The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-08-19
SHOWING OF THE
RICHLAND COUNTY SCHOOLS

other hand the actual opportunity to
supervise is only about one-fiftieth as
great. This is due not only to the
greater number OF schools to- super
wise, but to distances, some of which
measure fifty miles from his Office, and
to lack of supervisors. 1t is physically
impossible for one person to inspect
many country schools frequently and
also to attend to the continual list of
tangles and troubles that arise where
about 20 school officers, as many
teachers and 1900 pupils with 5000.
parents are concerned. In some states
a supervisor is provided for each vicin-
ity around a town. For instance one
would be provided for such a locality
around Hankinson, etc. In such cases
the country schools are looked after
much as they are in town. Under the
present system, which we have been
used to from the beginning, country
school supervision, where a superin-
tendent does well if he gets around to
each school once a Year, results in
very little absolute supervision at all.
Within a few weeks the fall term
schools will begin their sessions. A
marked change in the attitude of di-
rectors towards the qualifications of
teachers is noted. once 1t was thought
that nyone could teach little children,
especially IL only a few attended. But
a premium is now set. on securing
good, experienced teachers, and the
day is well along when green young
people will be allowed to experiment
on helpless little children in the n
room schools while the teachers get ex-
~perience. Abundant education also is
required of the teacher today. For
1912-1913 probably not more than ten
out of IT'S teachers in the one-room
schools of the country will nave merely
a bare eighth grade schooling. In
some states ratio include about forty
out Of each 100 teachers.
An interesting fact about the me-
room schools, as compared with the
town schools, is the comparative d.
rect school levies and cost per pupil
per day. Last year the levy for Wah-
peton was ri mills, Hankinson, 32.5
mills and Lidgerwood 31.1 mills. But
the average levy for the strictly coun-
try school district was only about s
mills. In some 1t is only about 2
mills. And yet probably the average
man in the county has greater wealth
than the average man in the towns
above named. Hence property cannot
explain the extremely low tax levies in
the country. As regards the cost of
teaching n pupil for one day, it is
about 81 cents, while in the one-room
schools 1t averages 80 cents. The ad-
vantage in the town lies in having
larger numbers under each teacher.
The one-room school method is ex-
pensive.
In addition better service is given
in graded schools han in overgraded
| schools with their congested pro-
grammes, under which irrespective of
the number in school, the best of
teachers cannot do really good work.
Were it not for the virtues inherent in
country life, town scholars would far
eclipse country scholars. The prob
lem OF the country schools is to Sc
cure advantages such as town schools
possess, and at the same time to pre-
serve or increase the great advantage
to children of being brought UP in
good homes in the country. The sue
cessful men are continually coming
largely from the country. If the coun-
try schools were better adapted to
country life, would its children not be
more successful and therefore more
happy as men and women citizens2
This is the problem and question upon
which superintendent Barnes is work
ing. AS a start towards it's solution
he has developed the country boys and
girls contest, taken pictures and given
illustrated lectures In the school
houses. When the country fathers
and mothers generally realize the true
situation as regard their schools, and
take q lively interest in improving
them. they will ind out a reasonable
way to give their children a better
chance In school.