Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1909-11-11
THE RURAL SCHOOLS
Good Work For Women's Clubs
and Civic Leagues.
INTELLIGENT EFFORT NEEDED

DiIapidated and Ancient Structures
May Be Transformed Into Attractive
Buildings. Giving the Children Both
Mental and Moral Upiift.
While it is recognized generally that
consolidation OF 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 :gri-
culture, there are 100000 isolated
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 IL 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 u%pbuilding
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 at
his w expense Ill experienced teach
er in cooking and household economics
to instruct the children of the city and
the surrounding country schools in
those subjects. The upbuilding of Il
school is work peculiarly fitted for
women. and no organization can do a
nobler or a more lasting work thai to
undertake to repair and equip II of
these rural schools. The outlay will
be ~small-hardly $5O-but the results
in good citizenship will be great.
Ii we would make artists of our chill
dren we surround them with beautiful
pictures, if we would make musicians
we fill them with harmonious sounds,
and yet when we would make useful,
thrifty citizens and orderly housekeop-
ers we send our children for two-thirds
of the day to n house so dilapidated
and unkempt that We would hesitate to
use it for Il barn. Yet we realize that
a mans whole nature is determined
largely by his surroundings in child
hood. 1t is not precept. but example,
that teaches.
a small, modern, two room school
house With four windows to a room
| oOy, no 1,,i1{ fn~ a cn,n1l C11n R1t
where yer that amount is not avail
able the old building, dilapidated as it
is, can be vastly improved with little
expense and more labor. In the first
place. there should be a thorough
cleaning and repairing. Broken planks.
Worn steps, decayed shutters and bro
ken down seats should be replaced
with new mes and everything about
the building put i'm good order. A dou-
BILE coat of paint should be given both
exterior and interior of the building
gray for the outside and pale yellow,
nearly cream, for the inside, as yellow
reflects the light and makes a dark
room lighter.
If this repairing and painting are done
by the older schoolboys under the di
@rection of an intelligent citizen the eX
pense will be (. trine-in fact, nothing
more than the cost of lumber an(
paint. At the same time the enthusi
asm of the children in helping do th'
work will act as a safeguard in pro
tecting the building from future mutt
lations. Sandpaper and varnish th'
desks and seats and by all means pu
a blackboard all around the room, TO
to expect q teacher to instruct chi
dren with a 5 by 6 foot blackboard i
equivalent to sending out a carpente
to do work without tools.
When the building is clean and j
good repair a beginning can be mad
in cquipping and identifying it.
: map of the United States, one 9
North and South America, one Of Ell
. rope and Asia. are indispensable. Thes
!, can be purchased from any school SUI
ply company. In addition, put a littl
money into ii few pictures that wi
help to transform the bare walls int
places Of interest.
Plan next for window gardens, esp
cially if any Of the school window
have a southern or southeastern e!
posure. Nothing helps children mol
than to watch and care for these du
ing the winter.
Make the Yards Attractive.