The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1912-09-27
IDEAL RURAL SCHOOL.
Essentials as Seen BY an Authority on
the Subject.

doing great and noble work tor
the people of Kentucky but as yet
we have NOT an Ideal Rural School
System. though are fast approach
Ing 1t. And that 1t behooves every
earnest and conscientious rural
teacher to diligently look about
them for the necessary requisites
for its promotion and put forth their
best efforts to hasten the time
when every district in Old Kentucky
will have an Ideal Rural School.
The three essentials OF an Ideal
Rural School are:
First. The Grounds.
Second. The buildings and Third
and last but not least the school 1t
self.
In far too many rural districts are
not only the school house itself
|hopelessIy and pathecticaliy made
quate but the amount of land al
lotted for rural school purposes is
so pititully small and for to often a
plot OF land that could not answer
any other purpose. sterile and an
productive In an undesirable Local
ton. Not nearly large enough TO
permit of playing any games SO dear
to the childish heart. Just few
square yards in front OF the school
house, from which every spear OF
grass has been worn by the hamp-
cred feet OF the children In the eff
fort 70 get little healthy exercise
out OF duck-on-a-rock and snap-the
whip. The back yard iaabout all
taken up with the coal slle or coal
house II game OF ball is attempt
ed 1t must be played at least parity
In the road. and the teacher must
keep AN eagle eye on the children
to see they do not tread down the
wheat and corn OF the farmers in
their frantic effort to recover the
ball that has waxed unruly and coar
cu dbosO thc udIIoW DouhOnFlcb iu-
to the field beyond.
It certainly does seem that land
Is cheap enough that at least one
acre could be appropriated in each
district for the children. An acre
can be obtained in almost any To-
cation for price not to exceed $125
in rural communities. in some far
less what district could not afford
this sum for its boys and girls?
The Ideal will be when we have
ground enough in the rear to allow
our children to play baseball volley
bali and many other helpful and
healthful games which require lit
tie space. then we may have lawn
in front OF the school house. with
neat walks. trailing vines and beds
of flowers.
One half of the ground OF the
back yard may be utilized as gar
den for agricultural experiments
and the growing Of the harder
plants. and the other half for play
ground. Then and not until then
can we expect the rural children to
take an interest in Arbor Day, as
far as the school premises are con-
cerned. and the finest working APP
paratus in the world could never
atone for a charmless school ground
do not contend the end and aim
of the rural school is to make
farmers, but do contend that 1t
should stop unmaking them. We
teachers should only like their en-
vironments or their school when
they are worth liking and when
they do like them they are loyal to
them and in most cases are anxious
to learn.
So much for the school yard. But
what shall we do with the school
house itsself-the bare brazen, one
roomed old relic OF inefficiency? NV
ideal rural school building will have
not only comfortable school room
with the best text books and a
small working library, but II will
have shop, or work room and a
kitchen where the simple lessons of
domestic economy may be taught
and put into operation. The work
room will contain work bench and
the necessary tools, some garden and
farm implements. The kitchen will
have range and cooking utensils
When we have thus enlarged and
equipped our rural school houses we
shall have made them place where
| the vital energies of the child and
the ideas gathered from books may
be utilized in useful, artistic and
practical production. This and moth
ing short OF this, is worthy the
name of education. The aim of the
ideal rural school Is to give to the
"a per cent. of children that never
reach the high school such practical
and useful knowledge that viii
best enable him or her to fill sue
cessfully their place in life.
My ideal teacher will be a train