The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1912-09-28
COUNTY TALKS BY
COUNTY SUPT. HACKER.

I25 cents FOR expreSS2ge thereon, and
fifty one cent stamps to carry them
through the postoffiee to the teach
ers.
This has been a custom, and a
good one for many years. These
questions conform to the Estate
Course OF Study" and is particularly
helpful to the inexperienced teacher
and comfort to the experienced
ones. Many of the teachers pay lit
tie or no attention to them, however,
and others make no effort to secure
the selections mentioned in both the
| Course of Study" and Examination
Questions.
The selections for the first year
reading, and there is nothing else in
the first year except busy work,
! planned by the teacher. are first
month, This Is the Way We Wash
Our Clothes and "Humpty Dumpty;"
second month, "old King Cole" and
Birds of a feather" third month,
Pussy Cat" and II Love Little
| Pussy fourth month, This Little
Pig Went to Market and Hush a
Bye Baby" fifth month, Bah, Bah,
| Black Sheep and Sing a Song of
lSixpence; sixth month. Little Miss
Muffitt'' and when I Was a Bache-
lor;' seventh month, Little Jack
Horner" and There Was Little
Girl" eighth month, "Old Mother
Hubbard" and This is the Way the
Ladies Ride Each of these selec-
'tions is printed in the form of an
eight-page leaflet, with notes and
suggestions for teaching the same by
a successful primary teacher. 15c
per dozen, assorted copies, postpaid
One teacher wrote to ME that the
father of one Of his pupils told him
he would not pay for the leaflets nor
1.-The pictures. that it was all foolish
mess, he wanted his child taught the
old fashioned way learning his let
ters first, then learning to spell g.
little after that read a little. ana
after that write little, that you
couldn't make him believe that
child could learn IL just as we'll, if
not better" at one time. This par
emit is one of many who mean we'll,
but have not kept up with the times,
and l agree with the author who
said, Might as well be dead as out
81 the fashion, This teacher said
if he had to keep this child from
using the leaflets he would have to
deprive all of them Think of this
autocrat in rural America, in our
own beloved Egypt, taking issue
with the men and women who, by
study and practice, having given
Years to just what Is best for the
children. Think of the bowls that
goes up for the expenditure Of an
extra fifteen cents, said 15c worth
81 leaflets covering the entire eight
Tonths' study.
Speaking of leaflets, and they are
supplementary to the books, one
mother told me her little son, twelve
cars old, had saved ten dollars from
his work in the vacation, peddling
lee, &C., and paid for his books and
those Of the other two children In
The family.
When the patrons of the school
get it into their heads that they
ant afford to buy books for their
2hildren, the thought occurs to me
RAT the more you help people the
2 IRE helpless they become. The
houses are built and equipped. the
eachers paid, examination questions
oaid for and other supplies, all BY
the state, in Alexander county alone
'Ging mp into six figures, and the
aaoks left for self-respecting patrons
20 buy and buy cheerfully, which a
number will not do, and 1t will be
or the good state Of Illinois to raise
~ extra tax and furnish books, fur.
fishing truant officers to make the
parents of some children. send them
q school The teachers in the Cairo
chools constitute themselves truant
officers, and that is best, as they
ire directly interested and get no
extra pay. They are willing to make
it a part Of their work. The rural
teachers in many instances are dcine
likewise, but there are some stubborn
cases where, perhaps, regular Of
fcer Is necessary. Not many miles
from here Is a father Of large fami-
w he would not let his children 60
10 school last year, and says "Hell
be id If he will let them go this
year" They are likely to go, how
ever, for he can be fined, without
bit of questions, for the law says,
Every person having control of any
Guild between the agce of seven and
sixteen years, shall annually cause
such child to attend some public or
9r'vate school for the entire time
during which the school attended is |
In session, which shall not be less |
than six months of actual teaching. |
II the Guild is instructed for a like |
period IN each and every year in the |
elementary branches of education by |
2 competent person, or in case the |
enid ~ In a physical or mental con-
dltlOn rendering guch atfnndonon /