The Washington herald., 1910-06-26
WILL FOLLOW OUT
ROOSEVELT PLAN
Washington State to Start
Community School.
IT WILL TEACH AGRICULTURE
Under Way to Estab-
Iish Model Institution Near spo-
kane-WiII Serve Rural District
Ten Miles square-ROad Building
Feature-PIan I'm Detail.

When the country life commission OF
the State of Washington appointed by
Gov N. f. Hay meets in Spokane on
November Il. plans Will be presented for
a model community center and CONSOLE
dated country school, 10 be established
in one of the rural districts adjoining
Spokane, early in 1911.
David Brown. of Spokane. chairman OF
the commission, announces at-Cov.
Hay and possibly Col. Theodore Roose-
Welt will attend the conference and as
sist In formulating a practical plan for
the betterment OF life on the farm. along
the lines suggested in the report of tho
Roosevelt Commission on Country Life,
Of the larger farming districts Of the
United States the latter part of 1868 and
early in 1909.
Is the Initial Step.
This is to be the preliminary step OF
nationwide movement, cooperative
with the various States and Territories,
in an endeavOr to teach the youth Of
the land the fundamental principles OF
agriculture and domestic economy and
ing the farmers the benefit Of the most
approved methods OF agriculture and
allied subjects The community center
is designed to furnish place where men
and women can meet for the interchange
of ideas
Primarily, the school is for the aver
age boy and girl whose institutional edu-
cation ends even before they finish the
secondary school, the purpose being to
train them TO become useful men and
women, capable OF supporting them
selves. and thus adding TO the wealth
production Of the country and the dis
tricts in which they live.
Plans Community Center.
The Washington commission has pre-
pared tentative plans for a community
center, including a consolidated rural
school It is designed 10 cover ten acres
and will serve school area OF thirty
six square miles, the most distant point
being three miles. In addition 70 the
school building the plans show large
community hall. residence for the prin-
eipal and supervisor, athletic and play
grounds, tennis court, pressure water
tanks for domestic, lawn, irrigation,
stock and fire uses and plots for the
practice Of agriculture, horticulture, fori-
culture and forestry. Surrounding and
-biseeting the tracts viii be models Of
good road building.
The school and other buildings wiz be
under the direction Of a principal, trained
in the various branches OF agriculture
and familiar With conditions in the
Northwest This official VIII be assisted
w supervisor and corps OF teachers.
IN connection with the community hall
viii be bureau Of infornla ton, contain
ing all the available data OF Federal and
State departments OF agriculture and
experimental stations il the country, also
books and journals dealing with all the
branches Of the industry.
Grounds VIII BE Parked.
The community center is TO be made
beautiful with trees. shrubs. flowers. and
lawns without being ornate, and no
saloon. store or other commercial insti-
tuition can be located within half a mile
of its boundaries. The teachers will be
men and women OF ability and able 10
adapt themselves TO the ideals OF the
center and school Of the type outlined.
Among other qualifications they must
be broadminded and optimistic and able
TO see the human side of life, also be-
helpful TO those under their charge.
The keynote is that the best defense
against misfortune is to give every child
in the country such education that will
enable it to make It's own living on a
piece Of land, if necessary, when II be-
comes of age. 1t is also purposed 10
launch a campaign urging the people OF
the open country 10 work together, not
merely with the view 10 forwarding their
own economic interests or in competing
with those who are organized. but 10 de-
velop themselves and establish an ef-
fective community spirit
Similar TO Graded School.
The consolidated rural school viii be
similar TO the graded city Institution,
the betterment of the curriculum being
by emphasizing industrial and manual
training and domestic science and adding
such other studies as viii give the stu
dents knowledge OF things with which
they come into contact in actual life
and presenting means of working out the
chief studies in practice. II is also pur-
posed to teach the students the princi-
pies Of business. However, the value OF
agriculture as the greatest OF all indus
tries will be constantly kept at the fore.
Rfda for RaETUou Cauuau8fnus