The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-08-30
COTTON SPOKE ON
COUNTRY SCHOOLS
Timely Topic Chosen by a
Prominent Educator
Vincent on Lowell.


Teachers Institute this year are unu
sually interesting to the teachers as
they are being addressed by men OF
national reputation upon subjects
which hold the attention of those in
attendance through the, manner OF
treatment as well as subject matter.
I'VE we're tired to death of those
men who came here year after year,
said representative of the teaching
profession. and talked to us of worn
out methods and loaded us up with
silly stories While Mr.. Cotton's lee
lures are pedagogical in character
purely, they represent the advanced
pedagogy. He is the best we have ev-
or had"
Mr.. Cotton talked both morning and
afternoon on Country Life and Coun.
try Schools" phase of education
which Is occupying the attention of ed.
ucators at present, in an endeavor to
adjust modern conditions to the rural
community.
Lead In This State.
"The counties of Wayne and Henry
try. to my knowledge" said Mr.. Cot
ton. ITO give country children the ben
eats Of the high school without the
payment OF fees. II Is through the con-
solidation of the schools that the
problems Of the country school will be
solved. The ideas worked out in the
city schools will not solve the prob
lem for the country school. The coun-
try school must be organized to meet
the daily needs of the people.
Mr.. Cotton discussed this morning
the three great forward movements in
the interests Of schools, especially the
country schools, under three general
heads, namely:
First, Improvement OF the plant,
which includes buildings. grounds,
ETC.: second, enrichment of the course
of study; third, consolidation of
schools.
Old time ideas and habits have pre-
vailed In the country schools. says Mr..
Cotton, although residents of the SUI
burban communities have modern
houses. barns and other farm build
ings equipped and furnished in mod
ern style. The school only lags behind.
That college men, who have attempt
ed to infuse new life into the courses
Of study prepared for country schools,
are not sufficiently conversant with
the life and needs of the latter was
emphasized. II boy for instance, fail
ed in Latin. he should be permitted to
take UP botany or some other study
loss foreign to his environment Ger.
tain studies should be optional.
This afternoon under the head Of
schools of the Twentieth Century"
Mr.. Cotton discussed the ideal country
school. and took for. an illustration one
such school he visited about four years
ago, which, in it's general tone, came
nearer realizing this ideal than any
other he had ever seen. Speaking of
the consolidated school Mr.. Cotton
said:
The Kind Of Schools.
I'm all states in which the township
10 the unit of the school system. the
logical thing is complete central
school In each township, to which all
children shall go. A consolidated
school should have kindergarten. the
eight grades and a high school with a
four years course. It should have
complete. well equipped modern build
ings. Here should be located the IL
brary. which should contain books
we'll seuected to meet the needs of the
community, and which should be dis
tributed by means of transportation
hacks and the free delivery mail sys-
tom.
1T should have manual training de-
partments for boys and girls. 1t should
be in session at least eight months of
the year and should be the center of
the community interests of the consol.
idated territory.
s"The school should have a small
farm of say ten acres, well equipped
for scientific. elementary agriculture
The farm should have located on 1t a
cottage for the use OF the principal
and his wife.
THE principal should have charge
Of the manual training. including shop
work. both wood and iron, and agri.
culture for the boys: the assistant
should have in charge the manual
training. including cooking and sew.
ing, for the girls. On Saturdays and
during the summer vacation the boys
and girls could study scientific farm
ing and cooking and sewing directed
by the principal and assistant. In
this way they would come into pos.
session Of many valuable suggestions
that would make them desire to be.
come successful farmers and farm
home Makers
After animadverting upon social ad
vantages that would develop from
such q system. Mr.. Cotton said
1.-TWO decades Of this sort of work
In the schools, touching the lives OF
nil the boys and girls. would be the
forerunner OF the greatest Industrial
development this country has ever
known"
Or. Vincent Lectures.
DR.. Leon Vincent again delighted les
hearers this morning with the begin
ming Of q lecture on Lowell" which
was concluded at the afternoon ses
sion, DIR. Vincent talking in the morn
ing OF Lowell rs q critic.
That one Of the greatest American
writer's Of contemporaneous verse
who. in DR.. 'vincent's opinion. would
be 30 regarded In the future, had not