The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1912-07-11
PLEAFOR The
PRACTICAL
Is MADE
Schools Must Be ReSpOn-
SiVe to Needs Of
Farmers
Telegram By unIted Pregg.

Telegram BY United Press.
Chicago, July li.-In an address be-
fore the National Education associa-
tioh on "The Social Center and the
Rural Community" Herbert Quick
editor Of Farm and Fireside, Spring.
field, Ohio, spoke in part as follows:
"The conscious demand for social
centers is a thing Of rather recent
growth, and has been most pronounc-
cd in cities. It has taken the form
Of public promotion Of debates, liter.
airy exercises, moving picture shows,
dances, socials and various ether as-
sembIies, but it is broader than any
OF these. It is at bottom an outgrowth
Of the need for cooperation among
the people Not cooperation for
amusement, or sociability, or instruc-
tlon-bu cooperation in its deepest
sense This is the great need Of the
day.
'If the social center movement is to
take root and grow in rural communi.
ties it must be different from the same
movement in cities, save in this basic
factor Of cooperation The farm com.
munities Of the United States will not
come together for mere amusement.
nor for mere instruction. The Ameri-
can farmer is rather hard-headed and
cynical and strongly objects because
he is selfTespecting the operation
OF being upIifted His modes OF
thought are rather predominantly eco
nemic. The making of money and the
making Of living to a very great ex.
teat P1eoccupy his mind The social
center if it is to succeed must nave
q basis in the idea Of cooperation. but
il must be cooperation along economic
lines rather than lines OF amusement
or mere Instruction
'This economic basis for social cen.
ters is offered by the new kind OF
rural school which is coming into ex.
istence--the school which is in all its
teaching correlated with rural life. The
word has gone forth that the rural
school must be ruralized. Our arifh.
metic must deal with the quantities of
soil constituents, farm inventories ana
the like. Every problem must be one
in scientific rural Hfe our naturs
studies must deal with the cow, the
hen, the hog, the horse, and the sheep.
rather than with tropical wonders.
Geography must deal with the plant
food in the farm before it strays Ia
the capital OF the stale History muse
relate to movements in agriculture.
} THE rural school must become the
I laboratory Of the district. Farm &C.
5 counts must be kept there for the dis.
! trict farms by the advanced pupils.
Comparisons win thus disclose the
r sort OF farming which Is most profit
/ able. Cows, hens, feeds, seeds and
soils must be tested IA this laboratory
e Domestic economy must engross the
, girls. And this school viii become q
i continuation school for all the parents
= IN the district This it has alreauS
+ become in such communities Of ths
!. nation as have begun lAis work. Wher
c the schools take up work which is seer
T. by every patron to be of clear eco
+ nomic value, the pupils viii remain
o longer in school. and the relation o
the work 10 the farms themselves vii
not only encourage meetings Of tn.
parents. but require them The socia
?. center will come into being bocaus
the work Of the schools will demanl
e it.
f. This is not a dream In such rufs
&, communities as Page county, Iowa. u
" new kind Of rural school has brough
e the social center, whether the peopl
r- know It or not And it has hrough
q new attitude toward rural Ito i
a. Wright county, Iowa. three years d
ie the teaching Of agriculture and dome.
ST tic science In the rural schools turne
IN the sentiment of the pupils 50 that fl
Of stead Of tue pupils voting 10 70
n- against farming as q life work. ths
n. continued on Page Threel