_Maine._ Boys 16 and over excused from school attendance, June 1 to October 31, for work on farms under supervision of Y.M.C.A. official. (See chapter on "Farm Cadets.") _Maryland._ Superintendent of schools, Baltimore County, in open letter to school officials, May 11, authorizes the employment on farms of "boys and girls who are old enough to be of real productive value." On days when not so employed they are required to attend school. Children over 13 who have attended school one hundred days during the year may be employed without permits; those who have not attended one hundred days must have permits. Children under 13 must have a permit, "which should not be issued to a child who is too immature to do work for which the permit is asked." Permits issued for twenty days or less may be renewed upon application of parent. Similar plan was discussed by state board of education but not approved on ground that it might lead to abrogation of the laws on child-labor and school-attendance. _Missouri._ State superintendent of public schools wrote to local officials April 13, suggesting that they "excuse at once from high school all boys over 14 years of age who will go to farms and work. Give them full credit for their year's work at the end of the school year, with the standing they have at present. Have the boy who gets the credit give evidence satisfactory to you as to his work on the farm. Include boys who live in the country and boys who will go to the farm to work. Extend the same privilege to girls where you deem it advisable." _New York._ (Referred to later in this chapter.) _North Dakota._ Attorney-general in open letter to school officers, April, 1917, interprets section of school law exempting children from school attendance in cases of necessity to apply to children of school age actually engaged in tilling the soil. State superintendent of schools in open letter to school officials, April, 1917, recommends that schools should not open earlier than October 1, with a spring vacation of four or five weeks, and that the school be kept open through June and July when there is less and cheaper farm work to do. "This would make available, and with a minimum loss of school time, some 5000 of the older boys at a time when labor is scarce and wages are high." _Pennsylvania._ State board of education, April 19, issued circular letter stating that farm and garden work should be considered valid excuse for absence from school, and for children 12 and over in good standing such work should be credited in lieu of school attendance.