Kemper County Agricultural High School - Yearbook (Scooba, MS)

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547' ' HIGH SCHOOL, SCOOBA, MISS. 17 a balanced, nutritious meal, has as much cultural, value as to be able to understand music or paintingg and that girl who understands the relative value of foods, who is interest- ed in her household duties, and who is technically prepared for the work of housekeeping, stands a better chance of hav- ing a happy home than the girl who has mastered music, drawing or French to the exclusion of these household economics. Remember, that we do not discount the value of culture, but insist on the average woman being prepared for her true sphere in life. The Cooking Department has already been equipped with desks and tables, stoves, cooking utensils and dishes. The classes last year served meals to the faculty and trustees, and conducted public demonstrations during commencement. The sewing class has now three machines, and exhibited at the close of last session specimens of hand and machine work, each girl having been required to make a complete set of clothing, including a dress costing less than one dol- lar. Many of the dresses worn at the close of school were made under this requirement. In Domestic Art consider- able design work was done from original drawings, with special attention to stenciling. These classes will do more advanced work next session. Agriculture The purpose of this department is to train the boys in the art and practice of farming. We might express its aim as threefold: first, to teach the boys how to make the best pos- sible living on the farm: second, to teach the many and use- ful secrets of plants, giving thereby an intelligent interest and love for the workg third, to teach the dignity of labor, -to make the overalls as respectable as the dresscoatf' There will be a four-year course in Agriculture and allied branches, such as stock-raising and veterinary work, study of soils, plantstudy, shop work and all things needful and practical for up-to-date and progressive farming. Even for

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Pk -- - . TA-v I'Jn 16 KEMPER CoUN'rY AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENTS OF WORK ' Literary While the school as organized is intended and required to put special stress on the industrial branches, students will not be deprived of anything that has been found essential in literary work. Our work is planned and arranged for a well-balanced course of study. Both literary and industrial work are re- quired. We must be true to the mission of the school along industrial lines, but we will not deprive students of those cultural subjects which broaden their outlook and enable them to take their places in any position in life to which they may aspire. The power to spend profitably the leisure hours must be developed if education is to make the full man. Domestic Science The purpose of this department has already been men- tioned-to train our girls for that work which practically all will follow. Our aim is to give them such training as will prepare them for housekeeping and homemaking. The main courses will be in sewing and cooking, and home art. All of these will be taught with a special aim of developing a taste for neat and well-kept homes, and giving such instruc- tion and practical work as will lay a foundation for good housekeeping and homemaking. The aim of this work is to put housework on a scientific basis, to make it attractive and to show its possibilities. Not only are meals to be cooked and garments to be made: but, if life is to be worth living, homes must be places of beauty and comfort. To accomplish this there must be an intelligent interest in the work on the part of the house- keeper. p Our girls should be made to feel that ability to prepare

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18 KEMPER COUNTY AGRICULTURAL one who never intends to do practical work on the farm, the work will not be useless. A Of course text-books vvill be used with this work, but the Work is correlated with practical experiments on the school farm. This is worked exclusively by the students by ap- proved methods under the close supervision of the agricul- turist, and as means are provided, will be equipped and con- ducted as a model farm in all respects. Manual Training While We lack equipment, yet special instruction has been provided for an independent course in mechanical work, and will be added to in the near future. In the meantime, a course in farm mechanics will be required in connection with the Agricultural Department. Boys in this department have constructed a temporary dairy barn from refuse lumber, desks for the Domestic Science Department, and did various other such mechanical work. Some 95350.00 will be added to our equipment the com- ing session. Music While not included as one of the regular departments of the school in the sense of free tuition, we have an excellent Music Department. This department is under the special direction of a mas- ter and Will offer special advantages in piano, voice, sight singing and instrumental music. Expression Those studying expression, like music pupils, will be re- quired to pay a special fee, but the department, under the direction of Mrs. Whitmire, affords an opportunity for val- uable training and is a strong department of the school. This department also contemplates the production next year of some Shakespearian or other standard literary plays, the instructor having had successful experience in the pro- duction of such plays previously in other schools.