The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1910-03-05

, term, and it is one that is as yet I'M
occupied save i'll few isolated spots.
| More people from the cities are con.
stantly moving to the country for the
| sake OF their families. Modern civii-
zation is rapidly overcoming isolation.
| The country pastor with a clear COM
prehension of the problems OF rural life
| has the opportunity OF being a leading
factor in its solution.
The Rural School. The effect OF the
changing conditions of our agriculture
has been with the country school, very
much the same as it has been with the
, country church. 1t has been depleted
III numbers, creates little or no enthu-
, slasm among its constituents, and in
consequence has lost much of the eff
cheney which it once had ! believe
that the rural school has possibilities
and these possibilities should be July
developed. Many OF the children in
the country get all the schooling they
ever have in these schools, partly be-
cause OF their lack OF mental capacity
perhaps, but more because the instruc-
ton they have received in the district
school has neither aroused in them a
desire for more knowledge for its own
sake, nor given them an appreciation
| OF the value OF an education in enabling
them to lead a lie OF usefulness TO
themselves and others. Again, the ru-
raj schools as | know them give abso-
lutcly no aid in fitting a bow or Girl
ior country living. much less ANYTHING
N the way of vocational traiuino II
Il does anything it tends to draw the
{ t.t1 ~ 81 -
town. Furthermore. the courses OF
study that are being pursued in our
country schools are based upon the
assumption that the pupil, whatever his
station or circumstances in lie. has
long educational career ahead OF him
and need not, therefore. give any I'M
mediate attention to preparation for
lie pursuit. Most OF the children.
however. leave school Tor one reason
" another. at the end ui the grammar
school period. or when they are about
fourteen wears ui age. This is a crjti-
,al period III the lie Of the youth. The
training received in our public schools
mas not fitted him to use his hands in
any productive work, and he is not old
enough to use his head efficiently. as A
productive unit. We! at this time when
the mind j., most receptive and plastic,
and when the body as well as the mind
needs systematic direction and euId-
Hrcc, the boy and girl in most cases
are set adrit and the opportunity to
make that boy or girl unit OF THE
greatest usefulness has hrcn lost tor
ever
As liamcs says: The greatest re-
sources that any State or Nation can
have are its young men and women,
and the greatest waste is the waste of
these resources The failure to develop
them TO their fullest capacity is an ir. |
rcdecmablc failure"
The question that is worthy Of our
most earnest consideration is, are the |
resources of the country child, the bow
or girl, who is to take our place in the |
next generation, being developed to
their fullest extent IN our rural schools
as they are now organized? The |
greatest fault with the rural school. if |
it is fault. is that it does not teach |
the objects aud affairs OF its environ
mcnts. TO give it new direction SO |
that this purpose will be accomplished |
will take effort, and it is worth the