Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-10-12
Mrs. Best's Lecture.

Mrs. Best's Lecture.
A special feature of the Educational
association meeting last Saturday was
the lecture on county high schools by
Mrs. Lucy S. Best, principal of the
Wa-Keeney schools. Mrs. Best served
two years as a member of the State
Board of Education and four years as
county superintendent of Labette
county, and ranks high among the
best educators of the state. The La
bette county high school was estab-
lished during her administration, and
her entertaining and instructive ad-
dress proved that she was familiar
with every phase Of the subject.
The following is synopsis of what
she said:
The state has made ample provision
for the primary education of her chill
dreu in the public schools and for
t leir higher education in the State
| University, State Normal and State
Agricultural college; but the county
| high school is essential as connect
| ing link between the public school
aud the higher institutions of learn
ing.
County high schools afford many adj
yantages not found in other schools.
Most Of the pupils come from the
country in which the school is located
and are less than days drive from
their bones. Thus pupils are largely
kept under home influences by fire.
quent visits of parents to pupils and
vice versa. When sickness comes, as it
! 4 -, + -al,< h.
entS are within easy reach and the
punil has a mothers care.
travelling expenses are saved be-
cause parents drive to the school with
their children, taking along beds,
cooking utensils and provisions with
which pupils board themselves. Very
few students in the Labette county
school engage board at boarding
houses. The average yearly outlay
of cash per pupil in that school is only
$50. Tuition is free.
The effect of the high school on the
country schools was marvellous. AS
soon as the high school course of study
was prescribed, the country schools
realized that their work must be so
thorough and exclusive as to meet the
requirements of the high school.
| Teachers who were not competent to
prepare pupils in the country school
for the high school were thus forced
1 to advance to advance themselves or
| leave the profession. The number of
common school graduates in Labette
county has been greatly increased,
because of the desire Of young people
to enter the high school. Many boys
and girls, having entered the high
! school, are brought in contact with
nOble-hearted teachers and ambitious
! students. and are thus stimulated to
greater activity themselves and are
soon possessed of a higher purpose in
! life.
The opposition to county high
schools is always greatest where it's
advantages are least understood. A
citizen of Labette county objected to
! the high school because of its great
cost, but was shown that he had in
vested in the school only 80 cents. A
real estate agent bitterly opposed the
founding of the school, but after it
was established, used the fact that
| they had such a school, as leverage
to sell a farm to an eartern party and
it was sold.
The best day in the history of Cove
City will be the day when the county
high school is opened. Labette cOun-
ty now has an imposing high school
building that may be seen from many
parts of the county, and children have
| learned to look to it with pride. Not
outstanding the excellent city
schools at Parsons, Oswego and
ChetOpa, the county high school last
year enrolled ia students, and one
half Of the teaching force of the coun-
ty comes from the school.
The teachers of Cove county should
do everything in their power from
now until November 5th to secure the
establishment of the school. If ladies
and young men. under q, can not
vote, they can resolve to make at
least one vote for the school and thus
vote by proxy. May success crown
your efforts. County Gazette.
n.1I-.-