The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1912-09-06

they ought 10 be willing to pay more
for II than the state.
That the best way to create local
interest in the local school is a local
tax and as proof of this, il should he
shown that all the best schools have
a local tax and all the worst schools
are without IL.
That the district trustee should be
as much interested in the teacher
and his teaching as the teacher is in
his school. That the school house
should be as good and as attractive
as any home in the district.
That when we know under the new
school census where the illiterate chill.
dren live, 1t will become the duty OF
the people Of that district to see that
these children are sent to school and
provide clothing and shoes II the
parents are too poor to provide them.
That the teacher should be more
commended for what he is able to &C
complsh and less criticized for what
he 10 unable to do.
That moonlight schools for the
adults will pay better than moonshine
stills.
That the Office Of county school
superinte ndent IL the most important
in the country.
That ii Is more important to edu-
cate all the people some, than a few
Of the people a great deal.
That we DO not need to teach dead
languages in a live country except
within the walls Of a university.
That those things which will be Of
most value to boy and girl after
they leave school should be the things
which should be taught first and best
That the children's minds should
not be puzzled over Greek roots when
they do not know the difference be-
tween calamus root and poke root.
That the conjugation of the verb
'amo" need not be taught in the
school because the boys and girls
learn 1t soon enough outside the
school.
That the unknown quantities of al
zebra had better remain unknown
than that boy should remain igno-
rant of the soil quantities Of his
fathers farm.
That the time spent in making in.
different performances on the piano
could be better utilized in a5olishing
bad biscuits from the breakfast table.
That the public school ought to get
In the newspaper and the newspaper
in the public school.
While you may not agree with me
in all Of these things, you will GER
tainly agree with me in most OF them.
The question is how are we going to
create this public sentiment.
The school teacher is pOwcrless to
do 1t even when he does his best.
He is handicapped by the very nature
Of the case. We must look to the edu-
Gated people Of this state. Men and
women who will give their time and
talent and means to create q better
sentiment for the rural schools. and
we must look to the press.
The newspaper and the public
schools are the two greatest forces
at work in this country for both prog
ress and enlightenment.
The newspapers influence depends
upon the number Of readers 1t has and
the number Of readers depends on how
many people are taught to read. There
must be combination between the
press and the professor, united in
hotuynav M nd hA
public school. II the press Of this
state would give half the thought and
half the space to education that It does
to politics the schools would be revo-
lutiOnized in less than a decade. The
press must first be made interested in
this great question, then 1t must be
educated to the needs of the schools,
then shown how the needs may be
supplied. The editor and the school
teacher must be brought within closer
touch with each other. This should
be done through this organization.
Mind you. am not talking about
a movement through the press for the
benefit of the teachers. but q move
ment for the benefit Of the people. The
school must be made the important
thing and not the school teacher. The
children's interest must be put in the
forefront as the battle cry through
the press for their welfare, and the
welfare of the state. All great enter
prises get before the public with the
news bureau and there Is no enter
prise as great as the education of the
masses. Most enterprises pay for pub
licity. but this Is one Of which the
newspapers will require no pay. 1t
takes real newspaper talent to con-
duct any kind of publicity bureau. 1t
requires the talent of first interesting
the reader with what It tells. next
It must do more than interest 1t.
II should get the reader In sympathy
with the story. then 1t must SO take
hold of him that he wants Q part In 1t.
There should be selected q most cap
able man or woman with proper news
paper Instinct to send q column once
week to every newspaper In Ken
lucky of such live public school mat
ter that the editor will be glad TO give
It space. The information should be
-.xh >.oA Sroc. tha w riOua schoola all