Some schools give credit for almost any work done in the home, the parents grading the pupil, while other schools allow credit only for such work as can be supervised and standardized by the school authorities.

There are several plans for allowing credit. In high schools requiring 15 or 16 points for graduation, the usual plan is to allow a unit credit for definite home tasks. In the elementary schools a few points are added to a pupil's grade in the industrial subjects or a half holiday is granted to a pupil after he has earned a certain number of credits. That the giving of credit for home duties can be made to help vitalize school life is acknowledged, but school men are not yet agreed that credit should be offered for any work done in the home and that the parent alone should be the judge of the quality of the work.

The home-credit course offered at Franklin, Ohio, is worthy of note:

HOME-CREDIT COURSE, FRANKLIN, OHIO.

Credit may be given for work aside from that of the regular school hours, but done in correlation with the high school and under the direction of the superintendent of schools, in music, art, manual training, domestic science, agriculture, and commercial lines, as follows:

1. In music and art, not to exceed a total of one-half credit or unit in any one year, and a total of not to exceed one unit in all four years.

(a) Pupils playing in the high-school orchestra and whose work therein has been satisfactory shall be entitled to one-fourth credit each year, providing they have been present at 30 or more practice-meets of at least 40 minutes each and have played, if required, at public-school entertainments. Such credit will be given by the superintendent of schools upon the recommendation of the public-school instructor in music. (b) Credits may be given for lessons in vocal or instrumental music under teachers of standard attainments, the time and number of lessons to be the same as in (a), and final credit obtained in same manner.

(c) A credit of one-fourth unit may be given for a course of at least 36 lessons of at least 40 minutes each in art. Such course must develop free-hand drawing, but may include designing, painting, basketry, weaving, hammer, bead or leather work, clay modeling, or any of the various lines included under art in public schools in general. Credit for such work to be given by the superintendent after conference with the art teacher, if there be one.

2. For any course that may reasonably take the place of manual training or domestic science as taught in the public school.

A-FOR GIRLS.

(a) A systematic course that shall include plain cooking, baking (bread, cake, and pastry), the proper care of the kitchen and utensils, and the proper setting and care of the table for meals. Such course should include the entire preparation of at least one meal a day for a definite period; the meal to have a reasonable variety from day to day. The course should include in part at least the purchase of the food.

(b) A systematic course in sewing that shall include plain sewing, patching, mending, and darning; it must embrace the cutting and fitting of simpler garments and may include embroidery and fancy work.

(c) The two preceding courses may be supplemented by systematic courses and training in the general care of the house, as sweeping, dusting, and scrubbing, and the care of furniture; the care of the sick or of children; the care of flowers, chickens, etc.

B-FOR BOYS.

(a) A systematic course in shopwork, carpentry, mechanical drawing, lathe work, or any line developing the skillful use of tools.

(b) A systematic course in agriculture or gardening that shall embrace the planting, cultivation, and harvesting of a field or garden crop; or in horticulture that shall include the care and harvesting of a crop, including grafting, spraying, and pruning. It may also embrace the raising of flowers and ornamental plants, care of shrubbery, etc.

C-FOR BOYS AND GIRLS, BUSINESS COURSES.

(a) Credit may be given for systematic course in business training that shall embrace bookkeeping and typewriting; it may include office work, stenography, and commercial law and business forms in general.

(b) For work in offices or similar positions where such courses may be obtained in a business way, but without professional instruction.

Credit will be given by the superintendent for such work not to exceed one-half unit in any one year in any one line. The total credit of all outside courses must not exceed two units.

Under A credit will be given upon the recommendation of a committee of women appointed by the superintendent and approved by the board of education or its president.

Under B credit will be given in the same manner upon the recommendation of a committee of men appointed by the superintendent and approved by the board of education or its president.

Under C credit will be given in same manner as under B.

Application for such courses must be made in advance to the superintendent and the details of the proposed course fully arranged with him by the parents or guardian, or some one who may represent them. All work must be done under supervision that those in charge of the high school are satisfied is competent and thorough. The right is reserved to cancel any course that they believe is not being carried out properly.

Credit for work done in music under the instruction of a competent private teacher is meeting with favor. Many girls attempt to carry lessons in instrumental music, which require several hours of practice a day, in addition to their regular high-school studies. Few can do this, and many are thus compelled either to drop out of school that they may devote their time to music, or drop their music altogether. A child musically inclined is thus handicapped. That school officials are coming to recognize the necessity for giving credit for music. taken outside of school, provided no music course is offered by the school, is shown by the many reports received at this bureau. The following report from Junction City, Kans., is typical:

There has been a growing demand among the pupils of the high school to take some form of instrumental music outside of school. To do this, they have had to either run the risk of overwork or postponing their musical training until later in life. The school authorities have arrived at the conclusion that a serious and thorough study of singing or the playing of any musical instrument is as truly a part of education as any regular school subject. Hence, one unit credit a year is granted toward graduation for music taken outside of school on the basis of the requirement of 32 credits for graduation, provided the work is taken under specified supervision.

One of the newer experiments is that of giving credit for Sunday school or church work done out of school. The following is an explanation of the plan recently adopted at Olathe, Kans.:

Requirements. Those seeking the credit for Bible study in Sunday schools shall be regularly enrolled students of the high school. Attendance at Sunday school shall count 10 points. Lesson preparation and recitation shall count 10 points. Attendance at preaching service shall count 10 points. (Record of these shall be kept by the Sunday schools.) Examination at the close of each high-school semester given by the high-school authorities shall count 70 points. Certificates of attendance and study must be made for each pupil seeking credit by the Sunday school superintendent to the city superintendent of schools before the semester examination shall be given. No person who has not at least a credit of 90 per cent Sunday school attendance shall be permitted to take the examination.

Examination and credit.-The examination shall be nonsectarian. The questions shall be upon the International Sunday School Lessons, and shall be made out by a committee of representatives of the various Sunday schools giving the credit work, in connection with the high-school authorities. At least two Sunday schools must have representatives present at the time of making out the questions.

The attendance record, study and recitation record, together with the semester examination must make at least 75 per cent, which shall be entered upon the records of the Olathe high school each year as a credit equal to one-fourth year's work in any elective in the high-school courses. Sunday school work following these requirements through the four years of the high-school course will take the place of and receive the credit for any elective for one year, or in other words will constitute 1 of the 16 units necessary for graduation from the Olathe high schools.

At Falls City, Nebr., arrangements have been made so that pupils in the high school may take up Bible study privately or under the supervision of any one of the teachers of the city without regard to creed. Any version of the Bible may be used-the Douay, the King James, or the revised version. At present 30 pupils are enrolled in the course, for which one full credit is allowed each semester.

VOCATIONAL SUBJECTS.

As yet, the smaller cities have done little to introduce practical or vocational courses except in those cities where special aid is given to schools for maintaining such courses.1 Of 1,330 of these cities replying to a questionnaire, 753 report courses in industrial training, often meaning nothing more than regular manual training courses. There are healthful indications, however, that within the next few years the smaller cities will, with funds provided by the State and National Governments, forge ahead with well-defined vocational courses.2

AGRICULTURE.

One of the vocational subjects that is beginning to receive attention in the small city school is agriculture. During the past year 351 cities have introduced agricultural courses or have extended the work.

1 For a list of cities having household arts instruction, see Andrews, Education for the Home, Pt. IV, Bulletin of the Bureau of Education, 1914, No. 39.

2 See also ch. 11, Vocational education, p. 239.

Many have introduced not only theoretical courses, but also practical demonstration courses. The following are typical illustrations:

Hannibal, Mo.-One year is devoted to agriculture, there being double daily periods. The laboratory or demonstration part of the course is given in connection with all topics.

Aberdeen, S. Dak.-Agriculture and gardening work have been introduced into the schools of Aberdeen, S. Dak. During the year 165 private gardens and 3 public gardens were conducted under the supervision of the school. Two courses in agriculture were offered, one in agronomy and one in animal husbandry. The board of education has secured 40 acres in the edge of the city, which is being prepared for the agronomy classes.

York, Nebr.—The course in agriculture covers a period of five years. The school board owns a farm of 9 acres, 4 acres being devoted to rotation and fertilizer experiments, and the rest to a school museum and demonstration work.

Boise, Idaho.-Four years' work is offered in agriculture, consisting of the following courses: First, farm crops; second, farm soils; third, farm mechanics; fourth, horticulture; fifth, farm animals; sixth, farm chemistry. The work is made practical from every standpoint. The school rents a farm, owns a team and farm implements, and has for two years cultivated the infield of the State fair grounds. The board rents a 12-acre commercial orchard, which the pupils spray and prune. Pupils also plant, spray, and prune many other orchards in the community, and make frequent excursions to ranches where live stock is kept, that they may study the various types and breeds of farm animals. Some time is devoted to judging various classes of horses, beef cattle, dairy cows, sheep, and hogs. The work in agriculture is under the supervision of an expert employed by the business men and the school board of Boise to assist the farmers of the county.

SHORT-TERM COURSES.

One item of progress that should not be omitted in a survey of conditions in the smaller cities is the introduction of short-term courses for adults. The following are typical of such courses:

Sauk Rapids, Minn.—An agricultural short course is maintained for 10 weeks during the winter months for the benefit of farmers and others who wish to become acquainted with the rudiments of the subject.

Jackson, Miss.-A short course of 10 weeks in domestic science and household chemistry is maintained for the benefit of young women and matrons.

Grafton, N. Dak.-A short course of 8 weeks is provided the young people on the farm in agriculture, domestic art, manual training and commercial subjects.

Sterling, Colo.-During the winter months the school board of Sterling offers a short course for farmers and farmers' wives or others who are interested in blacksmithery, carpentry, gasoline engines, farm accounts, dressmaking, cooking, household managing, etc. These courses are taught by practical people chosen from among the most successful in the community. During the term 1912-13 the registration reached over 100. The people of the community are encouraged to bring their problems to the school and to work on them there; when they reach a point where they need assistance, the person in charge of the course helps as the case may demand.

INTERESTING THE COMMUNITY.

Schoolmen have become conscious of the fact that, if the schools. are to make progress, the people must be kept informed of school conditions and of the needs of the schools and that their cooperation

must be secured. Experience has shown that a superintendent can not advance his schools any further than public opinion will permit. As a consequence, many superintendents in the smaller cities are using every means possible to keep the people informed in regard to educational progress throughout the country. Any survey of educational progress in those cities that omits a discussion of methods. in use for arousing community interest in the schools would omit one of the great factors that determine progress. Superintendents are beginning to identify themselves with the commercial clubs in their respective cities in order to come in touch with the business men of the communities. At Winston-Salem, N. C., the board of trade became so interested in the schools that it organized a juvenile department composed of high-school boys. This work of the business men has helped to focus attention upon the work of the schools, and the practical character of the work done has appealed to those citizens who felt that the schools were educating the boys away from community life rather than toward it.1

The superintendent of schools at Kearney, N. J., has had the support of the business men of that city because he asked them to help him. The manufacturers and corporations were criticizing the school product. In order to get at the root of the matter, he sent a questionnaire to each firm, inviting a full statement on the following points:

In what respect do you find the pupils employed by you to be deficient?
State fully and frankly the weakness of the public-school product.

What suggestions can you give to help us in our work of preparing the children for your business?

According to reports received at this bureau, many helpful suggestions were made. Considerable interest was manifested by various business men who are now speaking with approval of the work of the schools.

One significant factor in securing the cooperation of the community is frank publicity. School boards that are managing the schools ably and honestly do not fear to turn on the searchlight, and the sentiment is growing among school boards that the public should know how its money is expended. In the most progressive schools, the board and the superintendent are presenting facts to the people either in printed reports, in newspaper articles, or by both. As yet, printed reports are not common among cities under 25,000. Since 1911, only 250 of these cities have sent printed reports to this bureau, although it has made frequent requests for them.

Many superintendents do not publish school reports in pamphlet form because of the expense, because the facts can be presented

1 For an account of this plan see U. S. Bureau of Education Bulletin, 1913, No. 31, or Senate Document No. 188.