The Detroit times., 1911-11-03
COUNTRY CHURCHES AND \
SCHOOLS SUFFER FROM \
FARMERS LACK OF THRIFT
-DR. w. n. WILSON.
Teaching of Scientific Agricul
ture Advised as Remedy BY
New York Investigator.
COOPERATION NEEDED<
Bay City Man Likely To Be
Chosen President of Michi-
gan Teachers Association.
COOPERATION NEEDED<

With the opening of the Friday
morning sessions OF the Michigan
State Teachers association in the
Light Guard armory and Wayne paviI-
ion, the registration of delegate
tataled S,769, over 1000 more than
tho enrolment at any other conyen-
ticn OF the organization. Today's
meetings are considered unusnalIy
important, because of the business
matters TO come up, and the attend-
Iance in both buildings taxed the seat
ing capacity.
The election OF officers takes place
lat III o'clock, and some lively work
is expected on the part of the friends
OF certain candidates. The women,
especially, are concerned in the
choice Of officers. They got together
in meeting, Thursday afternoon,
and planned TO see to IL that their
Ir,ghts were recognized by the nom
linating committee. They feel that the
association might do more towards
getting equal pay for women teachers.
with the men.
Ferguson, superintendent of the Bay
City schools, will be the next presi-
dent of the association. He Is now
,vicepresident. Wales G. Martindale,
superintendent of the Detroit schools,
is also mentioned for the Office, but
Mr.. Ferguson appears to be in the
lead.
Friday mornings session included
vocal solos from Mrs. Annis Gray and
Harold Jarvis the latter siHgiHg,
Michigan, Ny Michigan"
Two addresses were delivered, one
by DIR. Warren II. Wilson, of New
York, superintendent OF the depart
ment OF church and country life, who
spoke on The church and school In
the country community"
! William Goodell Frost, president OF
Berea college, Berea, KY, gave a pa
per on Educational pioneering In
tie southern mountains"
/ In his address, DR.. Wilson pointed
ont that improvidence was on the in
crease among farmers, and that their
Lack of thrift and prosperity-is serf-
ously affec ting education in the rural
districts. He spoke as follows:
| The church and school are the
eyes OF the country community When
the community comes to maturity, the
eyes need TO be examined, and, prob
ably, artificial means will be neces-
sary. thS. the eyes may serve well for
the future What / have to say will
have reference to communities which
have come out CT the pioneer stage,
and are grown up. ant to talk OF
the common church, as we'll as of the
common school. BY this | mean the
church which serves the working
farmer. The department in which I
serve has been conducting research
and survey of country communities,
/ to ascertain the actual conditions ex-
listing. We find that the two institu-
! lions are so closely related that, in
| order 10 know the churches. we have
to study with equal thoroughness the
schools. and OF course, all the church,
es OF all denominations. For all are
affected alike by the conditions of
economic maturity.
/ First OF all. the unfit are being
eliminated. In Missouri, we learned
that approximately $50 country
churches have been closed and aban-
doned, through the death of their con.
gregations, in the past 20 years. In
! Illinois, similar causes have resulted
in the closing of over 1,7o0 country
churches.
| 1T is not to be wondered at that
the same conditions OF change should
have discredited the one-room school.
| II has lost the confidence of the farm
er. In drive Of 30 miles in Missouri,
our survey man found not one farm
house or barn that was not painted
and not one school house that was
painted and repaired. New apparatus
is lacking school meetings are little
attended, and often arranged over the
telephone. The farmer shows in many
ways. In the progressive neighbor-
| hoods, that he sets small store by the
one-room school.
New churches and schools, how
ever. are coming into existence. And
they are OF common type. They
| bring together the people who live
within a team-haul OF one another.
and unite them into community.
] There are no more fascinating places
; in this country, 20 one who loves his
kind, than Du Page church or John
Swaney Consolidated school, both ot
/ them in Illinois.
I The cause which is changing coun.
TRY life, and Transforming rural insti-
I tutions is embodied in one fact, which
: gives concern TO all thinking men
the rise of the American poor. Now.
tContinned ON Page Ten.D
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