Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-02-10
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1911
THE RURAL SCHOOLS.
What They Need and How Those
Needs Are to Be Supplied.
Editor Yorkyille ENQUIRER.


Editor Yorkville Enquirer.
It is well known throughout York
county that since last September
have been laboring to aid the county
superintendent Of education in his eff
forts to upbuild the schools of our ru-
raj districts. The leading school men
of the United States tell us that to
improve our rural schools three things
must be done: First, the school plant
must be improved, that is, the house
must be made neat, comfortable and
attractive, and must be equipped with
the necessary desks, maps, globes,
books, ETC.; second, the course Of study
must be enriched and the quality of
teaching improved; third, educational
waste must be decreased through con-
solidation of country schools.
Work is being done in York county
along all of these lines. In many
places the patrons of two or three
weak schools are coming togetner ano
taking steps toward the establishment
of new and smaller districts, the levy
ing of a special tax for school pur-
poses, the securing Of state aid and the
building of one good school house.
To meet the second requirement,
that is, to enrich the course of study
and improve the quality of teaching, as
many visits as possible are being made
to the various schools Of the county.
On these occasions conferences are
held with the teacher and working to-
gether we plan for more effective
work.
Isolation from the other members of
his profession is a great disadvantage
to the rural teacher. In our towns and
villages teachers are required to at
tend monthly teachers meetings at
which time the numerous problems or
the school room are discussed, ana
some special line of study is pursued.
Attendance at these meetings Is
equally as obligatory upon the
teacher as Is his attendance upon
the daily session Of the school.
The Rock Hill papers gave an
account of a very interesting meet,
ing of the teachers Of the Rock Hlil
city schools held last week, at wnlcn
time DIR. Roddey Miller addressed them
on school hygiene and sanitation. Thus
II is that these teachers feel the elbow
touch of their coworkers, gain inspir-
alton, and keep up with the best edu-
cational thought of the day; and this
is one reason why the best schools are
in the town. But should 1t be true!
Can we not employ some Of the meth
DDS used in towns in our country
schools? Such a thing we have at
tempted.
In every township except one,
Township Reading Circle for teachers
has been organized to meet once
month, on Saturday and study Among
Country Schools" by o. J. Kern. In ad-
dition to this line of study, part or
each programme Is to be devoted to a
discussion of some of the many prob
lens Of the school room. One difficulty
in CARRYING out this plan is that the
teachers have no way of reaching the
appointed place of meeting, and in this
connection let me urge the patrons TO
render assistance. Your children nave
a right to the best that the teaching
profession can give, and these meetings
will, I believe, be a factor in giving
1t to them.
To stimulate further the work of the
schools, 1t Is planned to have the
schools of a township unite in giving
an exhibition of what has been done
in the daily class work and at the same
time have a programme In whlcn all
the schools of the township will be rep
resented. Let each school choose ts
best declaimer as a representative TO
contest at the time of this exhibition
for the privilege Of entering the Coun-
ty Oratorical contest to be held later
in the spring. Plans for these contests
can be arranged through the Township
Reading Circle in connection with our
County Teachers association. This
association holds its next meeting on
March II at Yorkville. Let every
teacher be present.
Leila A. Russell.
County Supervisor of Elementary Ru-
raj School.