The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1910-08-26


at the book. Arithmetic was much
the same. Often there was a new
teacher each term, and she went on
the principle that the advanced class
should be put back to fractions to
start with. History was another end
less circle. Geography was list of
towns and seas to be memorized.
In the consolidated school the work
Is systematized and made more thor
ough. The time saved can go to some
or the newer branches which relate to
agriculture. 1t Is not the actual agri-
culture taught In these schools that
makes them the most effective, how
ever. Ii is the spirit of the farm that
is injected into the other studies. The
modern arithmetic has lost most Of
its ponderous and imaginary problems.
Instead the problems deal with the
price Of corn and cattle. with the fig
uring Of balanced ration and with
the profit on a field Of corn. Physiol-
ogy has been broadened The diges-
ton Of animals is studied. together
with the digestion of man. The girl
learns the need of a balanced ration
for people at the same time that her
brother is learning the necessity Of the
same kind of ration for stock. The
principles that underlie both are the
same.
Geography deals with products more
than with places. The pupils learn
where the various articles Of CON-
merce come from and why each coun-
try is adapted by nature to certain In
dustries. The boy takes added inter
est In his class when he learns that
the binding Irvine that is used for his
fathers binder comes from the Phil
ippine Islands or that most Of the
sugar he eats on his bread at lunch
time comes from the German beet
fields. The details Of land formation
are studied In the streams and hills
Of the school district, and study of
soils is brought in at the same time.
These outdoor excursions add to the
interest of the work and quicken the
children's power Of observation.
When all the time necessary has been
given to the routine studies there Is
still plenty left. A little botany can
be given. The pupils can study the
forms of flowers and plants and the
mystery of growing things. Usually
the school has garden of ample size.
Here the pupils can spend part of the
time in summer, when the pleasant
weather makes the study of books irk-
some. They can study the different
seeds and plants at first hand and
learn things from this close observa-
ton which they never could obtain
from books. In the spring before work
in the garden is possible termination
boxes can be started indoors and the
beginning Of the life of the plant stud
led. Often n small shop and few
tools are provided. and the boys are
taught TO saw and pane and hammer
to some effect.
The success Of this modern district
school education has been proved be
yond doubt. One of the foremost To-
caities in the country in this move
nient is Page county, la. The work be-
gan there in 1907 under the leadership
Of Miss Jessie Field. Il county superin.
tendpnt. whose motto, We believe IL
the country boys and girls" has be-
come famous the country over. Page
county set to work to give the country
boys and girls a better chance. One
of Miss Fields first acts was to dis
tribute a large number of tulip bulbs
to all the schools in the county. In
making the flower beds and planting
the bulbs the children became interest
ed in growing things. They became
interested in improving the school
grounds and the schoolhouse.
The teachers Of Page county are in
terested In rural schools. During the
past year several of the rural school
teachers refused positions in town at
higher salaries. They were too deeply
interested In the rural work to fOrsake
it. With a teacher like that school
cannot help but be successful. The
patrons are coming to appreciate these
teachers. too, and are giving them bet
ter salaries. more equipment and more
moral support.
The county superintendent bought
Babcock tester and sent ii around from
one school to another. The boys learn