The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-04-07
If April showers are any cri
terion there should be no shortage of
May flowers.
MAKING OVER THE SCHOOLS.

/ telligent Iowa educators. Iowa he
says, SIS the typical agricultural state
1t stands first in the production Of
oats, hay, hogs, poultry and eggs
second in corn and cattle, and close
! to the top In all other farm crops
The whole state is one fertile and pros
porous farm, with no great cities with
1 in it's borders and comparatively few
large towns. Yet the population OF
Iowa was some seven per cent less in
1910 than it was ten years ago
Mr.. HYDE says that the lure OF
cheaper lands in the northwest and
the general introduction OF labor saw
ing machinery do not account for the
loss in lowa's farming population. The
fault, he declares, is Iowa's own and
he says Iowa is coming to realize it
and is seeking remedy in one of the
most important and interesting expert
nients in the history OF education. He
gives as an example the experience OF
Page county, in the southwestern cor
ner of the state, which is best told in
his own words.
Five years ago Miss Jessie Field
was chosen county superintendent of
schools. She took a horse and buggy
and drove over the country roads, Wis
ltlng and inspecting every one of the
$50 rural schools. BY the existing
standards many of them were in fair
condition; some, OF course, much bet
ter than others. School buildings
were implanted and more or less
dilapidated, coal sheds and other out
houses were conspicuous, ineonvenient
and disheveled. Schoolyards were un-
fenced bare and cut up by holes and
bitches. where mosquitoes bred and
scum gathered There was no shade
and little attempt at growing grass or
flowers.
The shrewd superintendent bought
camera and took photographs of the
best and worst school houses in each
locality, both outside and interior
views. These pictures were printed
side by side in the little country
Weeklies. Under the photograph of the
we'll kept school was tire which
identified it. The contrasting picture
that accompanied it was, in each case,
left without a label. It didn't need it.
All the patrons of the rundown school
recognized it at sight with a sudden
thrill of wounded pride An epidemic
oil Improvement swept over Page
county, which included even the people
whose children attended the better
kept schools. In some cases new
buildings We're erected and more
ground bought for the schoolyards. In
almost every instance the buildings
were newly painted and repaired, trees
and shrubs set out, grass and flower
beds planted, unsightly outhouses
moved and remodeled, the Fairgrounds
leveled and fenced.
By the aid of the camera. also. the
interiors of the school houses we're
transformed. Soot-stained walls were
tinted. sectional bookcases installed
the dirty water bucket, with it's tin
cup, thrown out, and-in two-thirds OF
all the rural sehoolsa fountain put
in, with Individual drinking cups for
all the children. Soon more than three
quarters OF the pupils We're using indi
yidual drinking cups-a percentage
that still puts Chicago and other large
cities to the blush
All that was simply the start-giying
little Johnny Jones bath and getting
ready to tackle the real problem The
course of study in the rural schools
was the usual one, approved by wears
OF experience.
Bound and give the principal pro-
ducts of Bulgaria
Name the first six kings of Eng
land"
If Johnny has twelve pineapples.
and gives Willie three how many will
he have left?"
Spell metropolis, millionaire.
business opportunity and .Chica-
in the reader" there was always a
thrilling story of how Marshall Field
left his fathers farm at the age OF
thirteen, his only earthly possessions
being pair of socks and a stone
bruise; and how, after forty years of
life in a great city, he was obliged to
hire dozen men with adding ma
chimes TO keep track Of the increase in
his fortune. The whole course OF
study was changed
II forty-acre field, planted to corn,
produces sixty bushels rne first year.
fifty the second year and forty-two
Inc tHlIu, WHdL is the total value of
the corn grown in three years at forty
cents a bushel2''
When children at country school
have problems in arithmetic put to
them in that style they begin to prick
up their ears.
Suppose, instead of planting corn
continuously, the same field were
planted TO corn the first year. produc-
ing sixty bushels an acre at forty
cents bushel; to oats the second year.
producing sixty bushels an acre at
thirty cents, and TO clover the third
year. producing three tons an acre at
eight dollars a ton-what is the value
OF the crop for three years?
Which plan would produce the most
money in three years? How much
more? Which would leave the land In
the best condition at the end of three
years? Are there any other advant-
ages To either plan?'
When boy. studying the multiplica.
ton table, incidentally picks up the in
formation necessary to answer dues
tions like those, he is plainly on the
way TO becoming an intelligent and in
terested farmer.
All through the rural schools nj
{ rage county tho bo,nlo.: