The sun., 1901-08-10
THE COUNTRY SCHOOL
PROBLEM

btuititS VI lib'iAh ~ t'ib''i.''
the masses of the people who must rely
upon the public schools for the education
of their children. 1t goes without saying
that the country district schools DO me-
fully meet the popular demand 1t is
also clear that these schools can never
reach the plane Of ideal schools and il
is also plain that they must always ratr
lower in their scale of efficiency than
the public schools of the cities and towns
where dense populations, and cooperative
effort make large school houses. tine
equipment graded scholastic divisions
and efficient teachers easy Of attainment
This fact. however, does disprovr til
country school pupils equal right to the
advantages afforded the pupils Of city
schools supported hy the State.
The school problem rs it relates Il
country life, as we understand it. mvnl
YES the question, or idea, Of supplement-
ing the conntry districts schools nm
ayodabie faults. perhaps il would Ii,
better to say mperfectionS. hy establish
ing such relations with the city schools
as would give advanced pupils from iii,
country schools unobstructed admission
to them. We believe that this could be-
Done and that it ought to he done. All
the schools supported by State aid. ought
10 be- open to all the school children Of
tha State.
In the development OF human society
and government il has come to lie recog
niHed rs III imperative duty Of the State
10 educate its population. The children
must be educated That is not only dc
mHndtl is i condition Of safety and sllc.
cess il government such ;lS We have. hHt
is also il natural and right demand from
the child. on the State. rs assuring it th
exercise ami enjoyment Of Those right,
which are equal, and inalrimablr i'll ali
human kind. The difficulties Of meeting
this demaml III isolated sparse popnll
tionS is apparent. Resource must be had
in such eases to the country district
schools. Even with these established the
difficulties are still great and the work
accomplished necessarily Of relative low
grade. This is not said in the spirit Of
criticism, hut rs II statement of fact thar
must not he overlooked in the discussion
of this problem. The value Of the colln-
try district schools Of this country can
not be 0yrrcStilMated. What has been ac.
conplish,l in them is marvellous. 1t Il
here that the eminent scholars who's
names are h,r;lltled rs those Of Yale and
Harvard graduates, begin the work Of
education. II is here that they receive
and here loo they receive the inspirations
for i broader ana higher educational de
vrlopment, uttainable only at the college
and university. II is probably not too
wha havr achieved scholastic distinction
III this country 1T least. began their r,lu
cation IN the common schools. This l.
indispntalle testimony to tho worth ltt
work of The country school The prob
lem is how to perfect this, valuable publ,
histitutielt They are Lot u hc regard
ed ns having pr"naturrly rip"nmi D
gD'te to seed, 'rhy are ferlin" the ,lr
n,tnd fUr ncttcr educational fhciitic.
ind arc gradually improving. Bti The.
are necessarily limited 10 ludimrnthlS ID
nrnts, They cannot meet the dcn;n,
which llte country district school pupil
hrc making for educational advantage
equal tu these afforded 10 the pupils o
thr public schpols nf the cities The,
is some local evidence Of this lcman
ii, the fact tllIt the local grammar III
high schools have bccn admitting pupil
frpn tle adjacent country districts. IN
that the school authorities have attcmp
ID ID rr@uEltr the admissions 0f SIl,.
pupils q meet some pro!fihilory l4qn;ia
mrntS II the law.
Fills is i clear indication Of the dire
tian nf luhlic sentiment III the matt,
~ public education. Il il toward Il
establishment Of !; State school sysin
oprn everywhere % pupils " th" Sta
Whc will avail themselves af the faci
tics these schools afford In the liz
of what We have said relative to Il
duty uf tllr State III its efforts 1T Sd
preservation. and il respecting the rigll
ut tlit' chnir.n of tho State, we cann
avoid the conclusion That thc prnhilto
provisions af school board charters !,
inconsistent with the public welfare j.
public schools arc State schools. ~ /
creatures of State Law, and SnppnrteA
taxation levied hy authority of the Sta
and supported liy direct appropriate
From til State funds there should hr
distinction. or classification Of pupils ii
81 territorial divisions The State Shoi
kroW HI that rrsrad. nothing about
ban and suburban divisions The eli
who appears NJ a schoalhouse door aS
appi,au f"l 4 pupils privilege shoi
find iii immediate and cordial wric0
without regard 60 his u her place
residence
That some such arrangement would
right S desirable ana feasible there /
be 10 doubt. Its adoption depends nj
legislative enactment lioishing the y
hlntnry provisions nf Srhool board ch
t"rs. That. however. ought not to
difficult Of accomplishing The conn
school districts have more lceisiat