Newark post., 1912-10-23
THE RURAL SCHOOL
OF TOMORROW
THE NEW IDEA IN PRACTICE IN PAGE CO. IOWA

The following interesting clipping is
taken from "The Rural School of To
morrow by Herbert Quick in LaFol-
lette's Magazine. The article discusses
the demand for organized social centers
and believes the solution of the problem
lies through the rural school.
After regretting the absence of the
neighborhood fellowship that exists in
the oil countries, or even that which ex-
isted in pioneer days in cur own land,
which the writer attributes largely to
the trolley, the motor ear and the daily
mail, Mr.. Quick proceeds as follows:
THE NEED OF COOPERATION.
Rural communities need to get togeth-
er: but the American farmer is too much
of utlitarian to yield to the attraction
of amusement for his own sake, or Of
fered culture, or debates or lectures. He
is hard headed and rather cynical about
new things. Companionship with his fel-
lows may be needed, but the need is not
rather single-minded in his pursuit of
profit in the material sense. Like all self
respecting people, he objects to the pro-
cess of beings "uplifted,' by the people
who take position above him. II social
centers are to succeed in the rural com
munity, their success must come through
their ability to serve the farmer and the
farmers wife along the lines of thought
and endeavor which appeal to him.
For these reasons the church does not
seem able to furnish the nucleus of the
rural social center save in rare instances.
Here and there, the rural church is doing
good work in building up again the lost
sense of neighborship; but on the whole
churches are losing ground in the country.
One of the gravest problems which con-
fronts the churches is the problem of
the ebb-tide which is leaving stranded
and abandoned churches on so many
countrysides. Moreover the church can
not 10 the whole work. Many people
do not belong to any church Those who
do belong are divided among many de-
nominations, which, if not warning at
each other are not cooperating, and are
in no position to cooperate. The church
cannot call in aid the powers of taxation,
nor the assistance of the state. 1t may
lie social center for the community. but
it can never be, and should not be the
social center.
The neighborhood club and the coop
eratiye organization are doing good work
in places Woman s clubs have worked
great changes in some rural neighbor-
hoOde ! know of some places where
clubs of farmers wives have kept up for
many years successful meetings of a char
acter very similar to the gatherings of
people interested in literature, current
events and music in cities. Some of these
communities are admirably served by
these clubs But on the whole feel
that there is less of this social activity
than there was 30 years ago. The clubs
are better. perhaps, than were the old
spelling schools and ''literaries, but
they are vastly fever. The need fol
social centers everywhere, as potent
force in American life, as universal rs
the practice of agriculture, has no hcFt
in these. The communities that most ncet
awakening are incapable of finding util
ity or amusement in these rather sophis
ticated and highbrowish affairs
Something more elemental and elemen
tary, more useful and more profitable ma
tcriaIly must appear.
WHAT RBoUT THE RURAL School?
Along with this demand for rural cen
tiers comes the admitted need for a new
kind of rural school. The rural schoo
of to-day is apt to be in the main bat
copy of poor city school, 1t is no
related to tn ecountry life. 1t proceed
as if on the theory that farmers SON
should all become clerks or professiona
men engaged in urban employment, an,
all coutry girls stenographers, shop girls
factory employees, or the wives of sucl
city dWellers. This bias of the rura
school against rural life is the one grea
scholastic blunder of this nation. 1t ha
acted as powerful wind blowing tn
self same way with the baneful tide o
allurement and economic pressure whic
has been for so many fateful years, an
still is, emptying the farms into the cities
"RURALIzE THE RURAL School.
Our eyes are becoming opened to tn
destruction which such schools work o
our national life. The word has gon
forth that the rural school must be II
rallied. 1t must be correlated with rurs
life. 1t must open the eyes of the cour
try children to the beauties of that fiel
of nature in which the farmer acts wit
and is reacted upon by scientific truti
Our arithmetic must deal with the quaint