The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-12-15
PLAN COUNTRY
SCHOOL UPLIFT'
National Education Association
Launches Wide Campaign
INQUIRY TO Be THOROUGH.

States Will Be Asked to Give Fair
Share of Taxes - Better Trained
Teachers Sought - Committee of
Eleven at Work.
A nation wide campaign to raise the
standing of the rural schools to a level
with those of the cities and towns is
the latest plan of the National Educa-
tional association, the organization of
educators and teachers which is the
largest body of the kind in the world.
The first step in the movement, an
investigation of school conditions
throughout the United States and sup
Elemental inquiry into the subject of
teachers salaries, state and county ap-
preparations and teaching methods, has
been delegated to committee of elev-
en- which was authorized at the San
Francisco convention of the National
Educational association in July, when
a fund of $4,000 was voted to defray
the expenses of the inquiry for the
next three years.
The members are e. t. Fairchild,
superintendent Of schools of Kansas,
chairman; DR.. L. H. Bailey, Ithaca, N.
| Y; DR.. e. G. Elliott, Madison, Wis; !;
Professor T. Fl. Harris, Baton Rouge,
La; Miss Adelaide s. Baylor, Indian
apolis, Ind; H. G. Morrison. state su-
perintendent of schools, New Hamp-
shire; A. G. Nelson, state superintend-
| anf 20 h. o.d 30
intendent, California; L. L. Wright,
state superintendent, Michigan; J. v.
Joyner, state superintendent, North
Carolina, and Professor Charles H.
Keyes, New York city.
Phases of lnvestiga gation.
Among the important phases which
the investigation will undertake are:
Rational basis for the distribution of
state school funds, which the various
states may be led to adopt.
! Careful study of the several units of
school organization with a view to
urging the adoption Of the most eff
cient unit.
Strong presentment of the advan-
tages Of Capitalization or consolidation
Of rural schools
Study of compulsory school laws in
the different states should be made
and plan devised for a uniform law.
System of Standardization for rural
schools and a small financial recogni-
ton or bonus on the part Of the state
to such schools as shall reach the
standard.
Closer supervision Of the rural
schools. The Oregon plan Of providing
supervisors for each twenty schools Is
worthy of consideration.
Plan Legislative Campaign.
The general plan of the investigation
also includes legislative campaign to
raise the standard of courses of study
and to obtain better trained teachers.
These ideals are set forth as follows:
Appointment of one or more rural
school instructors, under the direction
of the state superintendent, in each
state.
Adoption of course of study for all
elementary schools and the compul-
sorry use of such courses.
Adoption of law in every state fix
ing the minimum length of the yearly
school period and giving state aid to
weak districts.
More adequate preliminary training
on the part of applicants for teachers
certificates in order to obtain a better
grade of teachers in the rural schools.
Investigation of normal training
courses in high schools in certain
states to determine recommendations
for their adoption generally in solving
the problem of getting better trained
teachers.
Study of the principle of township
high schools and the adoption of legis-
lation providing for free high schools
for all nonresident pupils.
Model school buildings, equipment
and grounds.
Rural School Big Problem.
That the problem of raising the
standard of rural schools is far and
away the greatest in education was
the declaration of Chairman Fairchild
at is conceded that the rural school
is the one laggard in the educational
procession" he said. "The conditions
governing these schools and the lack
of adequate results are well known
1t would therefore appear that the
problem to which this committee can
with the greatest advantage address
itself is that of suggesting ways and
means for the betterment of these
schools and for the awakening of the
} public to a definite sense of theil
needs.
''In view Of the general recognition
of the need of certain reorganization
} and redirection of the courses of study
in our rural schools, special instruc
tors in vocational work, particularly
as it relates to agriculture, should bt
provided at county expense"