The true northerner., 1899-08-02
OUR RURAL SCHOOLS.
PAPER WRITTEN FOR COUNTY FARMERS
INSTITUTE BY WELLS @. BROWN.


INSTITUTE BY WELLS @. BROWN.
In the last one hundred years civiliza-
tion has advanced rapidly. While dis
coveres and inventions have revolution
ized the occupations of the material
world a corresponding change has occur
red in the domain of education. In the
place of the traditional idea of liberal
education we have broader view. What
is this modern idea-that which meets
with so much commendation on the one
hand and with such criticism on the
otherY 1t is this that we give to the
youth of our country, that which will
allow them TO live the broadest, deepest
and intensest life The aim of our schools
must be practical, intensely so. The
common branches must be taught-and
to that degree of excellence which will
allow the boys and girls of our rural
schools to take their places as intelligent,
active and up-to-date men and women in
the broad avenues of commercial enter
prise.
Do not believe for moment that l am
actuated in the presentation of this paper
by any desire of criticism of our schools,
for know that we have one of the best
systems of rural training this state af-
fords-but more that | state what every
good school should be. To say that this
school needs so and so might not apply
to the next. To state a need that be-
longs to all schools of the county would
be an injustice, because | consider that
many of our schools do not deserve criti
cism. On the other hand, if we should
attempt to enumerate the specific needs
of our schools we should have to outline
the work of the individual school, show
ing its DEFICIENCIES, whether in the work
done by the school, the teacher or the
board The best we can do is to speak
of the work of the true school.
First, with regard to subjects taught.
In this connection but two or three will
be mentioned | recently met with the
statement that statistics prove that nine
of our juvenile popula-
tion leave school before the age of eleven
years. If this be true, it is an alarming
and since readtQ0 is one of the
earliest studies and the one upon which
the child must depend for most of his
later education, it does seem as if the
youth of the country have a just claim
for the very best instruction along this
line that it is possible to give them.
Go into some of our reading classes and
you will hear the joyous sentiment and
sad rage and pity, hope and fear, all ut
tered with the same degree of force, the
same quality of voice and the same pitch
and tone. Judging from the manner of
reading, you could not tell whether the
selection were a funeral sermon of Ban
suet or a humorous description of Mark
Twain. Indeed, there is often no more
feeling than if a talking machine were
the words of the book Read
ing should aim, in the first place, to i'm
prove and develope the voice to its full
est capacity as regards beauty, power
and flexibility Indeed, think the hu-
man voice has greater power and mean
ing than most of US imagine. The Wig
orous and flexible voice, the distinct ar
ticulatlon and correct pronunciation are
after all but the necessary preparation
for reading. Without this physical found
alton, natural or acquired, it is impossi-
BILE for the human voice to respond to
the infinite lights and shades of thought
and feeling
Not of less Importance in this work is
the thought. Recently, in visitation to
a school, an eighth grade class were try
ing to read some fine print in their text
with reference to sanitary conditions to
be observed at home and at school. The
work was allowed to be pawned off with
no reference to meanings of terms used,
no supplementary work or suggestions
given by the teacher. | wondered how
much wiser was that class after the reci-
tation time, for they had had no recita-
ton, thought, only the time occupied.
The teacher was forcibly reminded of
this fact. 1t is pleasure to note, how
ever, that in many, many of our schools
the work in reading is a credit to the
teacher and pupil. Our reading lists in
teachers examination questions, under
stand, in the future are to contain speci-
fic questions on this subject aiming to
bring to the standard it should be a sub
ject that does not receive the attention
il ought in the schools of this state.
In 10rtttng, am glad to observe the
better interest manifested in this line of
work. However, the proper position of
body, hand and paper is imperative. |
regret some teachers fail to recognize
the proper essentials in maintaining a
good writing class. No wonder, however
when some parents utterly refuse to sup
ply their boys and girls with proper writ
ing material. 1t seems to me right that
district boards should supply paper, pen
and ink to such pupils whether they
take it goodnaturedly or not.
The language work of our schools must
be made absolute with every boy or girl
A teacher has not the right to neglect
this work simply because Mr.. Jones does
not want his boy TO study grammar. The
common branches are prescribed by
authority. That any boy or girl be al
lowed to neglect work which is absolute
ly essential to their education is wrong
The pupil should be as we'll grounded liz