The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-08-02
RURAL life SCENES
SHOWN by SLIDES
illustrated Lecture by Supt. Kern
One OF the Features of tile Uni
versity Summer School.
STRONG POINTS BROUGHT OUT
Practical Study of Educational
Conditions and What Has Been
Accomplished.
Especial to The Times pispatclAl

UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA, Aug.
1T is extremely difficult to.set dow
In cold type the spirit OF stcreopticol
n lecpine such as Superintendent Kerr
gives. one needs to see the lantert
slides and hear the comment and ex
planntfon of each to fully appreciate
the Significance of the educationa
movements thus portrayed. Also the
spirit of the speaker, who shows things
done, cannot be communicated to the
reader through the medium of the
printed page.
In Mr. Kerns illustrated lecture on
Along Country Roads in an Educa-
tional Way. or The Front Line of
4 Countr.sESc improvement" as an
other name for the same subject, the
number of 40 lantern slides. were
shown. Many of them were beauti-
fully coiored to illustrate the best
4 things in country life. ii is Mr.. Kern's
belief that there is liberal education
( along a country road, If only right use
be made of the material at hand and
If school officers. patrons and teachers
would open their eyes to the possibilt-
g ties. By the front line he means that
s line now being formed all over the
United States by the best things that
have been done and are being done to
secure better educational advantages
for the boys and girls living along
country roads. What is needed is TO
| lead the country people up to this
! front line. SO that they may see what
is being done He believes the stere-
opticon Is the best means of letrnS
the people know the Significance of this
moYement. In short. the audience took
trip to various parts OF the United
States to study educational conditions
and thus see things actually being ac-
complished. Mr.. Kern has no theory
about things. He shows things done.
His lecture opened with u beautiful
along which boys and girls walk to
neat pleasant country schoolhouse. A
slide showing a little boy on his way
to school for the first time gave an OPP
which were an effective plea for the
outdoor art movement to beautify the
country school grounds with trees,
vines, shrubbery and flowers. and thus
ing force in country life. Slides were
shown contrasting the school ground
with trees. flowers. etc. with those
grounds absolutely barren and cheer
less. The speaker believes that the |
three RS must be better taught In
the country school. but he also pleads |
that the two PSI shall be added to the
course of study for the country child. |
BY that he means planting of trees,
vines. shrubbery and flowers-P stands
for planting-and paint the school
stands for paint And these
things need not add any great burden
to the people In the way of taxation.
Slides were shown of country roads, |
farm homes and schoolhouses. 1t is |
Mr.. Kern's belief that the schoolhouse
and grounds should reflect the highest
ideals of the community. and the school
plant should be as good as the best
farm home of the district colored
slides were shown giving the results
of planting. Planting plans were
thrown on the screen, showing the A,
b, C's of outdoor art. That is, plans
for improving school grounds in ac-
cordance with the best. ideas with ref
erence to landscape effects. Thus. A
means leave open spaces: 3 means
plant in masses; C means avoid straight |
lines. 1t is time the children in the
country school be taught the funda-
mental ideas of better living, as we'll
as the printed page giving an account
of things done by dead men.
One needs to see the colored slides
of flowers growing in the country
school ground to appreciate the educa-
tional influence of things as we'll as
books as educational material Slides |
We're shown of magnificent trees, and
comments We're made illustrating the
possibilities of these In the education
of the country child.
No less significant We're the series |
pf slides showing the indoor art move