Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1886-03-27
COUNTRY TEACHERS.


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/ The DepIorabie state OF School-uouses IN
Many Rural Districts.
A teacher who has lately been travel.
ing through the country was forcbly
! impressed with the need of calling the
attention of teachers and school officers
to the condition of country school.
housese and grounds. The latter in
most eases are the very picture OF des-
olation. Trceless, fence impaired, gate
hanging ON one hinge, last years
weeds telling the story of carelessness.
when not trodden down. house open
underneath and in every way less
cared for than thrifty farmers barn
yard. Now enter the simple room.
The furniture, consisting of couple
dozen box seats, in which the children
are almost hidden from view, il ar
ranged without order or system. An
gular, straightforward and seemin,Z bet
ter calculated to punish criminals in,
rather than comfortable seating for
school children, single broken chair
chow happens il that the chair is al
WAYS brokenp) single boN-desk per-
forming the Office of Il teachers table,
a broom, poker and a half-bott, mless
coal scuttlc, sitting its contents on the
floor, constitute the furnishing of the
room. Now look about yon The
plastcring has fallen on in patches and
has been so bolched and daubed oyer,
that it is hard to distinguish the orig
inal from the patches, The stove Is rs
innocent of blacking as a pile of old
iron, and the crooked stove-pilp seems
hanging overhead like Damoclts' sword
by hair; two window lights are sup
piled by shingles, q third by sheet of
foolscap paper, and others open or
stuffed with rags.
If boy culture was half so we'll mn
destood as pig culture, or was deemed
half as profitable, the school-rooms and
premises would be the most attractive
places to be found in village or COM
munity. Send Il boy to such school,
taught by a new teacher every term,
let him return each evening To Il book
less tircsidc. where he hears of nothing
but corn and cattle, and whore no pains
are taken to furnish him with innocent
amusements, and then wonder why he
seeks the city as soon Ms he can cut the
provrrbial apron strings!
One great reform is demanded.
Farmers can easily understand the
advantage of keeping the same hired
help from season to season Why docs
not the same common sense guide
them in the employment of teachers2
There is scarcely a school district to he
found that is not able to employ Il man
or woman for eight months in the year.
Then let them find the right one. let
him make his home in the district and /.
be made to feel that his work is a per- |
manent one by paying him living /
wages and by assisting him, and ollcr- /
ing the needed encouragement, and |
give him to understand that part Of /
his work is To keep the premises in an
attractive copdition, and furnish him
the needed assistance in performing his
duty.
School officers are not bound TO dis
miss a teacher for every complaint
hey hear. Generally, it is best to
Kindly point out their faults, and let
hem remain, when faults are real.
Teachers try hard to please Their
curse is, they are subject to the criti-
ism and their reputation is in the
lands of those who know the qualities
)f bull calf good deal better than
hat of a teacher and whose ignorance
If the whole subject they are called
lpon to manage, fairly stated, would
make volume on the theory aud art
If cducation.-M G. CampbeH, ia CIR
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