The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-12-10

study? Most of them attend a one
room school. 1t has little systematic
graduation, many classes and offers no
chance for specialization or special
fitness i'm teachers. The consolidated
school win change all OF that believe.
The teacher, owing to the meager
compensation, short year of employ
n1ent and i'm some cases uncongenial-
ity of her location lis usually one who
is using it as a preparation for work
in village and city schools where
facilities, time of employment and
compensation are greater. The short
year of training given the rural popu-
lation of your state is used as a step
ping stone, as trying out field for
the preparation of teachers for the
other half of your children. Instead
of giving the country child a special
training for his duties in life. she apes
the city plan as best she can and
works in the hope of change to city
or village school employment. Despite
this lamentable fact there seems to
be no challenge TO Senator Delivers
statement that the prominent men OF
America walked into town from tho
country notwithstanding the handicap
or having had a high school girl as
teacher who was trying to learn her
business through experimenting on
himself in all the grades of work i'm
a single room and with no apparatus
or illustrative material
Mr.. Chairman, the rural school is
not only important to the rural COM
munity, but 1t is the school attended
by the nations leaders. 1t is Amer
ica's training school for statesmen ac-
cording to the pages of history. !
How much we have had to learn of
what this weak and over worked rural |
teacher has taught u.s.
The rural school should be, can be |
and is largely the center of commun- |
ity interests. 1t is the only public |
assembly hail in the neighborhood. |
The smaller villages have their town |
hall and churches, many Of them one |
or more lodge rooms and other as |
sembly places of a public or semi |
publis nature, but the rural commun-
ity has but one hall for all purposes,
political, social and educa-
tionaL 1t constitutes a natural and |
center of no mean i'm
portance. II offers splendid point
of contact for extension among the
residents of the farming community.
1t can easily be made meeting place,
the farmers club, a night school, seed
corn contests and other pleasant and
features of rivalry.
Scores of lessons can be taught and
Illustrated in this rural center IL the
school is provided with a suitable lead
er in the person Of the teacher.
Long ago we were cautioned against
setting the blind to lead the blind
least both fall into the ditch, and here
we are face to face with that prob
em.
The rural school is surrounded by
4 neighborhood of people who have
abundant time to think, who need So
,ial entertainment, who can take time
10 attend public gatherings during Ave
months of the winter season and who
would greatly profit by and appreciate
he services of a good leader. 1t is
indeed great field for education and
feel that we can say in the language |
Of scripture that the harvest is ripe
indeed. But that the competent teach
ars' are few and at present the means
'or cpmpensating the teacher is too
neagre 10 expect to command the
services Of one who can do the work.
Importance of Teacher. -. l.
cannot close without further en-
'hasizing the Importance of having
sympathetic, active teach
r. ] verify believe that If the coun-.
ry boy and girl could have a. good
eacher for a six months term of
chool with as good facilities and
radiation of the work as that of the
ity school, even if the instruction was
lot adapted to his life and needs that
lie would be far ahead in mind devel-
pment and mental capacity at a
'iven age as the city cousin will be- !
With his training.
The consolidated rural school with !
funds will, I believe,
ring about this result. The teacher {
rho can inculcate true principles, that
will arouse ambition and stimulate in I
ependent thought even though 7