The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1906-03-01
RURAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS


10 i ne free Lance.
Reforms are generally preceded by agi-
tatiOn therefore agitation OF the right
sort is a good thing. II IL generally con
coded that our rural public schools are
far from being perfect. In TACT, under the
present system Ol conducting them, the
results are lar from being satisfactory to
patrons OF the same. There are reasons
oi course Tor the existence OF this state
Of things. The want OF money TO pay
teachers good salaries and equip the
schools as they ought To be, bad roads,
short terms for teaching the schools, &c.,
| have been noted as the reasons why our
rural schools do not achieve better re-
suits. There Is force in these reasons, ~
every thoughtful, obseryant person
must admit, but the point il, can { they
be overcome or 40 diminished IN their
effects az 10 bring about a reform in the
work ol the rural public school? The
people must answer this question. Pub
lie sentiment ON the educational question
in the country must be aroused, Tor too
many OF our people are Indifferent touch
ing this important matter. When pa
rents are awakened TO the Importance OF
educating their children, they will make
sacrifice 20 do IL, and VIII not hesitate
70 give their money towards accomplish
ing such an undertaking. We need first
and foremost 10 arouse our people IN the
matter ol educating their children in or
der 10 equip them 10 fight the battles OF
life. We need money that we may equip
our schools aud secure the best teachers
possible that we can get Money we
must have, for 1t takes money 10 run
schools like il takes il To run any bust
ness scheme in the wide world. When
our people are thoroughly aroused
on this subldct, the money TO run
the schools will come. The sal
aries paid teachers from the public
school funds il inadequate should be sup
plemented by funds paid by the patrons
Tor this purpose, 20 that we may have a
good grade of teachers in the country
where they are SO sOrely needed. Bad
roads Of course tend TO make against
the attendance OF scholars at our rural
schools, but this will be- largely obviated
where "A irstclass teacher conducts the
school, for To such school the scholars
will go. The excuse often heard, that in
so many homes in the country the chill
dren must be kept away from school Ia
order TO help the parents to work on the
farm and about the house, while seem-
ingly very plausible, hash near the force
in il that appears on the surface. Ii has
no force at all, scarcely, when applied to
the girls, except perhaps in the case OF
nursing the baby, for the girls AZ gen
eral thing do not work on the farm. In
the case OF the boys, if they didn't at
tend school at all while so young and
tender in years, they ought not 10 have
hard, manual labor to do. The boys
while young ought TO be at school, that
they may become prepared TO wage the
battle OF life, which without an educa-
ton is not much better in many cases
than a state OF slavery. 1t is putting an
unjust hardship upon children to raise
them in the world and not properly tit !
them TO meet LIES responsibilities and |
opportunities and enable them to make |
the best Of them. Nnat right have par
euts to deny their children the blessed |
boon OF education and handicap them in |
d world where the competition at every |
turn in the road is so severely sharp?
The writer is well aware that TO most |
parents in the country it is no easy
thing Tor them to do to give their chill
dren an education. II this is done, there
must be seli-denial and self-sacrifice un-
dergone on the parts OF the parents that
can be called not less than sublime hero
ism, but will they not be gloriously re
paid in the end?
T.. z. Parham.
Va.