1930 - Annual Convention Report

              S I X T E E N T H A N N U A L C O N V E N T I ON 67
women of our Institutes, united in nations, in provinces, in Institutes to set
a value on the organization to which they belong, to count it a force by
reason of its active and deliberate work, by its many contacts, by its use of
leisure, by its unconscious influence.
The greatest influence of all time was one that had its life under the
humblest conditions; born in a manger but born also ' under God's Star.
Nothing is too humble to be included along with us, and it is impossible to
foretell the worth of our latest and poorest member. One thing we are sure
of, and that is that no b a r r i e r w i l l be raised to the exclusion of any woman.
Let us carry on our great work, conscious of our opportunity, unconscious of
our potentiality, but confident that life will be more abundant because of our
Women's Institute, because of all those home- loving women, who are willing
to seek the ideal life in the home of the future.
" When I see a tenement
Of lighted kitchens; when I catch a shimmer
Of love's shy look beneath the street- lamp's glimmer,
I see the Star again, and go my way content."— Boyd Scott.
PROVINCIAL SCHOOLS OF AGRICULTURE
Mrs. F. A. Nye, Edmonton.
I am going to give you a brief outline of the courses of study carried on
at our Provincial Schools of Agriculture. I think that the majority of you
know that we have four schools that are operating at the present time: V e r ­milion,
Olds, C l a r e s h o lm and ' Raymond. I am not familiar with the academic
studies and the boys' work as that is entirely out of my field, so have pre­pared
a paper on that which I will read to you.
The course of study outlined for boys may be divided into four groups:
first there are those of a practical nature such as F i e l d Husbandry, Animal
Husbandry, Farm Mechanics, Poultry, Dairying and Horticulture. Each of
these is dealt with in such a way as to prepare the student to deal successfully
with each of these branches of agriculture in a practical way on his own
farm. For instance, under field husbandry, soil culture, the growing of cereal
and forage crops, crop rotation, weed control and judging of grains and other
crops is dealt with very completely. In animal husbandry the types and
breeds of farm animals, the methods of feeding, principles involved in breed­i
n g and improvement as well as marketing problems are taught. Under the
heading of farm mechanics blacksmithing, carpentry, electricity and gas en­gines
receive attention. Poultry, dairying and horticulture, while of secondary
importance to the first three mentioned, receive similar treatment.
The second group of subjects includes civics, co- operative marketing and
economics and farm management. Civics teaches the student how the process
of Government is carried on, commencing with the municipal and extending
into Dominion and Empire affairs. Co- operative marketing and economics
show the economic business of the farm in relation to other industries. The
processes through which farm products pass between the points of production
and consumption and means by which this service is rendered. The co- opera­tive
agencies as applied to conduct marketing enterprise is a subject of
intensive study. Farm Management is as its name implies, a study of the
business of operating the farm.
The third group of subjects comprises chemistry, physics, botany, ento­mology,
bacteriology, soils and veterinary science. In the courses of study
offered in this group a thorough grounding in the elementary principles of
each science is given. These principles are later applied to the practical prob­lems
of agriculture.