The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-01-10

there was one of the big gaps through
which immoral influences entered into
the lives of many a Schoolboy whose
home influences were good and who at
tended an excellent school
He prophesies that in a short time
rural telephones will be extended to the
schools so that the parents, teacher and
pupils can easily be placed in commun-
ication with one another. BY bringing
newspapers, magazines and other lit
erature to the homes the rural mail
was performing a vast service to the
rural educators, since in many cases
the scholars learned to read as much
through their interest in the current
literature as in the school room. An
other benefit accruing from this system
of school consolidation would be the
encoura cement of high schools for the
country boys and girls whereby they
might secure all but a college training
without going away from home. Under
the present conditions in this regard
he considered that the city scholars had
been unjustly favored Another advan-
tage of the scheme he aVerred would
be securing a better prepared and high
er paid class of teachers. THE school
teachers are doing one of the greatest
if not the greatest works in the state
and at a salary that ought to make us
blush. We should make better oppor
tunities for them and we will be better
ing ourselves. We will be doing it for
ourselves, for the state, for the nation
and for humanity. We must recognize
that the school house is the exponent of
this system: what we do for it We do
for ourselves"
Another great benefit he thought
would be in increasing the attendance
of the children. especially the boys. Mr..
Nelson says it is the boys who are the
hardest to keep in the paths of recti-
tude as regards school work and that
it is a part of the personal work of
everyone to try to help out this cause
by interesting himself in the boys.
In connection with the scheme for a
union of districts will come according
to his belief, manual training. Then
the social opportunities of the people
will be great augmented by the in
crease of books, lecturers and the pass
ing of the cheap show.
IF there is any sentiment he declar-
ed, that will touch the poetic genius
of man it is rural scenery. We should
preserve this poetic sentiment And 1
believe that the consolidation of public
schools is a we'll directed effort to
maintain it This will make rural life
richer and better in the future"
MRS. JOHNSTON'S PAPER.
1.-THE Country School House. was the
title of an excellent paper read by Mrs.
Lucy B. Johnston of Topeka In opening
she decribed interestingly the transit
ton from the log cabin with it's ham,
pered facilities for instructing the chill
dren, to the modern district school
house. The country school house is
still severely plain, but the general con-
dition in Kansas is good-better than
in many of the states. The sanitary
should afford an opportunity for land
scape gardening" In accordance with
this idea she believed that the walks
and flow er beds should be laid out with
the aim of interesting the scholars in
the study and observation of nature.
Inside, the conditions are better; she
mentioned the collection of plants
which add much to the attractiveneSS
of the rooms, piano or organ with
which many of them are provided and
the travelling libraries which also a
great number of them receive. Mrs.
Johnston favored the introduction of
manual training and the consolidation
of districts as proposed by State Super
intendent Nelson. But while waiting
and working for better conditions we
should make those better now. The
rooms should be clean, beautiful and
artistic. In that way teacher and par
ents have a common object for which to
work"
Mrs. Johnston exhibited a model trav-
cling library and art collection
which the Federation of Women's clubs
sends out to the country schools over
the state. She said that the only re-
quirement made of the school district
in order to get the pictures was that
the interior of the school room should
be so decorate or tinted as to give a
favorable setting to the productions of
art. When she raised to view the large
portraits of Lincoln, Washington and
had contented itself with a, few whis-
pered comments, broke into lusty APP
Dlause.