The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-06-28
BETTER COUNTRY SCHOOLS
Committee of Twelve, of Which
Prof. kiehIe Is One, Reports.

Prof. kiehIe Is One, Reports.
WASHINGTON, June 27.-The report
of the committee of twelve on rural
schools in the United States, appointed
at the convention of the National Edu-
cational association in July, 1885, has
been completed and will be submitted
at the next annual gathering. 1t is
one of the most important documents
on school education that has appeared
since the PRONUNCIATION of the report of
the committee of ten on secondary edu-
cation in this country a couple Of
years ago. The committee consists Of
Henry Sabin of Iowa; d. l.. Kiehle, Of
Minnesota; A. b. Poland, of New York;
G. c. Rounds, of New Hampshire; j.
H. Phillips, of Alabama; B. A. Hins-
dale, Of Michigan; S. T. Black, of Cali
fOrnia; w. S. Sutton, Of Texas; L. E.
Wolf, of Missouri; United States Com
missioner Of Education Harris; H. l..
Evans, of Georgia, and c. r, Skinner,
of New York. The report discusses
the rural school problem in the differ
ent aspects of school maintenance, SUI
pervision, supply of teachers, and in
struction and discipline. Each of these
subjects was in charge of a subcom-
mittee of three, their work being re-
viewed by the entire committee.
The report says that for purposes of
organization, maintenance or supervis-
ion nothing should be recognized as the
unit smaller than the township or the
county. The school district is the most
undesirable unit possible. Effecting
this change wherever the district sys-
tenn prevails would cOnduce to effec-
tiveness and simplicity of organiza-
ton, economy in funds, equalization of
taxation and to system of supervision
which would produce better results.
All the subcommittee favor the con-
GO1i6a tinn of schools x,hi
small to employ proftably the time OF
one teacher into large schools, when
practicable, in order that better instruc-
ton may be provided than is now pos
sible
The establishment Of libraries, the
prosecution Of the work of school ex-
tension by lectures and other means.
the introduction of such studies as will
have tendency to connect the school
and the home, especially those having
direct bearing upon the everyday
life Of the community, and the ne
cessity of applying the laws of SANTA
ton to the construction of rural school
houses, demand immediate attention.
The rural schools are suffering from
the want of official and intelligent
supervision. In every state some
standard of qualifications. moral and
intellectual, with some amount Of actual
experience, should be demanded by law
from those who aspire to fill the office
Of superintendent or supervisor of
schools.
Good morals and good manners con-
St1tute an essential part Of an educa-
tIonal equipment. The inculcation Of
patriotism, of respect for law and order,
Of whatever tends to make a good citi-
zen, Is of as much Importance in a
small as in larger school, Regularity.
punctuality, obedience, industry, self
control, are as necessary in the country
as in the city school. Country school
teachers should call to their aid the
beautiful things in nature
Some important recommendations are
made as to instruction and discipline.
and the evils Of attempting to grade
rural schools as the city schools are
graded are set out at length. In con-
nection with school exercises at the
town or county center, once or twice a
year, competitive examina tons are not
recommended unless they are carefully
guarded. The feature of social inter-
course, the stimulus which comes from
meeting with ones mates, have ad-
Vantages which ought not to be neg
lected
There is embodied an interesting re-
port urging negro teachers for negro
schools. 1t says the instinct Of the
educational development of the negro
must be from within and by the race
itself and not solely through extrane-
Gus agencies; that the intellectual and
moral dependence of the race must not
be perpetuated, and the responsibility
OF teaching his own race furnishes in
centlves and means for race elevation.