The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-11-12
SELECT READING.
Present Condition of Ungraded Schools,

The following article in relation to
the ungraded schools of Nebraska ap.
peared In the Nebraska Signal pub
lished at Fairmount, Fillmore county,
Nebraska. 1t may prove of interest
to our numerous readers.
"When we consider that the rural
schools of our county provide elemen-
tary instruction for more than one
balf Of our school population and all
the formal education that the majority
of this half ever receive, and further,
the diversity of condition represented
in this population, it seems strange
that people so fertile in expedients as
our own should have adhered 80 close
ly as they have done to one type of
rural school. The type is familiar to
us all. A school composed of both
sexes, ranging in study anywhere from
the primer to the languages, housed in
a school house of but one room and
provided with one teacher, upon whom
devolves all discipline and instruction.
Possibly the teacher changes every
term probably no systematic record Of
studies, classes, or progress is kept, and
each teacher takes up the work as if
nothing had gone before and ends it
as if nothing were to follow. One
reason of this ls, that in many school
districts the teacher finds as many
varieties of text books as he has pupils,
and the question that confronts him is
what to do with them.
The difficulties arising, in many of
our schools, from a variety of text
books upon the same subject, will pro-
badly remain as long as copyrights and
free press is in existence, unless the
State assumes the burden of publica-
ton and supplies them at nominal
cost to the consumer. While this
might add few cents to mans tax,
it would materially lessen his bill at a
book store.
The teacher may he person Of ex-
cellent education, wise, conscientious,
firm, loving and versatile but school
may be favored in this respect one term
and the next pass into the charge of a
callow youth, a crude girl, or a man
or woman of inferior mind unsym-
pathetic nature, who, for considera.
tion, makes confusion worse cCnfound-
ed" in juvenile intellects. OF super.
vision there is little, of inspection less,
and of standards of scholarships and
tests Of work none bat those the teach
er has wit enough to supply.
Since the school board have the
power to say what books shall be used
to provide course of study, to classify
and grade the school, and contract with
the teacher, much responsibility rests
upon them The school board are the
educational. representatives of the pa
irons of our schools and have the
power to make the schools much more
effective; but if they, as such repre-.
sentatives, remain inactive and allow
the teacher to continue under so many
disadvantages, there will continue to
be much unsatisfactory results for
which they are, in great measure, re.
sponsible.
Such is the rural school as it exists
among us to-day. Some Of the best
minds of the country have been fos
tered by this instrumeutality, some OF
the noblest powers aroused and the
highest aspirations kindled, but it is
impossible that high average of re.
suits should be attained under the pres
ent circumstances. IT this be evident
upon the survey Of the shools them
selves, how much more urgent appears
the demand for their better organiza
ton and more efficient conduct when
we tnrn our attention to what is going
on in other communities. When We
consider, for instance, that in England
rural schools are subjected to an in
spectlon as thorough as that which is
| applied TO the city schools; that in Bel
GUM every country boy is trained il
drawing, in the use of weights anC
measures, and surgeons instruments
that in Germany and Switzerland only
well qualified teachers are employed
even i'll the most obscure districts.
Whenever the education of the
masses is attempted, the problem
chiefly discussed is how to secure com
petent teachers. 1t is indeed no longe,
insisted that competent teacher is thu
sole requisite to good school. The
best teacher. it is allowed, cannot over
come the effects of bad air in tn
school room, nnsightly premises, apath!
and selhshness in the community, an'
ignorance aud obstinacy in superio
officers, Experience, however, indi
Gates that all external conditions o
efficiency are more easily secured whel
once their nature is understood, thar
well qualified teachers