Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-11-04
SUPERINTENDENT RIGGS SHOWS
,up some OF EDUCATIONAL
SHORTCOMINGS.
HIGHER STANDARD NEEDED
AMONG RURAL TEACHERS
Qualifications Fer Securing Of certifi-
Gates Net Sufficiently Droad-SmalI
Schools Deficient Because Of Impes.
sibility Of Proper Classification
Physical Equipment Inadequate.
Special to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, Nov 4.-State Superin
tendent Riggs today ~ an address be-
fore the tate teachers association, point
lie out some Of prerequisites necessary 10
secure the improvement OF the public
schools. One Of the great needs, he
says, Is high standard of teaching
Riggs said in part:
The problem of waste in education
must ever engage the most earnest at
tention of all persons in any way in
terested in school affairs. II is a prob
lem ever old, but always new and one
that is particularly urgent in Iowa at
the present hour 1t is fitting. there
fore, that We consider for a few min
utes some of the means Of reducing
waste and of increasing efficiency IN
our schools.
The most effective and economical
school work requires that three funda-
mental conditions be met
First. There must be physical
equipment fully adequate to meet the
needs of all the children in all the
activities OF the school.
Second. There must be children in
sufficient numbers to make possible
suitable classification and they must be
regular in their attendance.
Third There must be teachers of
culture and character and professional
spirit and whose love Of the work and
OF the children is constant and con-
Stunning.
Taxpayers Sometimes Stinsy.
with more than $27.00e,000 invested
mi In
would seem that Iowa has gone far
toward meeting the physical demands
Of the schools; and in the more popu-
lous school corporations Of the state
this is in large measure true. But
while there have arisen in many OF our
towns and cities school buildings OF
architectural beauty. with commodious
we'll seated. we'll ventilated and Well
lighted rooms and with equipment for
tho most effective study Of all subjects
pursued, in many other towns and Cit
les the generosity OF the taxpayers has
stopped short Of providing sufficient
funds for the proper completion and
adequate equipment of the school build
tngs erected, on the theory doubtless
that q room, a seat and a book are the
only real needs Of the child at school,
Then we have our twelve thousand and
more one room rural school houses dot
ting the state from border to border.
some OF them, thanks to the lIberality
of enlightened progressive comnun1-
ties. are buildings Of architectural
beauty, which provide superior COM
forts and conveniences for the children.
Others are severely crude. a survival
from q past generation. while still
others are a by-word and reproach
TO any self-respecting community.
In WI i1n has W
lion dollars invested in school buildings
and grounds, we have done we'll only in
spots and doubtless the intelligent ex-
penditure q another twenty seven mil
lie, dollars win be required before all
our children have the benefits OF suit
able physical school environment.
The Ideal School.
Comparatively few communities have
awakened to the real demands OF the
twentieth century school. Buildings.
commodious. evenly heated. properly
lighted, perfectly ventilated. artistically
finished and equipped for the teaching
Of manual training and domestic arts.
as well as for the traditional school
subjects, and set amidst trees and
flowers and with am pie premises for
play grounds and school gardens-this
is the ideal for the physical side Of
testify such a school can be developed
only in districts where thsre are MAN.
children to be organized into classes
and where there is much property sub
ject to taxation. It is most unfortu-
nate that IN practically all the country
districts and in many Of the village
districts one or both Of the conditions
Just mentioned are wanting.
More than 1000 rural schools in
Iowa never enroll more than ten pupils
to the school in a given term and
many OF them enroll less than five.
while Of all the rural schools in the
state, less than 1900. or about 25 per
cent OF the whole, enroll more than
twenty pupils to the school in any
given term. While this condition shall
prevail. unrest and dissatisfaction viii
continue and large expenditures on
school houses and grounds and other
equipment will be grudgingly made.
and there Will continue to be small
opportunity for organizing the pupils
for effective work in all the activities
possible in a WE'LL classified and well
graded school. No well informed and
.disinterested student Of the rural
school situation in Iowa can escape the
conclusion that come method OF en-
larging the supporting area OF most of
our rural schools is one of the first
essentials for rural school improvement.
We will have made substantial pro-
aress when the taxing unit shall not
be less than the township and 1t would
be even better were it the county,
when the local school board shall be
chosen at large by all the voters Of the
township. and when the folly OF SUBJ
dividing the township into little dis
tricts shall be finally abandoned
1.-THE public sentiment Of the state
will. am confident, support measure
calculated to erect the changes have
Just indicated"
loNAN TO TEACH IN CHINA.