The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-11-07
oNE-ROOM sCHOOLHOUSEs IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS

Labelling country schoolhouses SC
 that every citizen may know whetael
 his school is up to standard Is the
 device of the Illinois State school au-
 thor1tfes, according to information re-
 csived at the United States Bureau oi
 The schools are inspected as to
 grounds, buildings. furnishingns, heat ing, ventilation, library. water sup ply. sanitation and qualifications o1 the teacher. If the essentials of a
 good school are found present a dip-
 1Uma is granted the district and a schoofhouss designating 1t as a Stan dard School" Upon fulhIl1nent of certain further requirements a high %r dtploma will be issued and the plata will read Superior School"
 Already 657 of the 10,53 one-roou1 EEhoolhouses in Illinois have earned the right to be called standard schools and to display the plate accordingly.
 This interesting device is part of a vigorous campaign waged by the schools Two experts on rural edu- cation. U- J. Hoffman and w. s. Booth, under the direction of Hon. E C. Blair, State Superintendent of Pnublic Instrdction, are devoting their entire time to the country and village schools.
 schools be brought up to standard the State tells how it can be done. In M bulletin sent to every teacher in the state the requirements for a sfandard school are set forth Among the specifications are: An ample play ground; good approaches to the school convenient fuel houses: the building. sound, in good repair, and painted: improved heating arrange rnentsHa jacketed stove in the corner ed stove in the center; floor and in- terior of the building clean and tidy; suitable desks for children of all ages properly placed; a good collection of juvenile books. me ps, and dictionar- ses; a sanitary water supply the school well organized with regular at tendance and at least seven months must have not less than high-schooI education, receives a salary of at, least the country superintendent as good or superior teacher
 The more ambitious districts, aspfr- 3mg to the Superior" diplomas will have to meet the following addition ml requirements: A playground of at least one-half an acre. level, covered trees and shrubs; sanitary drinking appiiance- separate cloak rooms for boys and girls: room lighted from one % 9,rsta oie windows fitted with good nhafies. heat provided by basement or room furnace with proper arrange miesion of pure air; at least eighty library books, ten Euiutable for each Hrade; two good pictures on the wall; provision for instruction in agricul- 9ure manual training and domestic artH. the teacher to be a high-schooI rraduafe with norma1-school training and fo receive at least $480 per an- mum: the work outlined In the State course of study to be well done.
 The Illinois authorities do not ex- pect to see this movement for better ment of the one-room schools inter fere in any way with the natural de- of consolidated schools: but believing, as they do, that be- cause of the scattered farming popu- latfon of Illinois one-room schools will be necessary for many years, they seek to make this type SO efficient for the community that a desire will | bs created among the citizens in ru- ral communities for greater education 1 al advantages for their children.