The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-03-21

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/ him more drops out He loses some
! thing that is coming to him and that
/ he needs to place him on an equal
footing with his city brother in the
fight with the world.
The causes for this are so many
that IT would take page on which TO
tell all of them
The community changes Tenants
city The great trouble IS, the eIe-
mentary schools have no organized
help That is the central fact
when 1 went east last winter as
chairman Of the national commission
of rural schools brought these mat
ters to the attention of the foremost
pubIicists and school men IN the east
eru cities and they all agreed with me
as to the importance OF the matter and
the pressing need that something be
eve can get no where with the
struggle until public attention has
been Challenged and brought face TO
face with the need of the rural
schools Publicity and organized help
only can do it
Talk of Higher Education
the commission on higher educa-
ton that met in Governor Stubbs' Of
fees recently stood for the three big
state educational institutions Thirty
men-count -em-thirty- All big men,
All for higher education And I vas
the only representative present VINO
had that thirty all on my side and
pulling for the elementary schools as
they did for the big universities. Won
ders could have been accomplished IN
a short time
I'VE need a national and state
organization working to this end alone
deVoting all their time TO the eIe-
mentsry schools
I'VE need publicity
NO Individual or commission or
organization Of any kind is doing
thing for the rural schools All the
unemployed brains and millions OF the
country are boosting for higher edu-
cation They are working and spend
ing for the schools already equipped
with steam heat and gymnasiums and
laboratories, and observatories. and
lecture rooms, and special courses and
scores of specialist instructors and
manual training and abstract science
and cooking. carpentery and astron-
only-
nezfe foundation and the Rockefeller
foundation with millions and millions
on hand are working solely TO make
the higher highest
But not a nickel not man Tor
the bettermeut Of the rural schools
whera twelve million out of the ma
tons twenty million children go TO |
school
children 10 an astronomical scientiHc !
finish and let the twelve million falter i
among the first eight grades and only /
three million of these get through
The heads of these three great
were all agreed that the
rural schools were not making prog
-ess. They knew that male teachers
Of mature years and force Of charac-
-er were scarce now and tnal !ouns
girls without experience F4ld taken
their places They knew that the en-
-oIIuent is less because of the attrac-
ions of the city schools and the Iact
hat the country boy and girl can see
no prospect of a high school course at
Township High Schools
Il am in favor of a township high
school I believe it would increase at
tendance and interest in the rural
.chooI and that more children would
inish the grades If they could see the
Ugh school courses ahead without haV-
ug TO leave home to take them
DO YOU know that 4 400 out OF TINS
states 5000 school teachers have not
gone beyond the grades2 It is fact
And Kansas is above the average in
he standard of her rural schools
There is plenty of individual effort
n this state TO help the rural schools,
1ut it is spasmodic and breaks out only
n spots. There is nothing concerted7
lothing permanent being undertaken in
heir behalf All public thought and
interest and money seems to be CEN
cred on higher education The rural
schools are neglected entirely
IF I had the thirty men of Stubs
higher educational commission working
or this idea 1 could revoIutiOnize the
-uraI schools of this state in a little
While.
A national organization. using writ
rs and workers and organizers could
1erform wonders if it had the money
I know that some of my statements
N this subject are sweeping, and that
here are exceptions. but I speak of the
-uIe of the preponderauce OF the Cesti-
nony and the facts in the case
I believe the country is in a recep-
i've mood for this great and needed
eform and that the next five years viii
ZEE a wonderful work done for the
uraI schools
The legislature of any state viii
.elp if the matter is presented right I
m not proceeding haphazard in the
york or the presentation of this cause
The needs of the rural schools and the
emedfes have been set forth in facts
nd figures. itemized and tabuIated and ]
1arshaIed under subheads-
Here is q brief review by divisions.
irganiza tfom-with four subheads Civ
1g details four different ways Adj
tion-with six subheads setting :
orth the particulars Instruction. :
1ur subheads telling the -hyS and t
-herefores Social eIements-three sub
eads- Rural secondary education-two '
ubheads-
You see this work is mapped out on
aper and every phase and need is Gov :
red II is divided and subdivfded so
nat It will not be a mob effort but !
atFler discipline
some one says. wait for the farmers ]
, act OF their own accord and improve
heir own schools first Then We viii
ait forever The rural district is not J
ccustomed TO organized progress: the
1wn is Take the case Of the agrfcuI-
1raI college at Manhattan The farm
rs scoded at II and its work until the
lIlege brought the work and its fruits a
their doors by means of trains and Z