintained and the school is the centre of community act- ivity. Unfortunately this is by no means as general as it should be. In a survey made in 1940, of 5,722 schools in counties and districts, 1,438 had improved grounds, 2,500 partially im- proved and 1,784 without any im- provement. The situation may be better now, but it is safe to estimate that today not more than fifty per cent have fully improved grounds. Effective ideals for rural education must come from the community itself and the appearance of the school pro- perty, in most cases, indicates the inâ€" terest taken in educational matters by boards and parents. Ideals Are Necessary Progress in the improvement of rural education is also closely associ« ated with the ideuls of trustees, par- ents and teachers. Instruction in agri‘ cultural topics may give information, but cannot alone develop a rural in- terest. It may be assumed that some pupils from farm homes will wish to enter the professions, commerce and industry, but the present proportion seems too high. The advantages of rural life, the opportunity for success in farming and later in other fields should be discussed with pupils. In every community there are outstand- ing successful farmers, yet too often there is a tendency to keep before pupils those who have succeeded in activities other than farming. For many parts of Ontario im- provement in rural education is essen- tially related to lar er units of ad- ministration which o er certain defin- ite advantages. School taxes can be equalized over the whole area. A sov- ing can be made in the purchase 01 supplies. Teachers’ salaries may be equalized. Provision may be made for itinerant teachers for practical sub- jects or arrangements for these to be taught at a. central school to which pupils are taken once a we as in the Guelph Township area, It is also pos- sible to provide free transportation in pupils to secondary schools either within or without the area thus in- creasing the equality of opportunity for all pupils. The secondary school serving rural areas should, however, provide agricultural courses for pupils who expect to remain on the farm. Agriculture In Schools In the secondary school field, pro- vision is also made for instruction in Agriculture, Agricultural Science may be taught in Grades I); to XII instead of General Science. In Agri- cultural Scicnce agricultural topics are included with science topics in these grades. Reference books on agricultural topics, agricultural maga- lines and special equipment on dif» ferent topics is provided. The subject is taught this year in 153 schools, in 109 of Which both Lower and Middle School courses are taken. All these schools are well equipped for practical work in agricultural topics which are usually taught in the laboratory. 11:0 have school gardens, 20 have c any type poultry houses and 1:3 have one or more colonies of bees. In the aver- age school serving rural communities, 40% to 50% of the pupils leave be, fore reaching Grade XI. Schools in which Agricultural Science is taught provide a desirable attitude towards agriculture and instruction on many topics which are of value and interest to all pupils, but particularly so to those who remain on .the farm. Practical Projects When it is desired to give more time to the study of agriculture, Depart- ments of Agriculture under High School Regulations may be established in smaller schools. Six schools are orâ€" ganized under this plan. That at Port Perry High School has been operating on the present programme since 1931’- and results have been satisfactory to all concerned. Under this organiza- tion pupils in Grades IX and X spend $6 periods per Week on academic subâ€" Jects including Agricultural Science, and nine periods per week on practi- cal subjects. Thc girls take Home Economics and the boys Shop Work and Agriculture. There are two gar- den areas, one of which is used for ex- perimental plots. There are also two hotbeds, one of which is electrically heated. In the colony type poultry house, 260 chicks were raised last spring. A supervised home project programme is conducted and the homes visited during the summer by Mr. E. R. McClellan, B.S.A., principal and teacher of Agriculture and Shop Work. At the annual exhibit held on May 26th there was an excellent dis- play of completed projects related to Shop Work, Agriculture and Home Economics. The merits of this organiâ€" zation lie in the fact that during the first two years practical subjects of value to all pupils are stressed, but capable pupils may take all academic subjects. Those who continue after Grade K may complete all subjects of Middle and Upper School and a great many do. Pupils who have discon- tinued the study of languages and re- main at school may take Commercial subjects. Shop Work or Agriculture. or Home Economics. This organiza- tion suits the smaller school where it is desired to provide more instruction on practical subjects. Departments of Agriculture under Vocational Regulations are organized in five schools each with a normal en» rolment of 200 or more. That at Ridgetown was started in 1926 and sufficient time has now passed to judge results. According to a recent state- ment of Mr. J. W. Edwards, B.S.A., the principal, all but three of the county pupils in the area who passed entrance last year, enrolled in Grade (Continued on Page 4, Col. 4)