Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-12-21
Senator Dolliver to Present Bill
Calling for Revolution in
Rural Schools
CURRICULUM TO BE EXPANDED
Proposes state Aid in Teaching soien-
tific Farming Under General Direc-
ton of Agricultural CoIIeses-LittIe
White School Houses to Be Replaced
by Central Schools.
Especial Correspondence

4 wv e.
tlon as chairman of the senate COM
mittee on education and labor, Senator
Deliver, OF Iowa, is preparing to make
an effort for Inauguration of u scheme
OF government aid and encouragement
In the improvement of the rural schools
of the wohle country.
He has for some time been studying
this problem, which has long been re-
garded by educators as the greatest
practical question in the whole realm
OF educational effort. Millions and tens
of millions are voted by the states
each year to great universities agri-
cultural and technical colleges. and
even to academies and high schools.
Still other tens of millions go from pri-
waite benevolence to the endowment
and maintenance Of these institutions
OF higher learning. But the rural school
Is almost neglected, and the problem
Of it's Improvement seems to be al
most neglected by government authors
tiles and by the millionaires who are
so generous in their contributions to
higher education which at best can
reach but an infinitesimal fraction of
the number of people who must depend
on the country school for all the learn
ing they may hope to acquire.
It is Senator Delivers purpose, In
general way, to work out q scheme OF
correlating the rural schools with the
AGRICULTURAL colleges to which the gov
eminent contributes considerable
sum for maintenance, andEto give these
colleges somewhat the same relation
shin to the country schools, that the
high schools bear to the colleges ana
universities. In short he has in mind
that the country schools ought to teach,
in addition to the regular courses,
practical and theoretical agriculture,
with view to making better and more
scientific farmers.
All this involves a revolution In
country school methods. Senator Dol
liver has not made any detailed ex-
PLANTATION of the project he has in mind.
but he is very much In earnest, about
it, believing it the most important and
useful work which his committee could
take up at this time. He hopes to in
trGuuCe 81 Dill DSuOTe many WSSNh''
It is gathered that the plan will
probably involve some sort of encour-
agement. from the national govern
ment to induce states to organize their
country schools in such manner as to
bring about their Improvement sand
| their CO. operation with the higher in
stitutions. The greatest benefits which
have been effected in rural schools
have been brought about thru cons D.
idation and Capitalization, and the
| transportation of pupils at public ex-
pense when distances are so great that
they are unable to walk to school
This plan involves the abandonment
OF the little red district school houses.
say, turnout an entire township. In
place of them, a good, modern, sari-
tary, equipped school, building
with number of rooms, is erected at
the center of the township. This makes
possible the organization of the grade
system and the employment of
smaller number OF teachers, Of high
er qualifications, and at better salar-
les. 1t has uniformly resulted in bet
ter work. and in important extensions
of the course. Attendance is found to
be more regular the interest of both
pupils and teachers better, and the av-
erage number of days of school In the
year is almost invariably much In
creased.