The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1911-02-23

Make all remittances to Jno. R
Pepper, treasurer, Memphis, Tenn.
JNO. II. SHERARD, President,
Sherard, Miss
Improvement of the Country Schools
Editor of The News:
This subject is one which is being
discussed by educators generally from
the teacher to the superintendent
The government has taken steps to-
ward pushing forward the work. The
school children have been encouraged
in that direction also; they have been
organized into school improvement
clubs and agricultural societies. Hence
the purpose Of this letter is to express
the sentiment of the pupils of Rawls
Springs School with reference to the
school improvement question as they
see it!
' Not only our school, but all country
schools, need better equipments, such
as school furniture, libraries, imple-
ments with which as perfect a sys-
tenn of sanitation as possible can be
secured, and tools that the boys can
be taught to use with efficiency. When
these are furnished the schools, and
not till they are furnished, can we
have the desired course of instruction.
We feel that our teachers are now
handicapped by the lack of school
room supplies. Yet we appreciate the
efforts being made by the good citi-
zens and officers to cooperate in
making better the educational condi-
tons of the rural districts.
We, dear readers, are clamoring in
behalf of the country schools as a
whole. And, too, our purpose is half
accomplished if we can see a renewed
enthusiasm among school workers to
brighten the school child's life. Such
can be brought about by some practi-
cal and beneficial changes. We sug-
gest few such changes:
A library of select books is a great
store house where the choicest fruits
OF ages are stored away. Can we af-
ford to be without good reading mat
ter for our young friends? Can we
n he -
country feast spon the fruits of that
rich store house Of neutrality-suspicious.
ture? Can We afford not to set be-
fore them a worthy ideal? And does
literature not furnish choice ideals :?
Not only our teacher friends, but also
our student friends will agree that
we must give the school children an
opportunity to at least learn to appre-
ciate the authors. Give us libraries
And, Furthermore, why could we not
have a county school journal, to which
the pupils would contribute articles?
1t is possible that a column of some
newspaper could be used instead
Either would give the school children
an opportunity to express publicly
their opinions on local, public oses.
tons. Thus a great educational stimu.
leus would be given the young folks.
We do not think that the old de-
batting society, so good in its place
should be discarded. 1t is for a
change from the monotoPy of old
WORKOUT methods of literary training
to some methods Of modern spirit. ava.
riety,' it is said lis the spice of life"
There is lack of music in.the rural
schools How much pleasure and
profit would be derived from the sing
ing of songs each day in our schools
Nearly all schools have singing, but
not all have lessons taught or any
form of instruction given In music
We plead for our boys and girls to
have a knowledge of the beautiful
art There are many competent in
structors in instrumental music, yet
few schools have the instructors OF
even a class of this kind. All must
admit it is needed.
Let us not pass lightly over the
matter of Industrial training. What
does it mean to neglect the training
Of the hand, the power that turns the
wheelT What could be the result Of
Aiie laboring class not knowing how
" do work to an advantage? Ruin
would follow. Since this is such an
Important question. we think more at.
tention should be given manual train
ing, n only on a small scale to begin
with. Let the boys in other schools
sfsga