Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-06-28

OlGuOGO.
Washington, June 27-The report OF
the committee Of twelve on rural
schools in the United States, appointed
81 the convention Of the National Edu-
.cational Association in July, 1895, has
been completed and will be submitted
Of the next annual gathering 1t Is
one Of the most important documents
n, school education that has appeared
since the PRONUNCIATION Of the report
NJ the committee Of ten on secondary
education in this country a couple oil
wears ago. The committee consists Of
Henry Sabin. Of Iowa; d. L. kiehle'
of Minnesota: A. B. Poland, OF New
York: c. C. Rounds, Of New Hamp-
shire; J. H. Phillips, Of Alabama; B, \.
Hfnsdale of Michigan; S. T. Black, OF
California: w. S. Sutton, Of Texas; L.
E. Wolf. Of Missouri; United States
Commissioner Of Education Harris; L.
y. Evans. of Georgia, and C. r. Skin
ner. Of New York. The report dis
CusSes
TIE RURAL SCHOOL PROBLEM
in the different aspects Of school main
tenance. supervision, supply Of teach
ers and instruction and discipline Each
Of these subjects was in charge Of q
subcommittee of three, their work be-
inc reviewed by the entire committee.
The report says that Tor purposes OF
organization. maintenance or super
vision. nothing should be recognized
as the unit smcller than the township
or the county. The school district is
the most undesirable unit possible.
Erecting this change wherever the
district system prevails would conduce
to effectiveness and simplicity of or
ganizati9n. economy in funds, eQualiza-
ton Of taxation and to a system Of
supervision which would produce bet
ter results. All the subcommittee
favor the
CONSOLIDATION OF SCHOOLS
which are too small to employ profit
ably the time of one teacher IN larger
schools. when practicable, in order that
better instruction may be provided
than is now possible. Every commun-
ity SHOULD be required to raise . Ger
ie.n sum for the support of its school
as a prerequ lite for receiving its share
Of public money. A certain definite
sum should De Appropriated TO each
school out Of The State funds, and the
remainder should be divided in accord
auce with some fixed and established
rule a discrimination being made in
favor of townships most willing TO tax
themselves for school purposes. One
os
TIE GREAT HINDRANCES
TO the Improvement Of the rural school
les in its isolation and its inability to
furnish to the pupil that sJimulatiye
influence which comes from contact
with others Of his own age and adj
vancement. The committee therefore,
recommends collecting Pupils from
small schools into larger and paying
from the public funds for their trans
por,ation. believing that in this way
better teachers can he provided, more
rational methods of instruction adopt
ed. and at the same time the expense
of the schools can be materially less
ened.
There is a tendency to fill the rural
schools with unframed. immature
teachers. The establishment of
NORMAL TRAINING SCHOOLS.
under competent instructors with short
courses. each year of which shall De
complete in itself. would do much to
remedy this evil. Tie extension and
adjustment Of the courses ana terms
Of the State normal schools so as 70
constitute a continuous session would
enable them TO contribute more direct
" than now to the improvement of the
teachers Of rural schools. The State
would then be justified in demanding
some degree Of professional training
from every teacher in the rural as we'll
Is In the city schools.
The establishment or libraries. the
prosecution Of the work of school ex-
tension by lectures and other means.
the introduction Of such studies rs will
have a tendency to connect the school
and the home especially those having
a direct bearing upon the every day
life Of the community, and the neces-
si,y Of applying the
LAWS OF SANITATION
TO the construction Of rural school
houses. demand immediate attention.
The rural schools are suffering from
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