The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-02-15
TEACHERS TO BLAME
Continued From Page One

GAOLA. K dSS H.
the best blood and brain of the com
munity into the city, frequently to be
lost, wasted or destroyed-certainly to
be lost to the rural community. 1t is
possible and right, indeed a duty, to
dignity rural life and save to it and its
interests the best blood of the country.
THE rural schools has not the infu-
ence that it should have. One of the
chief reasons lies in the fact that the
course Of study is ill-adapted to ru-
raj life n it's relations. We are
united in believing that a school should
train Its pupils for life and it's work
while these pupils are living and work
ing. The course of study taught in the
rural school today is entirely like the
course that is taught in the city school.
In fact, 1t has been modelled to fit the
needs Of the latter without consulting
enough h ends that are to be attain
ed in the former.
Rural life car be wonderfully i'm
proved by the united efforts of teach
ers to promote real, genuine, uplifting
thrift through instruction in the prin-
ctples and practices of agriculture.
To teach these principles the teacher
must have had a thorough preparation
in this special field. Rural interests
and rural problems are not like the
city's interests and problems, and edu-
Gators everywhere, especially in the
south, are coming more and more to
believe that the course Of study ado
ed to securing the most efficient
life is radically different from a41y
other ourse Of study. The elementary
school must, If it fulills it's high pur-
pose, minister to the needs of the COM
munity in which it resides. To do
this a course of study c~o-ordinated
with rural life is needed, together with
a corps of teachers trained to put into
operation the work that the country
districts need.
"Since there are common interests
between rural and city peoples, the
courses of study in their schools and
the instruction should have certain
elements in common. but there are inn
portant differences in industries and in
environment. Corresponding to these
differences there should be a difference
in instruction. and in this difference
the adjustment should be so devised
as to make the school contribute most
to the needs Of rural life.
1T is now quite generally conceded
that the following subjects are neces-
sary for the proper training of rural
school teachers: Nature study, ele-
mentary principles of practical agri-
culture, sanitary science and hygiene.
domestic economy, and practical prin-
ciples and problems in elementary
chemistry and physics as applied in
the study of these subjects. The
teachers should be required to have a
working knowledge Of these subjects.
The formal count training OF most
country boys and girls ends with the
rural school our A fundamental
knowledge of the foregoing subjects is
certainly a minimum to require of the
teacher who trains them for the lives
that they must lead"
The monograph sets forth a COM
plete. course of study for rural school
teachers. The following is given as
an indication of the cash value of a
course OF study, specialized to the
needs of the rural communities and
taught by trained normal graduates:
"Canada's rural schools increased
the average wheat yield there FIVE
bushels to the acre in a few years
time. Suppose our rural school teach
ers should set for themselves the prob
lem of increasing the corn crop FIVE
bushels per acre, what would be the
result? Take the state Of Kentucky.
In 1910 the farmers of the state plant
ed and cultivated 3,630,000 acres OF
corn, which yielded 105, 270,0 bushels.
An increase Of five bushels per acre
would have made the yield IS, 500, 900
bushels more. These 18, 500, 900 bush
els Of corn would have brought, at the
average farm price Dec. /, 1910, APP
proximately $4,000. 900. This money
would have gone directly to the rural
community, where 1t is much needed,
and would have been of vast import
ance in solving the problems that con-
front u rural people. What the ru-
raj schools can do for improving the
corn crop they can do for any other
farm crop, If they adopt a rational
course of study and demand teachers
that can teach them effectively and ef-
iciently. Fortunately, practical prin-
ciples Of agriculture are neither diff
cult to learn nor irksome to teach.
The subject appeals to rural pupils be-
cause it comes within the scope OF
their immediate interests
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