The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1903-01-01
GRADED SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTRY.
Another Contributor Takes Up This I'm
portAnt Subject

J
graded schools in the rursl districts
This strikes me as a very sensible and
practical solution of this vexed and
vital question: The educating Of
our children outside cities and large
towns"
In this wonderful age of progress
and marvellous development the con
ditions of society have changed more
during the present generation than
for centuries past. Our schools and
systems Of education alone appear to
lack progress and adaptability to the
demands, services and wants of the
hour. That the lowest grade Of man
ual labor is higher paid than the ser
vices Of our teachers is one of the
anomalies of modern civilization
This perhaps partially accounts for
the present condition of our county
schools and the tendency of crowding
the cities with country children to
secure better school facilities. To
meet the demand of modern wants,
work and ways when the mind is
taxed and the nerves strained to the
limit, steam and electricity having
opened a thousand avenues of thought
and labor, the average country youth
is prepared to meet this ever quick
ening competition of mind muscle in
an unsanitary, uusightly, poorly fur
nished school house, located on some
lonely roadside, where from 20 to 40
pupils ranging from to 20 years of
age, are crowded into uncomfortable
and often unclean quarters, taught
by a poorly paid, unframed, neglected
teacher no follows the calling for
few seasons only for the purpose of
securing something better or more
congenial
In some counties of our State the
average school term is five months;
salary $25 per month, half the wages
of road hand or teamster The
wonder is not that the scholars learn
but little, mastering the alphabet and
multiplication table, whilst the COM
mandments are daily broken by pro-
fessor and pupils, caused by the ig-
norance and sordidness of the patrons
who neglect their trust and fail to
perform their sacred duty. So stu
ated and surrounded, the teacher dis
couraged, the pupils degenerating,
the decay and decline of our public
school a subject of constant comment,
verify our people perish for want of
knowledge" our children suffer
through our negligence and ignor-
ance. The patrons and parents could
and should correct these crying evils.
In many communities a parent is sell
dom seen in the school room only to
! quarrel with the teacher and aid the
cause by taking their children from
school. Hence many children grow
up in ignorance and idleness, becom-
ing vagrant and criminal, who if
properly disciplined by parent or
guardian and fairly taught, might
make useful and honorable citizens.
The cause is more easily stated than
the cure-perhaps the dream of the
scholar. Universal education is a de-
fusion, but certainly the prostitution
of our public schools by petty politi-
clans is the shame and the curse of
the age.
A graded school has many adyan-
tages. Indeed it is impossible in this
day and generation to prepare our
youth for the battle of life without
modern appliances, apparatus. furni-
ture and fixtures, etc. The higher or
graded schools have these. To han
die. and apply this machinery fairly
educated, trained and experienced
teachers must be employed. With
such surroundings and advantages
our country children and youth would
have the same chances and opportu-
mites they could secure in the cities
or larger towns, with all the beauties,
blessings and benefits of country life
We wish to say word of encour-
agement and commentator in the
interest of that worthy, long suffer
ing, poorly paid and much neglected
class of laborers in the vineyard-the
country school teacher. Ichabod
Crane has long ceased to represent
this profession. The most eminent
and successful men and women of our
country have commenced their career
in the public schools as teachers.
With their great number and super
ior intelligence, the power and infiu-
ence they exert upon society is deep
and far reaching. Indeed, the care
and welfare of the State is in their
hands. They are training our sover-
eigns and masters. If they would
properly organize their forces they
could command the situation and die
tate terms. The great reforms of the
world have not only originated in the
schools but the philosophers and
statesmen have been trained and pre-
pared for their great work by some
humble teacher who toiled in obscur-