Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-12-17
QUESTION AND ANSWER DEPARTMENT.
RURAL SCHOOL STATISTICS OF THE UNITED STATES

Statistics Indicate that our school terms
N the average are only Isl days Ions.
n many OF our states the average is
inly about 20 TO - DAYS. including the
dty schools. As result. the rural school
must OF necessity have a term much be-
ow the average mentioned. In other
words. they are not I'm operation long
mough 10 train the children in any OF
he fundamental subjects. let alone give
hem the essential training suggested.
Moreover. statistics indicate that the
average price paid the teachers I'm all
larts OF the United States is about $3.50
1 month. Many In the rural districts do
lot receive over s0. A good laborer on
he farm makes more than this. The nav
" on the railroad receives a larger re
nuneration than the school teacher Is
lot this an absurdity. and does ii not &C
count in large measure for the failure
" the rural school? A corporation pays
Is president 100000 to direct its affairs:
hey probably could get man TO direct
Is work for $1,000. but would he have
ne capacity and the ability to handle
{ in a satisfactory manner Certainly
aot or the corporation noted for being
touIless would not waste 5000 If there
: any art or profession that demands
tympathy. that demands high mindedness,
mental capacity human understanding.
saEacity and genuine ability. il is that OF
ichool teaching. Are the leaders Of our
soys and girls always characterized by
hese qualities? Are we placing the prop
n premium on scholarship when il comes
o our rural school teachers Is Il true
hat We are entrusting the most precious
ts~et OF the nation and the pride Of ous
ZONES to inadeQustely trained persons
turing the receptive and formative stage
u life7 II is true. and We must admit
md concede the enOrmity OF our offense-
This lack Of leadership Is one OF the
stumbling blocks in the way Of succession
a1raI education. II viii always be a STUN
sling block until we are ready TO pay
ruficient salary to secure properly train
"a men and women as teachers We need
never look for an improvement OF the
standards Of our rural schools until we
say our teachers more than the common
aborers on the public highways.
In laos-0T. So. ssS.3 80 OF 500 per capita
II population were expended for schools.
This Is a vast increase in the last few
rears. for in 1850 the expenditure was
ass per capita Just what proportion OF
his sum was spent on rural schools Il
rouid be dificult II not impossible n
ascertain. but in the south Atlantic and
,outh central divisions the total revenue
vas s-1.1ss.7ss and ST ,O4l.2l3 respectively
ions was ass. SCI and 5.s72.S3 respective
Y. Roughly speaking. sSs,ooo.ooo had TO
Irovide for the education OF more than
700 600 children. and this sum included
Ehat was spent in the towns and cities
u well II is apparent. therefore. that
ne rural schools were insdeQuately sup
sorted. since the expenditure per capita
" total population for school purposes
n the south Atlantic division was S-ls,
ind in the south central division. Slot
n other words. in these two grand divi-
Hons we spent III and IL cents re-
pectivsly for school purposes on eacn
100 OF the true valuation of real and
iersonal property.
There was expended in cities Of 5000
oopuIation and over in the United states
n 1851. siss So. 5os. The school popula-
don was s.7s0-2es There was expended
N towns and cities OF 1900 to 5000 pOpu-
ation in 1s0s-O7. SIC. ISIS the school
population for these being 7l6.15- In
Bther words, Sl7s.6ss. 4S2 were expended
Tor the education OF 5.4s6. $50 boys and
girls In towns and cities having a popu-
lation OF 400 and upwards. as against
E1s0 a14sn for between 100000 and H.
10000 boys and girls in the rural dis
tricts. Is il any surprise that the rural
school is inefficient and is not serving
the purpose for which it is designedE
We have already seen that IL is run as
city school in the country: that the
teachers have not the right kind of
training and are inadquately paid; that
the school term is entirely too short.
and that tho funds provided for its sup
port are less than those devoted TO the
education Of about $4,000 children in
the towns and cities. These figures
should be sufficiently startling to arouse
us from our lethargy with reference to
rural school education. and it seems as
II il would only be necessary to call the
attention OF fathers and mothers to the