Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1886-02-13
districts where the directors are wide
awake and where they mako I'M their


minds to have a good school, they nearly
always succeed. While hiring teachers
is of much Importance, it is only the
beginning of school. The directors
must cooperate with their teacher. To
begin with, in the fall most directors
make it their duty to see that every
thing is in neat order when school COM
mences. They go to the schoolhouse
and clear up the weeds and rubbish in
the yard and have the schoolhouse nice
ly cleaned on the inside. If painting
or repairing is necessary, they do it be-
fore the school term sets in so that
when the opening days come every
thing looks CHEEKY and neat. The
teacher can not help feeling encouraged
when he finds everything thus pre-
pared. 1t should always be relnem-
bercd that factions speak louder than
words" On the first day of school the
directors will be there of course, to see
the school start off, and to see if there
are any changes necessary in the seats,
NC. They will also see that there is
crayOn, erasers, sufficient lackboards,
coal buckets, brOOms, water buck
cts, &c. Also a Webster's Unabridged
dictionary, with maps, charts and other
necessary school apparatus No sane
person would think of having man
on salary, and then send him to cut
cord wood with dull ak, because he
would be injuring himself But when
we consider that the welfare of the in
tellectual part of the community de-
pends upon the actions of the directors
we cannot fail to see the vast impor-
tance in choosing good men for direc-
tors. In any sense, the directors have
it in their power to make their schools
just what they choose. If, for instance,
the directors, while visiting the school,
discover that the old fashioned benches,
which some schools still have, are
doing more harm than good, inasmuch
as the height of them is not graded and
the little fellows have to sit with their
feet dangling some six inches above the
floor, and furthermore if they find that
the teacher cannot give proper instruc-
tiOns in writing, since he or she cannot
get where the scholars sit, the said
directors should inform the taxpayers
at the next meeting and make propo-
sitiOn to get patent benches. The peo-
pie, knowing as they do, that it is their
own children who are the sufferers,
would. in all probability consider the
matter, and come to the conclusion that
it would not be wise to have their
children suffer for few hundred dol
lars. We believe that a school will
advance ten per cent. better during
any school term when everything is
properly arranged than when things
are out of shape. Now suppose an
education is worth 900 to each
scholar IN district; and there are 40
scholars, and suppose these scholars
attend an average OF 8 years, and
suppose they have been put back ten
per cent. in their education, bv not
having proper benches and other school
apparatus? We find such district is
loosing at the rate of $500 per year,
simply because it does not invest a few
hundred dollars in the district. 1t is
true that the old log schoolhouse has
given way to the frame or brick, So
the old slab bench has given place to
the desk or patent seats, but this is q
progressive age, and there is still room
for improvements. AS we have stated
before the school director is a power in
the land. Some may think that it is
asking great deal of citizen to do
all the necessary work of school Iii
rector gratuitously; but on the other
hand it is grand work that he is en-
gagged in, and this knowledge should be
sufficient to make his duties light. But
enough of this. Where does our coun-
ty stand in all educational standpoint
Lexington has long been known for
her excellent schools, Higginsville and
Odessa are nobly come to the front.
Can we say the same OF the country
schools of the county? Lafayette coun.
ty stands the 9TH in the state in wealth.
How is she i'm schools? Ii she lags in
education she must lose in wealth
The two 60 hand in hand. w. +. w.