The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-08-23
MAKE THE SCHOOLS
MORE ATTRACTIVE
EXPERIENCED TEACHER WANTS
THE BARE WALLS OF THE
SCHOOL ROOMS RELIEVED AND
MAKES A PLEA FOR TREES AND
FLOWERS ON SCHOOL GROUNDS

Minot N. D., Aug. Alto The
Forum:
Bare! Bare!
And wall so bare
! sometimes thank
My shadow for falling ther.,!"
This is line from Tom Hoods
famous Song of the Shirt The singer,
poor woman, used to speak of "the
swallows beneath the caves who show
me their sunny backs to twit me with
the spring"
Those bare walls were the rule in
the school where spent my happy
youth Of good living and high think
ing, Very well do remember the
glare Of the white walls and high un-
curtained, unblinded windows! But
there were blackboards and maps, and
wall cupboards to break the monotony.
And there was any amount Of life and
busy thought pulsating therein.
If the window sills had not been so
high, we could have looked out on
"the trees that crown the mountain
brow and boughs and blossoms yield"
Under those trees, fine beeches, oaks
and Scotch frs, there was room for
all creation" when we wanted to roam.
And just therein it differed from the
bare, bare little school buildings that
house our great rural department in
the noble state of North Dakota.
In another week or two Labor day
will usher in nine months of school
work for the grades and high schools
in all our busy towns, cities and viii
| lagos.
Many rural districts have nine
months now, too, and by Offering
steady employment at living wage
bare living-are able to secure teach
ers who tell you they teach the coun-
| try school from choice.
Personally, / know a number OF good
earnest women, and some men, who
know enough to enjoy their oppor-
tunity in training the sons and daugh-
ters of the farm. But the majority of
the teachers available in our counties
believe 1t is promotion to graduate
into the towns, where they can spend
their evenings in forgetting the little
towheads who trouble them with their
bubbling energy during the short win
ter day.
Naturally thse teachers do not all
grow, nor their pupils either.
But there are noble exceptions. And
that Is where you will usually find the
men who are growing. 4
Yes, they, the men, often graduate
| into something else. They tackle the
law, or the store. They want a steady
living for the wife they have won, and
a place for their coming sons.
But to go back to my bare text. /
SIT by car windows and watch for the
little school house. No, it is not red.
II is usually white now and there are
always two outbuildings. These al
ways call to mind the able stump
| speaker who was state superintendent
| in 1855, Miss Emma Bates, for she
talked the legislature into that good
deed; also into the flagsraff where Old
Glory waves In triumph when school
Is In session.
| But not yet have I seen a screen of
/ I seen any treesi Arbor day, to be
well kept, means some one OF the
| fathers blowing round the playground.
and a good strip Of cultivation-wtl
lows to protect cottonwoods, boxelders
ashes and elrns Oaks? No. they must
wait for our faith In the future.
/ ride up and down and my eyes
ache-to see those bare little school
houses where orr boys and girls spend
three fourths Of the. day and three
fourths Of the year. Only three do ]
know where there are flower beds
vines over tho windows and school
gardens.
Now I hope this will call forth 9
volIev OF contradictions from those who
haye seen more than havei And then
ii will tabulate them and lay them be-
Il fore the school directors Of the state
Let US use our nve acresl
Jean McNaughton Stevens.