The Delta independent., 1907-05-31
TWO TEACHERS TALK.
By PHRONSIE.
CHAPTER FOUR

| wen can tel you one tnlHB, Sdiu
Miss Glen positively, however pleas
ant thing it may be under some con-
ditions, it is luxury, and a luxury this
town is in no condition to afford
Il am afraid you are right, in part
of what you say" said Sophronia re-
gretfully. Il think, myself, that the
town isn't quite ready to vote in manual
training yet; but the reason is not that
it is luxury; for the fact is, the poor
er the town, the more it needs manual
training. You haven't read the Out
look this week or you wouldn't be
thinking of manual training as luxury.
Listen to this. ''and Sophronia picked
up the magazine from her desk and
turning the leaves rapidly read.
Those who, a few years ago initiated
the system of manual training and built
up trade schools, have lived past the
time when their efforts were decried
with our favorite condemnatory word
impractical. That battle is fought.
and with pride and pleasure we begin
to reap the gains in better-trained arti-
sans and better-prepared boys and girls. ,
Now will you tell me, Molly Glen.
who needs to turn out, at high-school
age, boys and girls who know a trade,
the poor town whose children must at
once begin to earn their living, or the
rich town, most Of whose children will
go on preparing for life, in colleges and
technical schools. Why, manual training
is the best investment town can make
and if | were to say who, in my opinion,
needs it most of all should tell you it
is the country districts.
''Oh, do you really think sou asked
Hortensia, as Molly Glen only looked
/ her surprise Il believe in manual
training in town as heartily as you do;
but country children have so much man.
ual labor at home that | should think
they would be the last ones to need it
at school,.
In other words said Sophronia,
teach hand-work to city children. who
will earn most of their living by brain
] labor; and do not teach it to country
children. whose whole happiness and
success will depend on the degree of
skill they can acquire in hand-work,
such as they are likely to have to per-
form daily and as long as they live,''
"Oh WELL" said Molly Glen, "theo-
rize all you want to about it; you don't
know the conditions in country districts
as well as | do. or you would never
expect to see manual training intro
duced there. They could never afford
ii and they do not want it..
Il think know country districts
where they would like it, - said Horton
sia. but don't see, either. how they
could afford it. -
You are neither of you up with the
times, said Sophronia, ''or you would
know that it not only can be done. but
that it is being done now. and with
excellent results. Hear this from Mr..
Hays article on, Public Industrial
Education in the May Review Of
Reviews. He is speaking of consoh-
dated rural schools: where from six to
ten isolated schools join in one. 10y
means of transportation wagons %
Sophronia took the magazine from her
desk and turning to the article in qucs-
ton. read:
1T is found that while the little
schools cannot afford teachers trained
TO instruct IN agriculture and home
economies, the consolidated school can
afford to pay principal and an assist
ant principal who are trained to teach
these subjects and to give inspiration in
country life generally to the rural pupils.
1t has been demonstrated also that the
consolidated rural school can afford to
build up simple laboratory, support
n small farm, develop library. and
secure other necessary equipment to
use in successfully teaching agriculture
and home economies. Further. it is
found that teachers with specific train
ing for Countrywide educational work
can cooperate with the parents so that
much of the home duties of the rural
youth may be made far more education
al as we'll as more interesting than
heretofore. There is evident ground
for the claim that consolidated rural
schools and the work of the home life
on the farm can be so developed under
corporation between teacher and parent
as to provide far better education for
our rural youth than can possibly be
devised for youth while living in city
| homes.
There" said Sophronia, "you have
what l believe will be, in time, with our
rapidly improving means of transit, the
solution of the country school problem.
You notice Mr.. Hays claims that. under