The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1895-11-08
COUNTRY SCHOOLS.

Mr. Jolln Gllmcr Speed. IN the DC
tober Forum, discusses the public
school question with great candor and
points out some of the DEFICIENCIES of
the system. With reference to the
country schools, he said:
"The average pupil OF the average
country school does not cvin learn to-
write with ease or plainness. In
arithmetic he acquires enough to
solve the simale sums In addition,
subtraction, multiplication and divis-
ion which they meet with in practi-
cal life. But the inetficiency OF the
country school has resulted in what
might quite properly be called "the
American peasantry' being as Hitter
ate and unlearned as any class of PED.
pie in any civilized state in the world.
An assertion like this is likely to be
called un-American by those shallow
critics who maintain that Americans
should never speak the truth Of them
selves and the institutions which
have become debased. The Ameri-
can farmer of twogenerations ago was
better educated man than the Amer.
lean farmer of to-day. No one would
ever have thought Of calling him d
peasant he did not suggest such d
thing in his manner of life, poor,
though it was; nor yet in his manner
of thinking, though that may have
been narrow. Let any candid observ-
er go into a neighborhood where the
land has been titled by the same
family for generations, and let hini
find farm where there are still
three or four generations upon it.
He is almost sure to find that those of
the Oldest generation can speak, write
and think with much more accuracy
than the second generation, and that
the second generation will show more
evidences of education than the third.
This shows degeneration, and this de-
generation can be directly traced to
the dccadcnce of country public
schools, which now are really beneath
discussion, were there not a hope that
by telling Of their badness some in.
terest might be excited, and through
this interest the schools might be
improved. We do not want an igno.
rant pcasantry in this country-we
have no use for peasants. But we are
getting such class, both by importa,
tion aud breeding"
There are many exceptions to this
rule that might be cited, but every
one must have observed that the ''old
schoolmaster" who was known to our
grandfathers and who became distn.
guished in his locality as an instructor
and mentor Of youth, and who was
always at the head OF the list OF
prominent citizens," has almost dis
appeared. Mr.. Speed believes the
reason the schools do not attain bet.
ter results, and especially in the
country, is that the teachers are not
paid well enough. We think this the
chief if not the only cause of the
trouble. The system is a a1mirable in
its theory, and whenever the teachers
are competent better results are OBJ
tained than under the primitive plan
of educating the neighborhood youth,
Undoubtedly the system cannot
meet the public demand if the teach.
ers are inferior, and men and women
will not go to teaching as life work
when only starvation wages are paid.
II we could divide among our teachers
some Of the fees that 20 to county
officials, the cause of education would
be greatly advanced and the graduates
Of the schools be much improved.