The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-07-09
THE RURAL SCHOOLS.
NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON EDUCA-
TON IN COUNTRY DISTRICTS.

The report OF the committee OF
twelve on rural schools in the United
States, appointed at the convention OF
the National Educational association,
has been completed and will be submit
ted 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 couple of years
ago
The committee consists of Henry Sa-
bin of Iowa, d. l.. Kiehle Of Minnesota,
A. b. Poland of New York, @ O.
Rounds of New Hampshire, j. II. Phil
lips of Alabama. b. A. Hinsdale of
Michigan, S T. Black of California,
W. S. Sutton of Texas, l.. f. Wolf of
Missouri, United States Commissioner
of Education Harris, L. E. Evans of
Georgia and G. r. Skinner of New
York.
The report says that for purposes of
organization, maintenance or super
vision nothing should be recognized as
| the unit smaller than the township or
| the county. The school district is the
most undesirable unit possible Effect
| ing this change wherever the district
system prevails would conduce to effect
iveness and simplicity of organization,
economy in funds, equalization of tax
alton and to a system of supervision
which would produce better results.
| All the subcommittee favor the con-
| solidation of schools which are too
small to employ proftably the time of
| one teacher into larger schools, when
| practicable, in order that better instruc-
tion may be provided than is now pos
sible. Every community should be in
| duced to raise certain sum for the
support of its schools as a prerequisite
for receiving its share of public money.
A certain definite sum should be ap-
propriated to each school out of the
state funds and the remainder should
be divided in accordance with some
fixed and established rule, discrimina-
ton being made in favor of townships
most willing to tax themselves for
school purposes.
One of the great hindrances to the
improvement of the rural school lies IN
its isolation and its inability to furnish
to the pupil that stimulative influence
which comes from contact with others
of his own age and advancement The
committee, therefore, recommends col
lecting pupils from smaller schools into
larger and paying from the public funds
for their transportation, believing that
in this way better teachers can be pro-
vided, more rational methods Of in
struction adopted and at the same time
the expense Of the schools can be mate
rally lessened.
There is tendency to fill the rural
schools with unframed, immature
teachers. The establishment of normal
training schools, under competent in
structors, with short courses, each year
of which shall be complete in itself,
would do much to remedy this evil.
The extension and adjustment OF the
courses and terms of the state normal
. schools so as to constitute continuous
session would enable them to contribute
more directly than now to the improve
ment of the teachers Of rural schools.
, The state would then be justified In de
manding some degree of professional
training from every teacher in the rural
as we'll as in the city schools.
G The establishment Of libraries, the
, prosecution of the work Of school extern
, sion by lectures and other means, the
. introduction of such studies as viii
have q tendency to connect the schoo
and the home, especially those having
;; a direct bearing upon the everyday lift
> of the community, and the necessity o.
0 applying the laws of sanitation to TIT
0 construction of rural schoolhouses de
| mand immediate attention.
q The rural schools are suffering from
/, the want of official and intelligent su
: pervision. In every state some STANDARD
!. of qualifications, moral and intellectual
with some amount Of actual experience
g should be demanded by law from thos
s who aspire to fill the Office OF superln
i tendent or supervisor Of schools.
Q Good morals and good manners con
o stitute an essential part Of an educa
tional equipment. The incubation o
patriotism, or respect for law and order
: or whatever tends to make good citi
!. zen, is Of as much Importance in small
as in a large school. Regularity, pune
tuality, obedience, industry, self con
troll, are as necessary in the country a
Z in the city school. Country schoo
!. teachers should call to their aid tn
y beautiful things In nature.
4 Some important recommendations ar
v made as to instruction and discipline
= and the evils Of attempting to grad
a rural schools as the city schools ar
3 graded are set out at length. In connee
n ton with school exercises at the tow
or country center once or twice yea
4 competitive examinations are not rec
n commended unless they are CAREFUL
A guarded. The feature Of social inter
). course, the stimulus which comes fror
a meeting with ones mates, have advar
tagss which ought not to be neglected.
There is embodied an interesting n
port, urging negro teachers for negr