The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1912-02-15


consulting enough the ends that are
to be attained IN the former"
As an indication of the cash value
of course of study, specialized to
the needs of the rural community
and taught by trained normal grad
yates, the monograph says:
'Canada's rural schools increased
the average wheat yield there Ave
bushels TO the acre In d few years
time Suppose that our rural school
teachers should sci, for themselves
the problem of increasing the corn
crop five bushels per acre, what
would be the result? Let us see.
In 1910 the farmers OF Kentucky
planted and cultivated $780, 900
acres of corn, which yielded 1867
l270,0OO bushels. An increase Of
five bushels per acre would have
made the yield 1s.5QO,OO0 bushels
more. These 19,5OO,OOO bushels Of
corn would have brought, at tho
average farm price December /,
1910, approximately, S1O,0OO,OOO.
This money would have gone di-
rectly to the rural communities.
where 1t is much needed, and would
have been of vast Importance in
solving the problems that confront
our rural people. 1t could have
been used to build 1000 miles of
first class pike roads, or it would
have paid the expenses of our pub
lie schools for two and a half years.
at would have gone far toward pay
ing the farmers taxes, or 1T would
have built and furnished many a
rural home. Can any one figure
| the comfort and happiness that five
bushels motey6f corn per acre would
buy for the rural, people Of any
state? q S HF III 4,H Fl
What the rural schools can do
for improving corn scqlture! they can
do for any other farm crop, If they
adopt rational course of study and
demand teachers who can teach
them effectively and efficiently.
Fortunately practical principles of
agriculture are neither difficult to
learn nor irksome to teach. The
subject appeals to rural pupils be-
cause it comes within the scope OF
their immediate interests.
Rural life can be wonderfully
improved by the united efforts of
teachers to promote real, genuine.
uplifting thrift through instruction
in the principles and practices of
agriculture. To teach these princi-
pies the teacher must have had a
thorough preparation in this special
field. q 9.ts
sit is now quite generally conceded
that the following subjects are nee
essary for the proper training of
rural school-teachers; Nature study,
elementary principles OF practical
agriculture, sanitary science and hy-
giene; domestic economy, and practi-
cal principles and problems in ele-
mentary chemistry and physics as
applied in the study of these subjects.
The teachers should be required to
have working knowledge of these
subjects, The formal training Of
most county boys and girls ends with
the rural school course. A fundamen-
tai, knowledge of the foregoing sub
jects is certainly minimum to re-
quire of the teacher who trains them
for the lives that they must lead
The bureaus monograph then out
lines in considerable detail the ground
to be covered in normal course OH
these subjects, and describes how the
topics are to be treated The mon
ograph adds, 1T is believed that
teachers trained in thi swork will be
much better prepared to do such work
in rural schools, and that those
schools will show a measure of eff
cheney that has never yet been gcne:.
ally attained. +.
The monograph, which is entitled
"a Course of Study for the Prepare
ton of Rural schoot-Teachers,r will
be sent FIRE to any one interested upon
request to the United States Bureau
of Education, Washington, D. c.
.GOOD HOPE STORE