Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1897-12-01

tions for the future as has Kansas.
Less than this will be made up by an
amount many times the saving on
school expenses in extra appropria-
tions for the support of our penal and
charitable institutions. A small
school, poorly paid teacher and, a
term of three or four months are not
conditions calculated to produce the
best results educationally. These are
conditions shown, by statistics quoted,
to be the rule rather than the excep-
ton. Although western Kansas does
not make so good a showing as does
eastern Kansas, these conditions are
not peculiar to western Kansas nor to
this state, for Kansas stands first
educationally in every respect. They
are conditions common to rural schools
In every state in the union, and they
are growing worse rather than better.
The rural school population in the
United States is actually on the de-
crease. 1t is condition and not a
theory that confronts us, and I wish
to suggest remedy. If my remedy
is not forsible and practical, ask for
suggestions and criticisms; if it is, 1
ask for the support of all friends of
education in the concentration of eff
fort upon the few spacifc things 1
shall mention. Legislation will al
ways follow an aroused public senti-
ment upon any subject.
First. The number of districts and
the number of schools should be re-
duced, and provision be made for the
transporting of those too far from
school, thus preventing the great
waste of money now paid out for
buildings and teachers and incidental
expens es for keeping up so many
small schools, and at the same time
give the children the benefit resulting
from association, grading, closer and
better supervision, more hea1thful con-
ditions. and prompt and regular atten-
dance, and relief from the monotony
of the small, imperfectly equipped
school upon the prairies, to which they
will not longer be compelled to walk
through mud and rain and cold. Dis
tricts desiring to follow this sugges-
tion have ample authority without loss
of organization or public money and
under laws now in force. (See chapter
217, Laws of 1895, or page 81, School
Laws of 1917 Further information
upon this or other subjects pertaining
to schools, which should properly be
furnished from this office, will be
cheerfully supplied on application.
Second. A. state and a county levy
for school purposes which would dis
tribute the burden of taxation more
equitably, and which should each be
sufficient to pay one-third the expenses
of an eight months term of school in
every district with an average attend
ance of 20 or more. Every school
should have that many, and no term
should be less than eight months. A
3-nli1l state levy and 3-mil1 county
levy would be sufficient to raise near
ly, if not quite, two-thirds of the
amount needed for the support of the
common schools. The remainder
should be raised by local taxes under
present methods, and in no event
should the amount of state or county
money paid to any district exceed the
amount raised by local tax.
Third. A higher standard of qua1i-
fications for teachers. The age limit
should be raised, as should the educa-
tiona1 and professional requirements.
One reason why so little progress
has been made toward improving the
conditions of the rural schools is, that
friends of education have not united
in demanding certain few things.
Other changes than these mentioned
may be equally important, but they
are the ones THAI to me seem most
needed and most easy of attainment.
When these are gained. let us ask for
more. Longer terms of school, better
qualified teachers, a just system of
taxation and greater economy in the
expenditure of the funds raised will
give better wages, permanency in en-
ployment, and the place to the teacher
in the community which he should oc-
cupy-the place which he occupies in
Germany, Scotland, and most of the
old-world countries-year1y employ.
ment, with house and garden furnish
ed and pay sufficient to warrant nm.
dertaking the responsibilities of home
and family, and the making of teach
ing a life business. Not until these
conditions exist will there be any
marked Improvement in the rural
schools.
Time does not permit an elaborate
argument in favor of the above pro-
positions. To such as are interested
in this and other matters pertaining
especially to the rural schools, 1 would
suggest the purchase of the .'Report
of the Committee of Twelve on Rural
Schools, a publication gotten out un-
der the auspices of the National AS
sociation. Every teacher and friend
of education should read it. 1t is a
book of 285 octave pages and can be
obtained from county superintendent
tor 10c. Respectfully yours,
VIM. SrRYKKR,