Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-07-29
UNITED STATES BUREAU OF ECU
CATION PUBLISHES VIEWS
OF EDUCATOR.
FAIRchlLp DECLARES
INEFFEcTlvENEss INCREASES
The One Lassard Of the Education
Proeession-EnrolIm Constantly
Decreasing and Supervision Wholly
Inadequate, In Matter Of the Rurat
Schools Of the Country.
Special Correspondence

Washington, July ga severe IN
dic,ment If the shortcomings OF the
rural schools and their failure 20 az
minister properly to the needs OF Tue
children in the country districts mas
been published by the United States
bureau of education. 1t Is prepared W
E. T. Fairchild, superintendent OF pup
lie instruction for the state OF Kansas
According to Mr.. Fairchild, not onls
is the rural school detective, Out A.s
effectiveness and inadequacy are ~
creasing. The picture he draws OF tne
lack of proper school facilities ZOE Tue
country boy and girl il striking
The rural school Is the one Aagga1o
in the educational procession. says
Mr.. Fairchild.
This is partly due, he says. to tne
fact that emphasis of educationa1
thought has been placed on the CITY
schools, the high schools and the COL
leses at the expense Of the rural scnooA'
Mr.. Fairchild says the ever-increasAne
trend of population toward the Clues
and the growing per cent OF tenant
farmers, have had a distinct ana oe-
terrent effect upon our country
schools"
The Schools Shortcomings.
The following is true. tho not
full Indictment" continues Mr.. Fair
child. "Of the l2.o00.0o0 rural school,
children. constituting clear majority
of the whole number Of the youth OF
school age. less than Is per cent are
completing the work Of the grades. Inc
teaching body il immature and lacks
proper training. Terms are short
school buildings are poor. unsani-
,ary and ill-equtpped. The school en-
rollment is constantly decreasing. Inc
superyision is wholly inadequate. Cost
of instruction Is higher than In the
grades. High school privileges are de-
MED the great majority Of these boys
and girls.
THE strong, virile rural school OF
eeneration ago has gone and In 1ts
plac. Is a primary school weak IN mum
bers and lacking In efficiency. Tne
country boy and girl Of this strenuous
and complex twentieth century are not
afforded equal educational oppoSeuni-
ties.
"a vital weakness in our rural school
system il the lack Of q genuine demand
for properly trained teachers l nave
knowledge Of one state which pears
an excellent reputation educatioans
where out Of 5000 rural school teach
ers in 1910. 400 were found to have
no training beyond the eighth grade.
III we want to get more out OF the
rural schools, we must put more INTO
them. We can never have the best
rural schools until we have aroused
public interest In them. The national
life and character Of tomorrow IL SCI
and directed by the schools OF today.
"The country is the nations ereas
recruiting ground. To. it. the city mas
always looked for its supply OF men
who do the grea. things. who command
armies. build industries. take the
initiative.
ut is true that the cities are the
centers of organization. but they are
not self-sustaining. The rural popula :
ton must always be the bone and
sinew Of any country. More than one
half OF our school population is trained
in the rural schools. These schools are
Inadequate"