The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-07-09

horticulture, when he remarked to the
speaker, This stuff comes close home
to fellow" This boy had to leave
schoolroom as do some country school
he continued his studies in this sub
ject and passed the examination with
a high mark at the end of the term.
Physical and Social Side.
The physical and social side OF the
boys and girls is being cared for in a.
happy manner. Baseball, basketball
and tennis come in for their share of
attention. The athletic work is well
supported by the patrons of the school
the farmers often leaving their work in
the field on Saturday afternoon to at
tend a game of baseball with their
bosy. In the winter time the auditor
ium Is converted into a gymnasium
where healthful basketball is played
with other school teams, a splendid
lesson in team work, and co-operation
SO much needed In many rural conmu-
nitines.
The school is divided into two liter
airy societies, which meet every two
weeks on Friday afternoons. when pro-
grammes are rendered worthy Of the
school, These programmes, are always
heard by many patrons, the speaker
having seen as many as fifteen or
twenty patrons visiting the school in
one day. All, the teachers. in this
school do not think trouble" when
they see a parent coming into the
schoolroom as do some countr yschool
teachers.
That the work done here is appre-
ciated by those living in the surround
ing districts is demonstrated by the
fact that out of forty four high school
pupils this year, twenty -four were tut
ton pupils, paying tuition enough to
employ an extra high school teacher.
What II Means.
What does all of this mean anyway?
1t means that these country boys and
girls are receiving as good an educa-
ton as is given in any Of the good city
schools Of the state. A good high school
course has been brought to their very
doors. And well it is or several Of
them that it was! For the parents of
many of these children were unable
to send them away to get high school
send them away from their care and
guidance at this formative period. All
of this means that the majority Of
these children would not have received
any education beyond the little coun-
try school. it
The work in the grades is much more
effective than under the old system.
where one teacher tried to be janitor,
primary, intermediate and grammar
teacher, besides teaching some
branches of high school grade. The
new plan makes possible music, draw
ing, nature study and elementary agri-
culture below the high school. The
school garden work here is worth
while, pupils becoming interested to
the extent that they care for their
gardens during vacation and get re-
suits.
How PROBLEMS Are Met.
Another problem in many schools of
keeping pupils in school is here well
met. / have on my desk an invita- ton
to the commencement exercises of this
year. Upon examination l find it con-
tains nine of the names of the eleven
pupils who enrolled four years ago as
freshmen. Another would have finished
had it not been for serious mishap
which took her from school a few
months before graduation. She will
no doubt finish the first semester of
this next year. This will show a loss
of one pupil out Of class of eleven in
four years. time, a srecord hard to beat
When one compares the efficiency of
this school with that of the average
one room country school, with an in
experienced, poorly trained teacher,
poor equipment, overcrowded pro-
gramme, small, irregular attendance
and lack of interest in general he must