Durango semi-weekly herald., 1903-05-14

er creates in her the greater need TO,
the encouragement and inspiration
which comes through association witt
others of the same profession. Es
pecial care should be taken to pre-
pare suitable programs. When these
teachers ask meat see that you do not
give them n stone. Above all things
these programs must be interesting.
10 enlarge upon the effect of these
meetings is not necessary The infer.
ence may easily be drawn.
The organization of teachers is an.
other means to the desired end. par.
licuiariy II such organization includes
Clty and Rural schools. 1t should be.
however, federation with a purpose.
whose members are united and stand
as one for the principles they adyo.
cate-not the haphazard weak-kneed
aggregation 1t so often is.
nor must we omit the Teachers In.
stitute. Its mission is so thoroughly
recognized that 1t need not be enlarg-
ed upon here.
The attitude of the people toward
the school questions is not always
suihciently considered by school of
hcials and teachers. We are so famil.
lar with our school work ourselves
that we are not always patient with
those whose knowledge is limited in
school matters. We see so plainly
reforms that we are some times irri.
lated at the apparent apathy of the
| general public.
| This Is wrong The people support
the schools, consequently they have
right to a voice in their affairs
The mere fact that the average man
or woman does not understand school
matters as thoroughly as we is no ex-
cuse for our impatience. 1t is our
| business to see that the public is in.
| formed upon these subjects.
our schools have been in the back
ground long enough Turn on the
lime light. See that there are school
items in the daily papers. If the peo
pie have forgotten, we must make
| them remember The schools are
public institutions and part of the
commonwealth-it is therefore only
right. that they should be publicly
recognized. If the schools are doing
| things in which the people are inter
| ested the newspapers will be only too
glad to print the items.
The up-to.date merchant advertises
to attract business. Keeping the
schools in the public eye not only hen.
eflts the schools but the community
since they attract thther an element
| desirable as citizens.
II some unkind person accuses you
| of advertising yourself, do not allow
| false pride to interfere with your use
of any of these means of keeping your
| schools before the public. Politics
will be bad and the public schools in
ferior as long as public sentiment per.
| mits 1t. Therefore advertise your
| schools and educate public sentiment.
Some other means of advertising are
County Graduating Exercises, Essay
Competitions. Oratorical Contests, and
your Exposition of school work at the
County Fair. These all have their
value.
No County Superintendent has the
right to say arbitrarily-"this is a
good thing. We will have it in our
o'hpbio ne IUe du-
| yantages of the scheme the effect will
be nil unless the people are desirous
of 1t themselves. II Is not wise to
force reform upon people. If we do
sooner or later, there will be reac,
ton. The better way is to put lne
question with its advantages and dis
advantages. then let them choose
II Is only too true that the general
public considers the town and rural
schools as separate and distinct insti-
tutions. That this is wrong it is easy
| to perceive. The country cannot exist
without the town nor the town with
| out the country Children are chill
| dren wherever located and human ma
ture Is the same the wide world over
Our town schools have made rapid
| progress the past few years-the same
! is not true of our rural schools They
are almost twenty years behind the
times and even more in some Coup.
ties. Low salaries. inferior teachers,
unprogressive directors. soft snap
| County SuperinteIdents, and an in
different public are accountable for
this reprehensible state of affairs.
| In answer to this statement of the
| general inferiority of the rural schools.
the fact Is often pointed out that most
OF our great men are products OF rural
school training. Hence. It is inferred
that the country school must be the
best place in which to train future cit
| liens.
| II In better logic. to conclude, that
our great men were great because of
their individual force OF character, and
not on account of the vicissitudes
/ through which they had to pass All
people are not sweetened, purified and
strengthened by adversely. In num-
berless cases trials embitter, and
trouble conquers the Individual. Pow
er comes from within, 1t IL not ques-
ton of environment. Lincoln would
have been a great man, rich or poor
Had Washington been born under sim
llar conditions, he would have been
no greater because of his poverty
Men such as Franklin and Lincoln sue
ceeded. not because OF their trials, but
In spite of them. Had the rural
schools been responsible for the sue
cess Of these men. all those who par