3. Have facilities for supervised farm practice.

4. Are of vocational age, postadolescent, but either not mature or vocationally dependent.

5. Have vocational objectives.

In planning to serve this group the following more or less common characteristics and conditions should be recognized:

1. They have left school usually prematurely for some reason such as lack of interest or economic necessity.

2. School attendance is optional on their part.

3. They have certain occupational demands on their time, varying with the seasonal pressure of farm work, or subject to parental or other control.

4. Their vocational objectives as to specific farming occupations are somewhat tentative.

5. They are usually shy of formal study.

6. They are more interested in activities than in abstractions.

7. They have considerable operative farm experience, but little training in managerial ability, and have had little instruction in related science.

8. They desire to become established in farming on an independent basis.

9. Their social relationships have not been established.

10. They have not recognized their civic responsibilities in connection with rural community life.

11. The "gang spirit" may be appealed to effectively with this group.

12. They are at a formative period of life when habits and ideals may be readily formed and impressions received.

OBJECTIVES OF PART-TIME INSTRUCTION

GETTING PROSPECTIVE FARMERS ESTABLISHED IN FARMING

The ultimate objective of vocational education in agriculture in any of the types of schools of less than college grade is included in the general aim of training persons "who have entered upon or who are preparing to enter upon the work of the farm." This broad provision has been interpreted more specifically to mean training for proficiency in specific farming occupations, including instruction in such related content as may be found to be particulary useful to farmers or prospective farmers.

The part-time group includes both those who are at the parting of the way with reference to the choice of a specific occupation, such as dairy farming, and those who have rather definitely chosen their occupation. The consensus of opinion, however, is that the majority

of this group may be regarded as having entered upon a farming occupation since they are living and working on farms, but they are not yet established on their own responsibility. Therefore, the controlling objective of part-time instruction in agriculture is to get out-of-school farm boys established in specific farming occupations on an independent basis.

IMPROVING FARM PRACTICE

One of the means for getting farm boys established in farming is, of course, to improve their proficiency as farmers, and hence the improvement of farm practice of part-time pupils is a legitimate subobjective of part-time instruction in agriculture. Part-time boys usually have considerable operative experience in farming, although many units of such experience may be of a rule-of-thumb nature. with little intelligent understanding of their significance or their relationship to other units of experience. Merely giving part-time pupils instruction in certain units of farm practice may not, therefore, be of any great value unless such practice is interpreted in terms of related science. Teachers should be cautioned in this connection to make the instruction in related science truly related to actual experiences on the part of the members of the class. The natural sciences should never be taught to part-time classes as abstract subjects, principles, and generalizations from which certain practical applications are expected to be made. Instead the instruction in related science should be given in response to a felt need for a fuller understanding and a more thorough use of some practical experience. Thus presented, it may properly be expected to "improve vocational intelligence."

Part-time pupils particularly need training in managerial ability. Hence, practice in the activities of managerial jobs, consisting of the selection and organization of working data, the evaluation of factors, and the making of decisions based on such systematic thinking procedures should be included in the instruction.

IMPROVING THE MORALE OF PROSPECTIVE FARMERS

One of the most important factors in getting a person satisfactorily established in an occupation is to develop in the mind of the prospect a sympathetic appreciation of the ideals which should govern the activities of the occupation. These ideals may be classified as follows:

1. Pride of the skilled worker in his products.

2. Regard for his occupation as a calling.

3. Consciousness of service to society by means of his occupation. 4. Appreciation and enjoyment of the activities and living conditions encountered in the pursuit of his occupation.

Instruction in this field may well include guidance in determining the particular farming occupation to follow, if a change seems advisable, and the direction of the part-time pupil's adjustment of his social relationships, so far as the particular conditions of a rural farming community should be considered. The improvement or development of morale can, therefore, be set up as a desirable subobjective of part-time instruction as it applies to work with out-ofschool farm boys, with reference to their working ideals and attitudes. Instruction directed toward this end, particularly if correlated with the farming activities, is one of the most feasible and satisfactory means of improving "civic intelligence."

ORGANIZING PART-TIME GROUPS

SURVEYING THE PATRONAGE AREA

When part-time work was first discussed among those interested in vocational education in agriculture, the question arose as to whether there was a sufficient number of farm boys out of school to make it worth while to seriously consider plans for providing agricultural instruction for them. Some State supervisors even went so far as to say that there were very few of such persons in their States. They believed that most of the farm boys were in school. This led to a study of the 1920 census reports, which indicated that there were more farm boys from 14 to 21 years of age out of school than were in school. Even then many supervisors still felt that the average of conditions in the whole country did not apply to their particular States. The discussions finally led to the making of State and local surveys. The results of a few of these surveys are here given as examples of conditions which were discovered. These surveys were made by State and local officials in cooperation with agricultural teachers and State supervisors of agricultural education.

In Indiana a survey was made of 60 counties, the details of which are found in a master's thesis at Cornell University. This survey was made with the cooperation of the State supervisor of agricultural education and the State department of public instruction. Data was gathered from the reports of the county superintendents and based on sworn statements of the fathers and guardians of the children. The survey revealed that there were 21,970 farm boys out of school between the ages of 16 and 20, inclusive, 24 per cent of whom had completed less than the eighth grade and 61 per cent less than the first year of high school. A further study was made of 18,350 of these boys, as to their occupations, and it was found that of this number 10,942, or 59.6 per cent, were actually farming; 6,282, or 34.2 per cent, were working as common laborers; 671, or 3.7 per cent, were in business; 263, or 1.4 per cent, were teaching; and 192, or 1 per cent, were soldiers. A further study to determine

the educational status of each of these groups showed that those who were actually farming had less educational training than any of the other groups. This fact was rather startling, and, of course, revealed the need for a greater effort to bring educational advantages to those who are engaged in the basic industry of the country. At Arlington, S. Dak., the teacher of agriculture went to the office of the county superintendent and got the location and names. of farm boys finishing the eighth grade. Then he visited the homes of these boys and there found other boys also out of school. Altogether he found in the immediate community 50 farm boys out of school.

At Hooper, Nebr., a similar survey was made by the State supervisor, assisted by the county superintendent, the local town superintendent of schools, and the agricultural teacher. This survey found 60 farm boys out of school within a radius of 10 miles.

At Kenmare, N. Dak., in a sparsely inhabited district, the superintendent of schools and the agricultural teacher made a survey of the surrounding country covering an area of about 12 miles radius. They visited every home in this territory, getting the facts first hand. The results are indicated from the following statement made by the superintendent: "As a result of the survey 96 boys were found within a radius of 12 miles of Kenmare who had not attended high school. Of these, 42 expressed an interest in a short course if it could be arranged. These boys were between the ages of 14 and 20, inclusive. Most of them had finished the eighth grade, and practically all had had some work in the eighth grade.”

At Pontiac, Ill., the teacher of agriculture, through the cooperation of the county superintendent and 75 rural teachers, made a careful survey of nine townships. He found a total of 270 farm boys between the ages of 14 and 20, and 134 of these boys were out of school and working on farms in the community.

A survey of 119 rural districts in Dane County, Wis., showed a total of 2,778 farm boys 13 to 24 years of age, with 161 of these boys in school and 2,617, or 94 per cent, out of school. Of the number out of school the following table shows the vocational status of those who were actually interested in farming:

Vocational status of 1,050 out-of-school farm boys

In getting data relative to the farm boys out of school after they have been located, the following blank was used in at least two States:

1. Name

Individual survey of out-of-school farm boys, ages 14 to 21

2. Age

7. School district No.

9. Miles

11. Owner

6. Section No.

8. Nearest high school__

10. Size of farm in acres_

Renter

12. What are your three most important animal enterprises?

13. What are your three most important crop enterprises?

14. Age when you left school 16. Why did you leave school?

15. Last school grade completed_--

17. If on home farm, in what capacity do you work? (a) Helper
(b) Part owner
(c) Share of crops and stock

18. If you are not on the home farm, what are you doing?_____.

19. Have you studied agriculture?

What school?

20. Have you been enrolled in boys and girls' club work?

How many years?

year

What was your project each year? First
Third year

Second year

21. Give the names and ages of your brothers who are attending school

22. What are your plans for future employment?

23. Are you interested in studying agriculture?

ASSEMBLING GROUPS FOR INSTRUCTION

Various methods have been used in getting these farm boys to enroll in part-time classes. Probably the most effective means for getting the group together is through personal contact, where the teacher goes into the homes and discusses the work with the boys and their parents. If he shows an interest in them and can convince them that the work is worth while he is likely to get the boys to agree to attend a part-time school. The agricultural teacher at Chowan, N. C.. in relating his experiences in making personal visits, said: "The teacher should see the boys personally, get acquainted with them, and talk over their problems with them. If the boy expresses a desire to come back to school, then the teacher should take the matter up with his parents and get their consent. When you visit the boy at his home, if you show a lack of personal interest in him by the least indication such as being in a hurry to get away you will never get him."