Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-07-08
DISCUSS RURAL SCHOOLS
Third Days Session q N. E. A. at Mil
wsuise Largely Attended.
Papers Read by Burk A. Hinsdale, w.
r. Harris and Henry Sabin-
Hot Weather Prevails.

MILWAUKEE. July S.-With the mer-
curry lowering around the nineties, 7,0O1
delegates filed into the Exposition Build
Ing this forenoon to attend the first meet
ing of the third days general session of
the N. E. A. The papers read this morn
ing related to rural schools.
The first paper Of the morning general
session of the National Educational Asso-
citation was read by Burk. A. Hfnsdale,
professor of the science and art of teach
ing, University of Michigan. The topic
was 1.-The Rural School Problem
Money Needed for Schools.
He said: Money has long been called the
sinews OF war 1t is equally the sinews of
public education. The cost of such educa-
ton Is everywhere great, and is every
where growing. The states of our Union
expended for common schools for the years
1S94-9o, not including the payments on
bonds. 7s,2l5,oOo: and we shall no doubt
pass the century line with an annual ex-
penditure of s20O, OOO, OOO
Ihe expenditures of the 443 cities COM
pared with the expenditures of the rest OF
the country, are, approximately, 1898 to
schools are only 3126 to 10SO9. Public in
struction furnished by cities is relatively
expensive, but when all the factors are
taken into account, nothing. perhaps,
compared with city schools, more strik-
ingly than these figures.
Wealth is not always found where it is
required for school purposes. Hence it is
necessary in the first place in many states
to enlarge the units of school taxation. 1t
Is most irrational to distribute such funds
according to school population, since the
cost of maintaining a good school depends
only in Slight degree upon the number of
pupils that it contains
Wm 7. Harris. United States commits
sioner of education. read a paper on Grad
ing and Classification.
Need of Classification.
The speaker said the chief care in the
management Of a system of city schools Is
to grade or classify the pupils in such a
manner that the interests of some are not
sacrificed for those of others. When pu-
pills of slower temperament are strained to
keep pace with quick and bright ones they
become discouraged and demoralized He
advocated frequent Redistribution, hich
should occur once in two or three months.
henry Sabin. superintendent of public in
Struction, state of Iowa, chairman of COM
mlttee of twelve, spoke The kind of
supervision most needed
The speakers remarks were confined to
supervision of rural schools. He said SUI
perVlsion is blessing a curse in pro-
portion to the intelligence and skill with
which 1t is admins tered. The person VINO
10 CHOSEN DIS supervisor OIL rural schools
should have in the highest degree the DUAL
tiles of leadership.
The true supervisor Is much more than a
teacher, and should know what constitutes
good farming; must concern himself with
school extension, lectures ard library. he
closed by saying: THE supervision which
have attempted to mark cut is that of a
live, enthusiastic man in sympathy with
educational progress, in touch with the
common people, consecrated to his work,
who thinks no sacrifice too great no labor
too severe when made in the cause of the
common district schools