INSPECTION OF SCHOOLS.

The division of agricultural and industrial education of the State department is charged with the general supervision of vocational instruction and with the duty of gathering and making known all obtainable helpful information upon the subject. To a specialist in agricultural education and one assistant is assigned the agricultural part of this work. Each vocational department is visited at least twice each year, once when the school is in session and once when the project work is under way. Some of the schools are visited four or five times during the year. The purpose of these visits is twofold: (1) To assist in improving the work of the department; (2) to inspect the school and "check up." The following cards and the explanations accompanying them indicate the nature of the inspections and records of the same.

The visitation card is used for the field record. A single card is sufficient for several visits, since not all lines of work may be seen on each occasion. In any case the visitation cards need to be with the field worker in order that he may follow up the suggestions made on previous visits. These cards are kept on file at the State office so that the field worker may select the cards needed when starting out on a trip.

The school record card is kept in the office files as a permanent record and as a cumulative summary of the information found on the visitation cards. Each of these cards is intended to give a bird's-eye view of the conditions existing in a school.

Under the heading "Subject" is merely indicated the year or years of agriculture being taught, since the subjects are all included under first, second, third, and fourth year agriculture. The "enrollment" in each subject is merely indicated numerically.

The school records which should be on file in the school are the Roll Book, the Class Book, containing a record of the daily work and examinations, the Daily Plan, which is a duplicate copy of the monthly reports sent in to the department, and an Inventory of all books and apparatus.

The department records consist of a duplicate copy of the preliminary statement of projects, a duplicate copy of the final statement of projects, the regent's credit records, which are duplicate copies of the claims for credit sent in to the State department, the cards of study assigned to the individual pupils who are enrolled in agriculture, and a diary account of the summer activities of the teacher of agriculture.

The projects plans consist of the outline of plan for each individual project and each class project. The class project is more in the nature of an extended series of laboratory exercises.

The projects account consists of a report and cash record and the summary and financial statement of each individual project.

The projects summaries are the "write-ups" by pupils and consist of such information as is not contained in the plan of procedure of the financial records. Mistakes and successes are here recorded, conditions beyond the control of the people, such as weather, floods, etc., the conclusions and information gained. The indication on the visitation record is merely whether or not various records are complete and approved.

Books. The following points are taken in consideration in approving the books: Number, selection, where kept, how catalogued or arranged, how used and how much used.

Equipment.-Amount, selection, arrangement and care.

Bulletins.-Number, selection, where kept, how catalogued, how used, and how much used.

Texts.-Title and author, and in case of an unusual or new book also the publisher.

come

Preparation.

Recitation.-The assignment of the lesson. Is it clear and definite? What explanation of the work to is given? Is the teacher familiar with the subject matter of the text? What reference is made to the relation of regular conditions to the assignment? What reference is made to previous laboratory or field. work as related to the assignment?

Laboratory. Are outlines or oral directions given? Were directions written on the blackboard? Were the materials ready? Did both the teacher and pupils know what to do and how to do it? Was oral explanation given during the progress of the work?

Field.-Was the plan definite? Was the place definite and accessible? Had there been any previous discussion of the field work? Were definite instructions given and how were they given? Was the teacher

SCORE CARD.

Method.

or

Oral or written, lecture, question and answer topical? Is there sufficient fixation? Is the recitation combined with administration? Taken as a whole, is it snappy or dull?

Was it individual work or group work? Did it precede or follow the recitation? Was it inductive or deductive?

Was the trip conducted in an aimless, careless way or in a methodical orderly way? Were there explanations by the teacher and by others? Were the pupils questioned or asked to discuss what was seen? Was

Results.

Are they definite? Is the apparent aim accomIs the day's plished? work definitely related to work which has preceded and that which is to follow? Has it been worth while so far as the application to the project is concerned?

Was there a notebook Was reference write-up? made to use of this work in recitation? Was it related to a general topic of the week or month? Was it seasonal?

Were the reports comprehensive, definite, and concise? Were they in good form?

Is it descriptive, illus

trative, or outline in form?
Are the notes to be written
up in class or in the field
in permanent form or are
they to be copied?

Does he visit his projects

at stated intervals, or does
he keep closely in touch
with them to know when
there is need of a visit?
Does he keep a daily diary
of what he accomplishes?
Does he have rainy-day
jobs, such as preparation of
outlines for the coming
year?

Results.

What is the form and

content of the material? Is it so organized that it is available? Is it useful? Is use made of it?

Are his projects satis

factory? Does he know the community? Does the community know him?

Extension. There is no attempt to follow the "preparation," "method," and "result" outline. It is generally understood that the main feature of the extension work is the supervision of the junior projects. A summary of extension activities is suggested, as follows: Senior home projects-meetings held, meetings addressed; materials and specimens collected. Junior home projects-meetings attended; materials prepared for newspapers and magazines; charts made.

Suggestions.-List any of the points of the foregoing where the teacher is weak; need of additional equipment or books, or any suggested changes in administrative procedure.

Results.-The extent to which the suggestions have been carried out to be recorded on successive visits.

PENNSYLVANIA.1

LEGISLATION.

The Pennsylvania Legislature of 1913 enacted a vocational education law which provides aid for three types of vocational schools or departments, as follows: (1) The day school or department, (2) the evening class, and (3) the part-time or continuation class. The law provides that a vocational school shall mean a distinctive organization of teachers, courses, and pupils approved by the State board There are two ways in which all the day vocational

of education.

The author is under obligation to Mr. L. H. Dennis, of the State department of public instruction, for

valuable assistance.

schools may be organized, either as a separate school or as a department of another school. An "evening class" in an agricultural school or department shall mean a class giving such training as can be taken by persons already employed during the working-day, and which, in order to be called vocational, must in its instruction deal with the subject matter of, and be so carried on as to relate to, the day employment. A "part-time or continuation class" in an approved agricultural school or department shall mean a vocational class for persons giving a part of their working time to profitable employment, and receiving in the part-time school or department instruction complementary to the practical work carried on in such employment. To give "a part of their working time" such persons must give part of each day, week, or longer period, to such part-time class during the period in which it is in session.

In 1916-17 there were 17 vocational schools and 18 vocational departments in public high schools.

Two types of schools in operation under this law are the vocational department in the public high school and a vocational school. Some of the common features of the two types of vocational agricultural instruction are as follows: (1) The course in agriculture is the same for each type. (2) All teachers in a vocational school receive State aid to the extent of two-thirds of the salary of each teacher, the other one-third being paid by the township. (3) In vocational departments in high schools the State pays two-thirds of the salaries of the vocational teachers. It also reimburses outside districts one-half the amount paid for tuition of pupils attending vocational schools or departments. (4) The supervisor of agriculture is employed for 12 months of the year and devotes his entire time to the teaching of agricultural subjects.

In vocational schools agriculture for the boys and home economics for the girls is required for the first and second years. At the beginning of the third year the pupil has the option of continuing the Vocational work and graduating in that department, or of changing the course and taking purely academic work for the last two years. English is required every year with all courses. In vocational departments pupils are required to pursue the four years' work in agriculture without change.

QUALIFICATIONS OF TEACHERS.

The State board of education through the bureau of vocational education of the department of public instruction sets the following standards for vocational teachers of agriculture: (1) A teacher of agriculture should have the equivalent of a high-school education; (2) he should be a graduate of an approved agricultural college, or in lieu thereof should have at least two years of training in a higher institution of learning, supplemented with at least four short terms or an equivalent in approved agricultural courses of study; (3) he