Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1909-12-27
THE RURAL SCHOOLS
Good Work For W0men's Clubs
and Civic Leagues.
INTELLIGENT EFFORT NEEDED
Dilapidated and Ancient Structures
May Be Transformed Into Attractive
Buildings, Giving the Children Both
Mental and Moral Uplift.

May Be Transformed Into Attractive
Buildings. Giving the Children Both
Mental and Moral Upiift.
While it is recognized generally that
consolidation or the combination Of
several school districts into one is the
real solution of the rural school prob
lem, yet. according to Willet Hayes of
the United States department of agri-
schools too remote from other schools
to be consolidated. 1t is the improve
ment Of these. then. that must be con
sidered first. TO do efficient work
these must be given II new setting and
new aid from the parents and board
Many Of the federated women's clubs
and intelligent citizens throughout the
country are aiding in the upbuilding
Of these schools where their needs are
made known.
The federated clubs of Tennessee
send out yearly travelling libraries for
these remote schools. and the clubwo-
men Of Georgia have begun to interest
themselves in the farmers institutes,
In order to come into closer touch with
the farmers wives. In Eatonton. Ga.
a western capitalist has employed ut
his own expense an experienced teach
er in cooking and household economics
to instruct the children of the city and
the surrounding country schools in
those subjects. The upbulding of Il
school is work peculiarly fitted for
women. and no organization can do a
nobler or Il more lasting work than to
undertake to repair and equip one of
these rural schools. The outlay will
be hardly S5O-but the results
in good citizenship will be great.
If we would make artists of our chill
Gren we surround them with beautiful
pictures, If we would make musicians
and yet wien we would make useful.
thrifty citizens and orderly houscke"p-
prS we send our children for two-tllirdS
of the day to IL house so dilapidated
| ana unkempt that we would hesitate to
use it for Il barn. Yet we realize that
Il nlan'S whole nature Is determined
| largely by his surroundings in child
| hood. 1t is not precept. but example.
| hat teaches.
y small. modern. two room school
| house with four windows to Il room
| can he hunt for IL small sum. But
| where even that amount is not avail
| able the old building. dilHpi1ated as it
| is. can hr vastly improved with little
expense and more labor. In the first
place. there should be thorough
| cleaning ami repairing. Broken plankS.
worn steps. Gecayed shutters and bro
ken down seats should Lee replaced
with new oncS and everything about
| the buildin" put in good urder. \ dou-
bic coat of paint should be given both
exterior and interior Of the building
gray for the outside and l'alp yellow,
nearly cream. for the inside. as yellow
reflects the light and makes II dark
room lighter.
| If this repairing and painting are done
| by the older schoulboyS under the d.
rectiOn of an intelligent citizen the eX
penSe will be Il trille-in fact. nothing
| more than the cost of lumber and
paint AT the same time the enthusi-
assn of the children in helping do the
| work will act as Il safeguard in pro-
tecting the building from future mutt
latiOns. Sandpaper and varnsh the
desks and seats ana by all means put
| a blackboard all around the room. for
to expect teacher to instruct chill
dren with by 6 foot blackboard is
equivalent to sending out carpenter
to do work without tools.
When the building is clean and in
good repair IA beginning can be made
in equipping and identifying it. A
map of the United States, one of
| North and South America. one of Eu-
rope and ASIA are Indispensable. These
can be purchased from any school sup
ply company. In addition. put little
money into few pictures that will
help to transform the bare walls into
places Of interest.
Plan next for window gardens. espe-
cially If any of the school windows
| have a southern or southeastern ex-
posture. Nothing helps children more
than to watch and care for these dur
ing the winter