Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1912-11-08
TINE COUNTRY scHoorIN
90 o KANSAS.

The country school problem is not
confined to any one state, but is prae-
tically the same in every state in the
agricultural districts. AS showing con.
ditions in Kansas, We quote from a
recent address made by E. T. Fair
child, superintendent of instruction IN
that state, to seventy-five county SUI
perintendents, after two days spent
at the agricultural college at Msnhat-
tan:
Kansas cannot be very proud of
her rural schools. OF course we have
made excellent progress by the intro
duction of agriculture, domestic sci
ence and manual training into these
schools, but they still are on a com.
paratively7 low plane. Bear this in
mind: 100000 of the $4,000 school
children in this state are being taught
in rural school buildings And less
than twenty-five per cent of that nun
Der are completing the grades. think
that's appalling. And the fact that the
district schools have declined in the
face Ct unprecedented progress in 9th.
er institutions Of learning shows that
our real problem is in the country,
and that We must direct our atten-
ton to these schools with renewed
energy.
The high schools in Kansas have
doubled in number in the last five
years. Other higher institutions of
learning have had wonderful growths.
And at the same time the attendance
in rural schools has steadily decreas-
ed. Country scholars go to town for
better advantages. Miss Carney, of
Illinois, has told you that is the fore
most reason for the trend Of farmers
eityward in that state. Nowhere in
America is there organized effort to
improve rural schools. Philanthro-
pists rush to colleges and universities
with their money. With the excep-
ton Of the general education board
OF New York, established by a Rookie.
Teller fund, which maintains some
rural inspectors in the south, no phil.
anthropist has come to the aid Of
the district school. 1t seems to be
the one branch that has been allowed
to go along without notice or help
What we propose to do is to make
the district school more efficient;
make it more interesting and attrac-
tive. We have discussed the advisa-
bility of a rural school inspector I'M
der the direction of the state super
intendent, and | think the idea an
excellent one. This inspector, like
those maintained in the south by the
general education board, would visit
country districts, talk to and inter
est the country people in bettering
their schools, He would act as a mis-
sionary of encouragement and help.
We have our high school inspectors;
why not have rural school inspectors
"But before we can make much pro
gress with the district schools, we
must have more centralized organiza-
ton Of. them. The old district plan
Is out Of date. There are too many
officials giving too little time TO the
administration Of these schools. In
Kansas 10000 officials boss the 1900
teachers Fewer officials with more
responsibility, and the plan works
very successfully. OF course legisla-
ton will be necessary to accomplish
this change.
Il am sure that can say for the
superintendent. and say it conscien-
tiously. that this has been the best
conference we ever have had. 1t has
been a real conference. We have dis
cussed everything very Informally
round table fashion-and that's the
way to hold a conference. And the at
mosphereo Of the agricultural college
has been an incentive to our work.