Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-02-21
The beautiful and pathetic selection

The beautiful and pathetic selection
rendered by Mrs. Grannis made us long
for chance right now to HStand by
the Flag"
The convention considered different
plans for school management looking
toward reducing enormous wastes in
money and energy and at the same
time improving the schools.
Miss Brown reviewed the new certifi-
cate law, showing that the passing
mark has been lowered, that certifi
Gates are issued for much longer time,
that they are good in any county, and
that teachers get fair treatment at the
hands of the state department. The
new law is designed to benefit the chill
dren, the capable teachers and those
willing to become capable. 1t is not
responsible for shortage of teachers
because many more certificates have
been issued to Howard county teachers
than there were positions to be filled.
The shortage is because teachers re-
fused to contract for the prices fixed by
the boards.
It was shown that while the rural
districts help to support a training
school, they do not get the trained
teacher. 1t was suggested that high
schools get share of state aid on con-
dition that they fit their graduates to
teach in the rural schools. Also that
the rural districts get proper share
of state aid in establishing as many two
or three roomed graded schools in each
township as seems best-probably two
or three in the smaller townships and
four in the larger ones, the idea being
that 30 or 40 graded pupils can be
better taught by one teacher than can
half that number of ungraded pupils,
and that the outrageous buttons now
paid be reduced to proper limits.
Miss Brown believes in better rural
schools because here by far the greater
number Of the children of the state are
to be educated, and instead of spending
SO much attention and money upon the
big state schools the state should spend
more upon the rural schools where it
will reach the people and benefit the
greatest number.
Supt. Riggs stated that he had been
in close touch with the rural schools
all his life, having begun his education
there, and having served as county
superintendent before taking his
present Office.
He presented scheme of redis5rict-
ing the county which will greatly re-
duce the number of schools and at the
same time eliminate the objection
able feature of consolidation, namely,
transportation of pupils. 1t places
four and five schools in an ordinary
township and they would be four miles
apart This plan does away with the
present subdistrict lines, makes the
whole county, instead of the township,
the school district, and greatly reduce
the number of school officials. The
plan is very simple and much more
economical as it does away with the
small school. 1t does not secure the
grading of the schools, however.
The plan was new to many, but a
vote showed more favored it than
were opposed to it. The matter needs
more careful consideration.
The plan of Capitalization, or one
school in the center of each township
was not proposed, oil seeming to agree
that the plan is not practical on account
of the difficulty of transporting pupils
long distances. Oak Dale and James
town sent very strong expressions of
disapproval.
The convention favored the election
| of the county superintendent rather
than appointment by county board.
1t favored changing the time of the
annual meeting of the school board
from July to March and if that were
done, disapproved paying directors for
their services. If, however, the meet
ing should remain in July, paying
directors was approved. because in that
busy season directors time is worth
money.
No definite action was taken in; re.
gard to teachers salaries. Some pro-
posed making all the subdistricts in
dependent SO each could fix it's own
salary. Others opposed it on the
ground that the subdistrict is too small
school unit.
Mr.. Riggs's evening address was
along general educational lines. He
urged beautifying school buildings and
grounds and improving the schools
themselves because these things would
add attractiy ness to country life and
hold the boys and girls who because of
meager educational advantages were
becoming dissatisfied with the fern
home. He urged introducing manual
training and agriculture into the
schools because practical education
must come through the hands and be.
cause the most successful farming of
the future must be intelligent farming.
In closing Mr.. Riggs made an appeal
for better schools, first from a money
point of view showing that good edu-
cation increases any man S capacity for
producing wealth; hence good schools
are a good money investment. Lastly,
Ia good education increases any ones
capacity for enjoying the higher things
of life which after all are more to be