The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-28
FOR A SQUARE DEAL.
o. j. Kern Wants More Consideration
for Country Schools.

''I want to plead for an educational
square deal for the country school.
On three grounds I ask this. Let the
country school house and the grounds
be more of a spiritualizing force. Put
the country child into more sympa-
thetic environments in it's school life.
Bring to the possibility of every child
the secondary school, the high school,
In these words, o. J. Kern, superin-
tendent Of the Winnebago county
schools of Illinois. a noted advocate
of the bettering of the EDUCATIONAL ad-
vantages for country school children,
made his position on his reform theo-
ries clear to the teachers at the High
school auditorium
''I believe in the three RS he con-
tinued. But I believe in adding the
two P's. What are these? Paint and
planting trees. In Winnebago eoun-
ty, my home, there are eighteen coun-
try school grounds with a single tree,
while hfty-six other country school
grounds have an insufficient number of
trees. It cannot be driven too deeply
home to those who are interested in
the development of the country beau
tiful that one of the first things to
do is to preserve the natural beauties
of any given place or section. Every
part of the United States has some
special characteristics in flora or lay
OF the land that give a local keynote
to all the landscape effect. The thing
to do in such places in the matter of
parks, parkWays or home gardens, is
as 1t were to speak in the local dialect
talk elOquently in the vernacular. And
yet this IS rarely done; so many seem
to think that the first thing to do in
garden or park is to import foreign
plants and flowers
1T is one of my well established be-
llefs that school grounds should be
made the most attractive places pos
sibie- Mans taste and character are
mostly fashioned by his surroundingst
especially those Incident to his early
training The better tendencies of
mind and heart are drawn from en-
vironments of purity, taste and refine
ment.
Beautiful surrounding make theschool
Itself more attractive. A beautiful
school yard in city, village or country
means improved home yards and lawns
and an added interest and more ready
aid from patrons. Pupils enlisted in
the improvement and ornamentation of
school grounds have inculcated in them
a spirit which makes them more Ioyal
to the school and it's interest and affects
them in their home conduct. The feel
ing instilled by this work in the school
will lead to a broader, loyal citizenship
when manhood and womanhood is
reached"
superintendent Kerns illustrated with
stereopticon views the work of improve
ment which he is leading in Winnebago
county It is marvellous to see what he
has done Dingy, old, tumble-down
school houses have been displaced by
new, large, commodious buildings
Places which were barren as a prairie
are surrounded with trees, fences, flower
beds and neat walks and play grounds.
He has wrought entire transformation
by his methods and they have made him
one of the noted reform educators in
the United States. Mr.. Kerns' methods
are attracting widespread attention ev-
erywhere. He himself declares that the
real results won't show until probably
twenty-five years from now, but they
will be worth watching when they do
come.
His work embraces not only the beau
tifying of the exterior school house but
also the interior. He has added in many
localities little agricultural lessons,
mostly in thoroughbred corn. For the
girls he has cooking and sewing schools
not for angels food and Battenburg
lace. but for good sweet bread and darn
ing stockings
The teachers were immensely pleased
with Mr.. Kerns' lecture. He has plain
way of saying things, but though his
expressions may be homely, they go
right to the heart and count.
DR.. Nathan c. Schaeffer, state super
intendent of instruction of Pennsyl-
vania, and president of the National Ed
ucaional association, urged the teach
ers to make an effort to cultivate verac-
ity among children.
Professor Olaf galley instructor Of
music at the State Agricultural college,
sang two numbers, "She Alone
Chaumeth My Sadness and king
Charles