The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-03-02

1 ne OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES al At.lS n.y. -
Z State. II this be true. and in a great.
+ mea sure tits. then any thing y hich tends
& to awaken an interest in hem, to point
out their defects. to ai6 In making them
more efficient, to bring the people TO see.
that the very best results are attained
/ by this vast expenditure Of public reVe-s
Enues, should be welcomed by the general
body OF citizens throughout the Common
veal t. The aim OF this paper, while
containing some very unpalata bic facts,
SIS constructive and not destructive i
believe that the country school contains
8tnSits student bod = ma terra which is vital
E to the future welfare OF the State. There.
is no part OF our citizenship that should.
appeal TO the intelligence and patriotism
of the Commonwealth more than these
country boys and girls. The country
school is of infinite Importance 10 the
body polite. In discussing the PRESENT
condition Of our public schools I snail
confine myself to the schools in the rurdl
districts. .
| propose to consider some OF the OBJ
stacles in their way and to point out what
seems to me after years of experience as
a teacher of teachers, to be some OF their
Imperative needs. It has been my pciV1-
8lege to become acquainted whit coun-
Sginia counties. I have sent many teach
ers from my own school-roon.s into these
rural communities. whose reports II
have, butt shall state only what
those interested in the several
schools. want to begin with
what I choose to call the local obstacles
in the way OF the best results in these
schools. These may be stated as follows:
IL. Neighborhood littleness. This crops
out in many ways, but in zach one OF
them does infinite harm. There is Tie
spirit of meanness that keeps the chlldren
away from school to punish teacher
whom the parents do not like. The Ia"
requires the teacher to make certain
average, and the object OF keeping the
children away was to cause failure.
asked a farmer why his children were not
in school, and he replied that ne, Win
some of his neighbors, were determined
to get rid of the teacher, and took TINS
method to do it. On investigation, found
that there was no objection specially 10
the teacher, but this crowd had wished
some one else and deliberately set theIn-
selves to accomplish the ruin Of the
school. Then there is a foolish and hurt
full prejudice against teachers from a
distance The school is a. neighborhood
| affair, and it must be given to a nelghbor-
hood bow or girl. This keeps the money
in the community. There is also DIS
position to find fault with anythink new.
I have been told that I would pc dong
better work should I take these young
people to the school-room and Keep thern
at their books This was said because
some Ignorant patron of my school found
me with a. geology. class wandering along
the stream or the railroad cut The idea
Of ornamentation on the walls or the
school-room is laughed out OF .counte-
nance Personal spite is also allowed TO
find its vent in these schools y gem
tlen,an told me that the school IN his VI
cinity8 was moved more than a mile SIM
ply to spite him. On Investigation am
sorry to believe that it was true
2. Lack OF interest or pride in the school
| or its surroundings. The matter OF teach-
err being settled for the current term very
frequently no fourth thought is given IL.
I have seen and talked with parents WHO
| complained that their children had learll-
ed nothing for the two past school terms,
and a. question Brought out the tact mat
for more han half the time they had oeeh
out Of the school.
3. I should give as one or the most
prominent obstacles in the way OF de-
yelorment. the school-house. These are
usually small log or frame, sinsle-roon al.
fairs. innocent of paint or ornament.
They are frequently Situated in some re-
mote or out-of-the-way place, where
somebody gave a half acre OF lana 70
have the school near him. If convenient
thew are more unsiShtly often than the
corn houses or the tobacco barns Ihey
are often destitute of any conVenlenceS
for either Of the children or the teacher.
They are frequently the result OF job
merry in neighborhood politics. 1 knew a
case where man offered for two hundred
and fifty-seven dollars to build three
country school houses These houses
were supposed to be able to accommodate
not less than one hundred and fifty chill
dren. A moments reflection would snow
that no mortal man could build in remote
districts three houses that would de-
serve the name of school-house for the
| sum mentioned. Heating devices and
ventilation seldom trouble the minds OF
local school boards AS these buildings
have no assurance Of permanancy even
the. most progressive teacher is discour-
aged in trying to beautify them and their
SURROUNDINGS. I have known them to
be removed for the merest Whim or ca
price I have in mind as I write case
| where the local member of the Board had
the school moved to his side of a large
creek, because he did not want his chill
dren to cross it. This removal took the
school four miles from many OF its pa
irons.
A. inefficient and poorly equipped teach
~
of the system. I have seen well equipped
and capitally-prepared teachers turned
| down for some girl or boy who was to-
tally untitled both by nature and train
ing. know two girls who received GER
tificates, one a first grade, the other a
third grade These girls were in my
school for a time, the one who held the
first grade certificate, four years. She
had taken a. course of study. had taken
my lectures on METHODS and Management,
and in ever yway done her best to prepare
for teaching. She never failed in a single
examina ton while in school. The other
girl never passed an examination in the
school. She was as untitled by nature
as one well could be for a teacher. Her
attendance at school was so irregular
that the teachers asked that she
be sent home. She came in this
Irregular way for about a year, and
then droprred out. I was amazed that
she should apply for q school. To my
utter establishment she not only received
an appointment, but the other girl failed
to be considered at all. Behind it all
was a pull as a local politician told mo
afterwards Such a state Of affairs can