Northfield High School - Orange and Black Yearbook (Northfield, MN)

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.Agriculture UR HIGH SCHQOL has an excellent industrial department. It originat- ed with the new building which was completed in 1911. The agriculture department is one of the best in the state and our soils laboratory is the best among the secondary schools in the country. Last year there was a total en- rollment of ninety-six agriculture students and this year there are eighty-eight. There is a complete four year course given which is as follows: F1RsT YEAR-Agronomy. SECOND YEAR-AHl1l13l husbandry. THIRD YEAR-Soils and Dairying. FOURTH YEAR-Farm Engineering. Farm Management. The fourth year study has been introduced this year for the first time and has proved a very interesting and instructive subject. Professor Field, besides being an excellent teacher, has been giving a great deal of his time for organizing farmers, clubs. He has been very successful in this work, for at the present time there are more than twenty clubs in the surrounding communities, which he has organized. He has given about seventy lectures this year besides many lectures with stereopticon lantern slides. He has also given lessons in agriculture at the associated schools around Northfield and from this work he is becoming known all over the state. The Minneapolis Tribune devoted a full page to our industrial department in a recent issue. The High School Boys, Glee Club has gone with Mr. Field on some of his trips, to help along, and their singing has been very much appreciated by the farmers. -if manual Oraining The Manual Training Department under the supervision of Mr. von Levern has made excellent progress. This course is divided into two parts: one, the shop work, and the other, mechanical drawing. The students design their own pieces of furniture and then make them. There is a finishing room. just off the shop in which all the staining and finishing is done. There are many commendable pieces of furniture turned out, such as morris chairs, writing desks, library tables and chiffoniers. Mr. von Levern has also pushed his work into the country schools and has installed benches in many of the school houses. He has also given special instruction lessons to the teachers of these schools every Saturday, so that they may be able to instruct their students.

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Normal A' epartment Miss EMILY H,xRR1s, Director T HAS ,BEEN SAID that this Normal Class is exceptionally good looking and the class is certainly glad to hear it. However, according to Mr. Field, none of the girls are perfect, except one, and she is a perfect fright. As to their daily work, in the morning they have recitation in the common branches, also taking up civics and hygiene. Some work in agriculture was also given by Mr. liield and in the latter part of the year, some manual training lessons by Mr. von Levern. In these branches, the things taken up were those that will be useful in the work in the rural schools. livery Monday morning news reports are given, and also talks on methods of teaching various subjects, and on discipline. V ln the afternoon after observing the work of the grade teachers, each girl teaches a small group of children by herself. The girls also help the teachers pre- pare busy-work. thus gaining for themselves helpful ideas. After returning from the grades they devote their time to busy-work. charts, and sewing cards. Often the girls are called upon to substitute for the grade teachers in cases of absence or sickness. lf all this work is successfully carried out, the reward is a first grade certifi- cate, together with a letter of recommendation. Socially, the girls meet with Miss Harris, as a club, every two weeks. Games are played. music and recitations given by the members of the club, and refreshments are served. These meetings are enjoyed very much by the members. ' 'Pomestic Science lVe are very fortunate to have this department in our high school, as it helps the girls to learn to sew and become good housekeepers. The time is divided equally between sewing and cooking, an hour and a half being given to each class four times a week. One period, on the extra day, is used for recitation work on food study and household management. There are two years of work. In the first year the different stitches, seams and hems are taught, simple garments and a little fancy work are made. ln cooking, simple foods, pastry and meats are prepared. In the advanced class more complicated garments are made, and the cooking is also more advanced. Nor is this all they learn. Luncheons and ban- quets are served in the dining room adjoining the kitchen. There are about eighty girls taking Domestic Science and in order to give them all sufficient attention, an assistant is employed to help Miss Kinyon twice a week. At the end of the year, the garments made are put on exhibition in the sewing room.