Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1894-10-13
HOW 70 Advance Rural ra.t..

places, TO popularize rural life through
the public schools. Tree planting. on
Arbor day, Is in course Of experiment,
and flower growing and gardening
have been suggested, and pract,ced oc-
sasionally. But no large results have
been rcported-and never will be under
the present system of giving the bulk
Of the summer to vacation.
Summer Vacations Considered.
This system of closing the country
schools In June and reopening in Sep
TENDER has been acquiesced in, but
really, it is hard to see n weighty
reasons for IL in the rural districts.
Summer heat is not a continuous factor
In summer life, and even when IL Is
very hot children are quite rs well off
In the modern school building as
Mt home, or at such places as
country children frequent in sum
mer weather. We're the schools
kept open Mt that season for at
least four or five hours a day there
would unquestlonably be a fine chance
to instruct them in such details Of rural
ornamentation as they generally fail to
receive at home. and n love for country
life instiIled that city temptations
could not easily overcome.
whata District school Park Would DO.
One great difficulty, even yet. TO
combat is the want of land whereon TO
grow flowers, vegetables, hedges,
trees. or grass, and TO lay
out walks and groves. Land Is
cheap enough, but 10 set apart an acre
or two for school PURPOSES strikes the
average patron rs mere waste and nom
ems But under n wise teacher, who
Is something of a landscape gardener
as well rs "A teacher. II would be a very
practical matter. Nothing Is so want
Ing in country life ms cultivated taste
the taste to appreciate the beautiful
when seen. or to make a land,
scape beautiful In the minds eye
md then IN develop 10 before the phys
ical eye. Every country school house
ought to stand in the midst of a beauti-
ful little park planned by some expert.
but the work done largely by the chill
dren and kept in order by them the year
round. Once taught how, they would
delight to do IL. and the taste for 1t
developed Mt school would be sure
10 find expression at home when
ever there was serious occasion for IT.
A Reminiscence tn the Point.
The writer can remember n teacher,
owe half n century ago. who. under
standing child nature and loving rural
life himself. obtained The use Of n few
rods of and adjoining the school house
and made n little garden OF 1t TO the
intense delight OF tho pupils and his
own Measure. But what n little Eden
he might have made OF hat spot, II he
Ind had two. or three. or five acres
under his control, in which TO
plant trees. flowers, evergreens, a
hedge of evergreens to inclose
II. fruit trees here and there,
and shady arbors. snd had been able
to make MS all feel hal this was a per-
ma~nence-the property Of the district.
kept ND for the good OF the children. a
thing Of beauty for them Ia enjoy
while life and memory lasted. But
alas. one short summer ended the
dream: another district bid for his
services much more than nv district
would think Of giving. with their
views OF liberality. and he went away
amid n food OF tears such as CAV and
light hearted children seldom shed.
The Work Easily Mastered.
There Is no mystery about n school
house parlr that would puzzle bright
children very long. Flowers they love
from the start; fruit. perhaps wen
more than flowers: weeds they hate
when they know their nature and Of
flee: trees they admire for their impos-
ing presence and majesty. and the
green velvet of n rich lawn turf they
would treat as gently rs mothers
Garnet IL only trained to appreciate
its wondrous beauty. As to hedges and
screens and low trained and well
trained evergrecns. there Is
a concentration OF modest beauty
about them that appeals 10 n sensitive
nature with something like spiritual
power. Awaken the admiration or
love for these. and the city's enticino
foundations will have small seductive
power over them. Even IL they leave
the country Mt maturity. n tie is formed
that will he likely to bring them back
at the first opportunity. In any case.
country life will have a tinge of enjoy
ment to which thousands are now
strangers. looking upon II as n sort of
wide Omen prison they can not well
escape from.
An Object Lesson in Rural Life.
A schoolhousc park, we'll cared for
by children, teachers, and others who
love it. would exert an incalculable in
fluepce on rural taste. Now, tens OF
thousands, v e of grown people. have
never seen a well kept park. and the
dreary ~barrenness of m~ultitudes of
rural homesteads. and the anxiety of
the younger occupants to get away
from them. attest the necessity for
chem. They would be object les
sons to revolutionize rural
life and taste. What the
pupils learned there of flowers, trees,
plants, and landscape setting they
would endeavor to reproduce at home,
drawing parents into it in spite Of
themselves. And that is exactly what
is wanted. Country life. to be salts
factory, must minister to some other
taste than that of bread winning-even
hat poorly supplied. A foolish idea
prevails that beautiful grounds are un-
attainable except to the rich. The in
struction obtained through the
echoolhouse park and garden
would dispel that idea, and
awaken an interest i'm amateur
rural adornment that would rescue
the country from threatened depopula-
ton.
1t is the home and school to which
we must look for tho advancement OF
society i'm morals and taste. Make
them what they should be. and the
lest is easy. This suggested improve
ment in school methods involves no
question OF sectarianism, and no large
amount Of cost. In many cases
the land would undoubtedly be given.
and such work as the children could
not d%o-under proper supervision, OF
course-would furnish employment Ia
the poor laborers Of the district, while
the proximity of a beautiful little park
would enhance all values near il.
Rhinebeck, N. Y.