Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-03-02
BUREAU OF EDUCATION ciRcU.
LATEs CRITICISM OF COUNTRY
,ochooL rNsrRucr,oN.
RUNNING COUNTER TO
seAck.To.solL" MOVEMENT
Tendency Alleged TO Be 20 Show AZ.
tsaetivsnsss % City Life Rather
Than to Instruct in Dsautiss and Ad-
vantage Of Farm Lifs-canada A. .
Modej.
, Especial Correspondence

Especial Correspondence
washington. Feb. Running d.
rectly counter to the growing "back-
to-the-soil" movement, rural school
teachers are an actual force in the de-
population of the country districts.
They set the faces of country boys and
girls toward the city. and by idealizing
city life they induce a movement
toward the centers Of population that
often deprives the country village OF
Its best citizens. This declaration is
made by DR.. Fred Mutchler and w. J.
Craig, two members Of the faculty or
the western Kentucky State Normal
School, in a monograph which the
United States bureau Of education has
Just published for free distribution.
The tendency Of the rural school to
encourage emigration to the city, says
the government publication. Is IN con-
sequence Of the fact that the course or
studySin most; rural schools is merely
a copy Of that given to city school chill
dren, without reference to the different
environment and local needs OF the
country child. AS a result OF giving
the country child an education modelled
on city lines, the authors declare that
Teachers everywhere, with rare e1-
ceptions, have localized city life. and
unwittingly have been potent factors
in inducing young men and women 10
leave the farm and move into the city.
This movement often carries some OF
the best blood and brain Of the COM
munity into the city, often TO De lost'
wasted, or destroyed; certainly 10 De
lost from the rural community 1t IS
possible and right, indeed a duty. 10
dignity rural life and to save to II ana
its interests the best blood OF the coun-
try.
Lacking in influence.
"The rural school has not the IN
Auence that it should have. one OF
the chief reasons lies in the fact that
the course Of study is in-adapted to
rural life In all its relations.
I'VE are united In believing that a
school. should train its pupils for lire
and it's work while these pupils are
living and working. The course OF
study. Taught in the rural school today
is entirely too much like the course
that IS taught in the city school; M
fact 1t has been modelled to nj tne
needs Of the latter without consult
ing enough the ends that are % % AZ
ta;red in the former.
canada % Model.
As an Indication OF the caSh value
of course OF study, specialized to the
needs of the rural community ana
4anght nv trained normal graduates.
the monograph says:
the average wheat yield there FIVE
bushels to the acre in a few years
time. Suppose that our rural school,
teachers should set for themselves the
problem of increasing the corn crop
five bushels Der acre, what would be
the result? Let us see. In 1910 the
farmers of Kentucky planted and culti-
yated 100000 acres Of corn. which
Welded 1e5,27Goo0 bushels. An increase
of five bushels per acre would have
made the yield 1880. 900 bushels more.
These Is, 500, oeo bushels Of corn would
have brought, at the average farm
price 5Dec,s1. 1910, approximately &c.
100000.
'aThis money would have gone d.
rectly to the rural communities. where
It is much needed. and would have
been OF vast Importance in solving the
uroblesns that confront our, rural
people. Il could have been used to
build 1000 miles Of nrst class pike
roads. or It would have paid the ex-
penses Of our public SCHOOLS for two
and q half years. It would have gone
far toward paying the farmers taxes.
or IL would have built and furaished
many q rural home. Can any one hK-
IRE the comfort and happiness that
five bushels more Of corn per acre
would buy for the rural people OF any
state44
Rural Courses For Rural Seheeis.
what the rural schools can do LOT
improwing corn culture they can do for
any other farm crop, If they adopt a
rational course Of study and demand
teachers who can teach them elective
ly and efficiently. Fortunately praett-
cal principles Of agriculture are nelth-
difricun TO learn nor ifksosne to teach.
The subject appeals to rural pupils
because It comes within the scope OF
their Immediate interests
"Rnral life can be wonderfully I'M
proved by the united efforts Of teach
ers to promote real. genuine, uplifting
thrift thru instruction In the prin-
ciples and practices Of agriculture. To
teach these principles the teacher must
have had thorough preparation In
this special field.
"Rusal interests and rural problems
are not like the city's interests and
its prohlema and educators every
,yhere. especially in the south, are
coming more and more to believe that
the course of study adapted to secur-
ing the most efficient rural life Is
radically different from any other
course of study. Tho elementary school
must, II 1t fulfills its high purpose.
sinister to the needs Of the COM
Aunity In which it resides.
s. oiidds, Nc~s Notes.
Special to Times-Republican-
Glidden, March Especial meetings
are to commence Sunday evening,
March 3, at the N. e church
The Booster Club met at Arm,