Mexico weekly ledger., 1911-08-24
.AUDRAIH TEACHERS MEETING
CLOSES SATURDAY AFTERNOON
INTERESTING TALKS

III
The Audra'n county teachers clos
ed a most interesting and beneficial
two days meeting under the super
vision Of ]. L. shobe. county super
visor Of rural schools, at the Nc
MILAN High School IN this city sat.
urday afternoon.
The morning session OF Saturday
was taken up with the discussion
of the various phases Of the rural
school work.
Professor Arthur Lee gave his
well known lecture, "The Princess"
Saturday. He is a former pupil and
teacher In the Mexico schools. now
of the Clinton public schools. and
is one of the States best educators.
Prof. r. II. Emerson, of the
State University, attended tho Au-
drain County Teachers meeting
which was in session this week. Be
ing a native OF Missouri and having
begun as a teacher in the county
schools. he has a keen interest in
the rural school problem. He not
only has a large acquaintance with
the school work Of this State, hav
ing served as assistant State SUI
preintendent and filled the Chair
of Pedagogy In two of our State
normals, but he is also in close
touch with the movements In other
States.
Mr., Emerson thinks that Mis-
souri, has as good rural school
teachers as can be found--men and
women who are strong and capable
and who are not contented to fol-
low in the old ruts. 1t is to these
that we must look for the greatest
improvement in rural schools; these
teachers are the ones that will help
to solve the problems that will bring
about a larger, richer life in
try homes and country schools.
He considers one of the greatest
needs to be more comfortable building
and beautiful grounds. The aver
age school house and yard is not at
tractive to the child coming from
a good home, on the contrary, the
bleak. barren, neglected appear
ance is repulsive. It is little wonder
that so many children are glad to
quit these schools. In this respect,
Missouri is behind many states.
This is a condition that should be
remedied. This State should have
hundreds Of rural school buildings
as comfortable, as Well as equipped
and as attractive in every way as
can be found anywhere. Some com
munities are becoming interested in
this phase of the work and 1t may
not be long until Missouri will have
something to show.
Mr.. Emerson also would have a
better civic organization in the rur
al districts. He urged that the
school house be just as inviting on
the exterior as on the interior, He
said in the course of his address
if the pupils did not get as good
instruction and as good attention in
the rural schools as they did in the
city schools, they should have.
j. l.. Shobe, county supervisor. al
so spoke along the same line. Pro-
lessor shobe believed that the rural
districts should be decreased by
combining districts that could be
conveniently managed that way. He
also spoke Of irregular attendance i'm
the rural schools and discussed the
methods whereby this problem could
be remedied.
Jas. NJ. Barnes vas another speak
Ter. He is an authority on arithme-
tic and this was the subject of his
discussion. He said il he should be
asked what he could teach bette
than anything else he would say
arithmetic. He discussed phases of
teaching this subject ard gave some
good illustrations of his points.
The following were in attendance
at the meeting:
Albert Tighe, vandalla.
b. E. Shay, Mexico,
P. r. Maddox, Bowling Green,
Pearl Barnett. Mexico.
Olivia Seeker, Martinsburg,
May Hofriehter. Molino.
Martha Montague, Laddonia.
Lille Lower, Rush Hill.
Minnie Stalhngs, Mexico.
Katherine Moore, Mexico.
Geo. Coakley, Laddonla,
sallle Garrett, Mexico.
Elizabeth o'Brien, Mexico.
Edythe Middleton, Vandalia.
Sue Biggs, Laddonia.
T. II. Leet, Laddonia.
Stella Williams, Mexico.
Elizabeth Murphy, Indiana.
Yea Smith, Farber.
Ferne Fuqua, Laddonia.
Beulah Hagan, Laddonia.
Anna McGee, Mexico.
Lucy Lewis, Mexico.
E. C. offutt, Mexico.
j.. NJ. Barnes, Sturgeon.
Grace L. Barnes, Clark.
Emma Sutton, Yandalia.
Gladys Furber, Vandalia.
Effie Bryson, Central.
Effle Bryson, Centralia.
Mrs. Nellie McKeehan, Thompson.
Ella Criswell, Farber.
Florence Kirkpatrick, Farber.
Ada Crum, Mexico
Edna RICHTER, Benton City.
Martha Moorehead, Centralia.
Blanche White. Mexico.
Abbie Sullivan, Mexico.
Pearl Tucker, Mexico.
/ Yof1r Tn+oro