The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1908-11-19
EDUCATIONAL.


THE FUTURE OF THE COUNTRY SCHOOL
Paper read at the county school sec
ton of the state teachers association by
Christian Schade.
Our rural schools have made a good
subject for poems, songs, stories, and
paintings, and have generally been pic.
tu-ed rs the little red school house.
But change is coming in which the
little red school house is disappearing,
aud in it's place we find an up.to-date
building, well lighted, heated and ven
tilated Not only have the buildings
changed but also the building of know
ledge. The three Rs are still taught,
and always will be, but not in the same
| way they used to be. Less time is spent
upon them, and our attention is turned
to other subjects that are important to
know for our we'll being. Year after
year new subjects are added to the coun-
try school curriculum and old ones eth
eI dropped entirely or little time is spent
on them.
Many an old-timer bewails this condi
tion and believes the old methods the
only methods because he received his
schooling by them; but he must remem-
Der that teaching methods of the past
can be used no more for the present and
future than business and farming meth.
DDS of the past can be used for the pres
ent The world is moving and the coun-
try school must keep pace with it, or it
will have no future 1t is a pleasure to
know tho, that in most cases, and of
late especially, the country school has
not let old traditions stand in its way
and is taking up subjects that are of an
immediate and direct benefit to the
community. The last one added, as you
all know, is agriculture and in this
subject, rightly handled, think our
future lies.
Many are bewaling the fact that the
boys and girls are drifting to the city
too much so for their own good. And
now | think, it is the duty of the coun
try school to point out the way to these
boys and girls, the way that leads not
to the city, but to the seat of our nation s
wealth, the farm.
Why do the boys and girls leave the
farm and how can the country help to
stop this movement? | see several reas-
ons, namely
First, The city with its great buildings,
shops factories. rich people, and numer-
Gus places of amusements glitter so
trongiy in the eyes of the country boy
in which to live.
Second Lack of social gatherings and
enjoyments causes farm life to become
a drudgery.
Third, The country schools generally
do not furnish sufficient training for the
children of the farm and therefore their
parents move to the city with them.
Fourth, Nearly all the good land is tax
en- up so that the young man is some
times forced out of his community for Il
living.
What can the country school do in
regard to these difficulties? 1t certainly
cannot do much by adhering steadfastly
to the three Rs. 1t will have to exert
its influence beyond the confines of its
four walls, and go out into the world
of activity and progress.
Taking up the first question; how
shall we correct the wrong impressions
of the city? 1t is au easy matter to
show that not all that glitters is gold.
Show the boys and girls on the farm
that the people of the city have to work
just rs hard, if not harder, than those
on the farm; that close competition has
made life in the city a tremendous strug
gle; that work is work, whether physi.
cal or mental, whether done in overalls
and soiled hands or in white collars and
polished boots. All honest labor is hon
orable and great That too much of
one and not enough Of the other will al
ways make your work drudgery.
Show them how real and lasting plea
sures may be gotten from the natural
surroundings and that much of the
pleasures of the city are only artificial,
and soon become old and tiresome. Why
should not the flowers and animals in
the woods be rs pretty and interesting
as those in the city park? Then again,
a boy will think that he has been cut out
to be great leader and the only place
to develop this leadership is in the city.
This error. / believe, ought to be cor
rected by method somewhat different
from the one we have been pursuing.
We generally point out some great man
and tell about his greatness and then
finish by saying, He too came from
the farm' But usually that great man
had left the farm before he became
great. Why not point out such charac-
tiers as Cincinnatus, Washington, Whit
tier, Burbank, and others who were
great upon the farm or before they left
it? Let the boy know that if he really
has the making of a great man in him
he will be found upon the farm as well
rs in the city. Again ask him to call to
mind, say ten or twelve boys whom he
hos u n, laft ha e.