The Republican journal., 1898-02-17

Reform in School Work.

To THE EDITOR OF THE JOURNAL: The
interest seen and felt in educational cir
Giles, in the work of our common schools
and worthy desire to improve them, is
good omen for the future. While the city
school probably needs reform as much as
| the rural one, the interest at present
seems to center around the country towns.
A great deal of the criticism heard is not
well founded in fact, while some of it
comes from those who have no practical
knowledge of the actual work done in
our schools. When good comes to our
rural schools, it must come from those
who are acquainted with their needs. The
world long ago learned that the brain
power of mankind was not confined to
either town or city. There are many
things to be considered when we plan to
improve the work of our schools. One of
those things is the fact that the conditions
of life in the country are apt to be differ
ent from those of the city. Whether those
conditions are better or worse does not
enter into this discussion. There is a
difference, and it must be recognized. A
scattered population and few scholars;
small school fund and heavy taxes schools
small and far between-these are all
factors to be taken into account. Hence,
the graded school of the city becomes I'M
possible. There is a limit to the distance
to which scholars can be protitably COLI
veyed. Not only is this true, but it is
also true that a small school often does
better work than a larger one. This is
due to the fact that the teacher in the
small school is able to give individual at
tention to each of her scholars. In the
large school this is not possible, and the
scholars are apt to fall behind foI want OF
Gaze which the teacher has not time to
bestow.
The first thing needed in the work of
improving our schools is to dispel the
idea held by many, that school is poor
because small, or that graded school sys-
tenn turns out better scholars than the
mixed schools of the country towns. Good
will not come by throwing away what we
have and then trying to find something
different to take its place; it can only be
had by building upon the foundation
which We already have.
| Again, there is too much desuitory
work in some of our schools. This is apt
to be the fault of the parents who have a
false idea of what constitutes an educa-
ton. In combating this we must go slowly,
as we can not safely ignore the prejudice
of the parent even though it is founded
on ignorance. | have often found scholars
who have wished to take Latin into the
| common school, when they were not able
to correctly state their thoughts in good
English Scholars will at times omit
some essential study and take up some
thing that has no practical value and is
not permissible in the common school
course of studies. Teachers often work
over hours to get time to put on these
studies, but such kindness is seldom APP
preciated. That there is need of regular
course of study in our schools is admitted
by nearly all who have had experience in
their management. But this reform must
be very gradual-unless made by the
State, which it should be-for the man
who makes it suddenly seals his official
doom by the act ard could not carry it
our to its logical END which would be one
of much good.
| There is also another much needed re-
form and it will be found needed in the
city as well as in the country town 1t is
a reform that rests wholly with the pa
rent and, if it could be made would do
more to improve our schools than any
other one thing. Our schools need to be
| filed with scholars who have been taught
to obey. Obedience confronts us all in
every walk of life. We must obey the
laws OF our country and the higher laws
of right, else we fail to be good citizens
and good Christian men. Good citizen
ship and Christian manhood walk hand in
hand to- day, and they cannot be separat-
ed. No man can safely lead until after he
has learned to follow; no man can safely
command who has not learned to obey.
No school can do good work where obedi-
ence is wanting. No teacher can maintain
good order in school for any length of
time who does not have the support of
the parents in her work. 1t is an absolute
truth that the child who rules the home
ruins the school. Parents owe it to their
children, and to the public, that they be
taught to obey all reasonable commands
OF the teacher. And the child is not