Newark post. (Newark, Del.) 1910-1969, 1911-01-11

OF the towns. We pay more per capita
than those in the towns and yet Our
schools are. as rule, unsatisfactory
as a medium for fitting our children
to be efficient men and women
In order to present the matter as
clearly as possible, let us ask ourselves
what is the junction and duty OF the
rural public school. The pupils are
the cnloren OF farmers and II is safe
to assume that most q. them will. If
properly trained, make the country
the scene OF their lies operations.
Ii this is fair statement, the func-
ton of the public school, which the
child will or should attend for about
eight years, is to fit that child by a
well defined and systematic plan for
efficiency in the country. The method
of procedure whereby this is TO be ac-
complished should be so definite, SO
| uniform. and carried out with such
exactness that when a child had COM
pieted this course there would be no
question as to the appreciation OF
| nine out OF every ten, OF country lite
and country institutions.
There are, regret to say, obstacles
to be overcome before Our ideas lor
| the country school can be attained.
One is that hall OF the farms in the
State are occupied BY tenant farm
ers, and every January Ist or March
| e5th. hundreds OF children go from one
| school district to another, and. be-
cause under existing conditions it is
| impossible TO have our schools uni
| form, they are upset. more or less.
| for time each year, and the pupils
are bound to lose considerable time.
Another, and much create. diff
! Guilty, is the size and equipment OF cur
| present schools. | do not believe tina;
| it - possible for any child to ge ade-
| luate training in school where there
are less than half a dozen pupils. I he
| teacher OF such a school is poorly
! paid, and that indicates that SIZE is
/ young and inexperienced and poorly
! trained as a teacher. The equipment
! Tor teaching, according to model
/ methods is entirely lacking. The lack
: O, numbers fails to develo; COMPETE
| ton or pride ii scholarship. IL:
| school-house is unattractive and lonely.
| The instruction is confined almost en-
trely to books, and, instead OF teach
| ing the pupil in terms OF his enyiTUn-
| ment, in terms OF every day life. which
| he can appreciate and understand, he
is taught arithmetic by studying ex
! anples in mixing different grades OF
tea or sugar. He is taught geography
| by studying the rivers OF Africa before
he knows in detail his own country
| The net result OF such a school is tina,
the child learns to dislike school and
| instead OF looking forward to a com
| plete education in the accepted sense
| OF the term, he leaves school at tie
earliest possible moment and does not
fee until later. when ii is too lac, the
value OF the training that he had a
right to expect Wort. have been g, en-
to him.
The greatest obstacle, perhaps, ts
be overcome in attaining the idea
country school, is the prejudice and
indifference OF the parents themselves
1t is a peculiar fact that when one
reaches the age o. fortyfive years, his
habits OF mind and thought become
rather firmly fixed. and one is slow &c
adopt new ideas. He finds it easier to
be governed by precedent. He is quite
independent and is willing to rely upon
his own opinions and does not easily
accept the judgment OF experts when
| their judgment disturbs his precon
celved ideas or traditions. This i: