The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1908-02-20
Report of State supt. of Schools.

been made public. The principal
matters which he discusses are those
of teachers salaries, manual training,
industrial education, district supervi-
sion rural school efficiency and med
zeal inspection. The following are
extracts from the report.
Manual Training.
All the factors of life are in some
kind and degree educational fact ors
The boy is educated not only at
school, he is educated at home, on the
street by his companions, in his daily
tasks, in his games and sports. Not
all of this may be education in good
ends, but it is inevitable that some
sort of education should result.
Education, indeed, in this large
sense does not end with school DAYS
and with youth. 1t continues through
life. The adult is constantly, though
not so powerfully, educated by the in
huences that enter into his life.
That part of the educational pro.
cess that has been accomplished in
school has been carried on in the
main, through the medium of the eye
and the ear, by study of written and
spoken words.
Changed conditions of lite, how
ever, have rendered such a process
incomplete. Under former condi.
tions of society there were more
ample means for the child to secure
outside the school the education that
Is to be gained through action. The
boy on the farm had daily tasks that
challenged his skill and ingenuity.
While his school was requiring him to
think things, the home life was de-
handing that he do things. Thus vas
maintained a balance between thought
and action which provided an educa-
cation both OF the head and of the
hand.
Industries that were formerly car
ried on to a great extent in the
homes have been relegated entirely
to the factory. To the city or village
boy, there is small opportunity for
that kind of education that comes of
performance of tasks involving manu-
al effort. Even in the case of the
country boy, it is lacking to consid
cradle degree as compared with that
former time, when the home was the
seat of practically all industries.
To meet the new need for an educa
ton OF distinctly practical kind, a
kind that would educate the hand as
we'll as the brain, manual training has
been introduced.
Manual training it should be under
stood, is not i'll any sense vocational
training; it does not have as its aim
the making of carpenters. or machin
lists, or mechanics; its object is pure
lS and solely edueational-to train
the hand and the will into action. 1t
is equally useful to the boy who will
enter a trade and to the one who will
enter profession.
Rural School Efficiency.
Much has been done in the past de
cade to draw the attention of the peo-
pie to rural school needs and condi-
tons and to increase the interest in
them. 1t is of supreme Importance
that this class of schools continue to
hold leading position in the minds
of our people and i'll the study and at
tention they will give to improve
ment of all educational conditions.
The country school should not be a
close imitation of other schools.
Some of the methods employed in
city schools may possibly be adapted
to rural conditions, but it is mistake
to accept the city school as pattern
for the rural school to copy. The
latter presents its own peculiarities
and individuality. 1t should be neither
superior or inferior to any other kind
of school. 1t should be treated as a
distinct type. Its special needs should
require attention and it should be
40 h. inS Ut MT in,
its own peculiar field. 1t is entitled
to all the careful study that is given
to other classes of schools, but it will
be worthier of respect for being itself,
rather than a weak imitation of city
school.
Perhaps the relation between the
country school and the community is
closer than in the case of any other
class of schools 1t stands often as the
only local public institution. Where
there is no local church, few amuse-
ments, no public library, no local Or
ganization OF any kind, it is natural
that the country community should
look to its school to meet some of the
needs supplied to villages and towns
by these other agencies.
1t is highly desirable that the coun-
try schoolhouse be used as center of
educational interest for the adult as
we'll as for the Youthful portion OF the
it serves. Public meetings
of various kinds, simple entertain
ments, lyceums and debating clubs
help to dignity the school by making
it more useful. The use of the coun-
try school, as a distributing center for
a branch of the town library, or for
one of the travelling Libraries provided
by the State, serves to give it new
Importance as local institution.
Much discussion has been given to
the question az to whether it is advjs
able for the country school to attempt
to follow definite course of study
Much of the uncertainty on this point
has been caused by the attempt to
follow course of study in the same
manner it would be followed in a
closely graded school system.
There is considerable doubt whether
this close grading is desirable even to
CITY schools where it has been adopt
ed because of the necessity of dealing
with large numbers of children and
where system has been carried to an
extreme development. In the coun-
try school, where no necessity exists,
there is no reason for the adoption of
a closely graded system.
There should be, however, in every
school, whether city or country,
de tnitely planned course OF study ar
ranging subject in proper correlation
and sequence. Haphazard effort of
any kind is sure, in some measure, to
fail. School work is in special danger
from such procedure.
In arranging courses of study for
rt,ro1 Sabnola I n m ain object EbOnl1