The evening times., 1898-07-07
REPORT ON RURAL SCHOOLS
The National Convention of Edu.
Gators Discusses This Theme.
THE PROGRESS OF LEARNING
II. G. boone. President of the Michi-
gan Normal School at Npsilanu,
Subject of instruction and Disci-
pline In the Country Schools.

The National Council of Education met
again in the auditorium or Columbian
University this morning at $50. when
the mnch-anticipated discussion OF the
Committee of Twelve on Rural Schools
was held.
school Maintenance" was discussed
by Andrew S. Draper. president of the
University of Illinois: E. o. Lyte, presi-
dent of the State Normal School at Mi
lersville, Pa. and Prof euler B. Smith.
of the State Normal School at Athens,
Ga.
School Supervision" and supply of
Teachers were subjects discussed by N.
c. Dougherty, Peoria. Ills; n. c. Schcef-
fer, of Harrisburg. Pa; John W. Cook.
of Illinois, and Charles B. Gilbert, of
Newark, n. ].
r. G. Boone, president OF The Michigan
Normal School, read a paper on In
struction and Discipline in Rural
Schools" He said:
instruction and discipline together con-
stitute one aspect of the school, whether
in the urban OF rural districts. The sup
Elementary aspect is that of organization.
several purposeful exercises directed by
the teacher for educational ends. The
latter regards matters of general orSani-
zation and the various mechanical and
prudential arrangements designed 10
make the teaching exercises effective. OF
the two, the latter is an incident of the
first and depends upon the first for its
significance and the form which II as
Sumes.
fhaSac tod fn,
consideration obviously assume that the
quality and purposes and conditions of
right teaching in the rural schools have
been agreed upon. OF the five but two.
the first and the last, take hold in any
close way upon teaching. The others
have to do chiefly or entirely with admin
istrative organiZation-these include the
policy of the concentra ton or the combin-
ing of several small grades or schools into
few, the selection of assistants through
the monitorial or cadet system. and the
central control of examinations and the
preservation of records These are all i'm
portant; but they seem to me to be less
important in the present stage of de-
Velopmcnt of the rural schools than the
employment Of vell-qualified teachers and
the use of sensible and well-digested
methods.
"Of all the five theses named. the last
offers opportunity for the most far
reaching consequences to individuals and
neighborhoods. School extension for ru-
raj districts has. in one way or another
been introduced and successfully carried
out in Indiana, through the Young Peo-
pies Reading Circle. which is under the
immediate direction of the sch oeltea cher.
In Michigan, in part through the local
schools and in part through the Grange
organization. In other States something
has been done.
Through these agencies much more
has been accomplished than would have
seemed possible. In the course of half
dozen years habits of reading have been
fixed among the young people. that have
not only been worth cultiVating in and
for themselves. but they have reacted
in a wholesome way upon the school
work; Libraries have grown Up in the
schools as a result; home libraries have
begun or enlarged, and the general intel
1igence has increased.
with most astonishing success the cx-
pertinent has been tried in some districts
OF choosing the home readings from mat
ter especially suited TO the interests of
the district Because children live in the
country, one must not therefore conclude
that they understand the genius of the
country or the conditions of its progress.
To effect this result should be one aim of
this rural school extension"
Mr.. y. c. Shaeffer spoke as follows:
so long as there is growth and prog
ress in human life viii there be new
phases of education for superintendents
to define and discuss. l wish the Re
port on Rural Schools had given us
more light on how a superintendent may
earn his salary. A book agent who was
asked what question interests superin-
tendents most deeply next to drawing
their salary for the current year replied:
The question of drawing il next year.
THE new superintendent invariably
talks about the course Of study he is in
Producing, but after he has been at work
on ii half dozen years he is very anx-
ious to lean about vacancies elsewhere
TO retain his place the superintendent
must not only make people believe that
he Is earning his salary, but he must ac-
tually earn 1t. How is this possible when
he gets from two TO five thousand a year.
whilst the teachers in the lower grades
get only as many hundred? Not by per-
petual revision of the course of study.
nor by vigorous policy of doing nothing
while busily engaged in visiting schools
nor by dispensing that compound of acid
and alkali called criticism. the chief in
gredient of which is fault-finding. Least
OF all can he earn his salary by perpetu-
ally preaching the gospel of a new edu-
cation. That may impress the community
with a sense of great reforms to be
achieved. requiring time and perma nent
tenure of office if they are to be success
fully carried out. Occasionally radical
change becomes necessary. Generally the
attempt at radical reform robs the teach
ers of genuine joy in their work, makes
them believe everything they have been
doing to be fundamentally wrong. and in
creases the crop of patients which physi-
clans get from breakdowns due to worry
and sleeplessness.
How does the manager of a factory
earn his salary? If by superior skill,
wise direction of the work. scientific
knowledge of how everything should be
done he prevents waste of effort and of
raw material; If he arranges the ma
chinery to the best advantage. organizes
labor for common ends. thereby enhanc-
ing the quantity, quality and market