Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-11-27
Gradual Improvement in Means
and Methods of Instruc-
ton Noted.
HIGHER STANDARDS ARE SET
Superintendent Ferguson Sees Dlsap-
pearanee Of Schools Of Our
Grandfather.
BY 8. J. FERGUSON.

Rock Island county are fully up 10
standard and are growing better year
by year. Progress toward perfection
may not be as rapid as some might
wish, but on the other hand, We ar.
making few experiments and are no.
prone to embrace educational fads.
We are slowly. but surrey, adopting
well tried eIpedients making for
Irc1ter comfort better health and in
creased proficiency on the part of the
pupils In our country schools. as well
as in those OF the cities and larger
villages. II requires but a glance
backward to show that this is so.
When our fathers attended the pub
lie schools. in view of what we know
and are accustomed to now in the
way OF educational facilities, they ap-
pear 70 have obtained an education
not because Of, but rather in spite
Of The public provisions for the spread
or learning Nearly every rule that
We now consider necessary for good
results was violated, not in solitary
instances, but generally. Overcrowd-
cd. ill-heated. unventilated buildings,
crude methods Of teaching and enforc-
ing discipline, bad roads that deliver
cd many OF the children at school iiS
ice morning exhausted and with wet
feet - these were then accepted as
standards in our general scheme Of
education in the country districts.
During the childhood Of those Of US
who are past middle life it was little
better. as we now look at IT, The
same evils prevailed, only TO a lesser
degree.
SOME OF THEM LEFT.
And. it must be confessed. that
there are still here and there. schools
Of the type that our fathers and our
Erandfathers attended. For 90 years
or more they have stood still while
q great forward movement has been
on all about them. But such schools
are few and are rapidly becoming OBJ
Folete Rural free delivery Of mail
the telephone, the automobile. and
other influences have been AT work
ouickening the life OF the country dis.
triCts. and the schools are feeling the
impulse. During the last Il or. IL
years there has been a great awaken.
ing OF the people 20 the need Of bet
ter provision for the physica. and
mental development OF the younger
generation, the seed has been soWu
aad he harvest is now begun The
next decade is certain TO see improve.
ments even greater than those OF the
last.
GROWTH IN 10 YEARS.
Ten years ago tho total enrolment
az public school pupils in Rock Is
land county was 1l.O44. This includ
I'd high school pupils. In 19lf-12 the
total enrolment, excluding high
school pupils in accordance with th'
rule now prevailing, is 1864. Over
100 pupils now attend the higt
schools Of the county. so il will be
seen that there has been a health!
increase
In 1902 there were 124 schools IL
the county Now there are 100. Nor,
significant is the increase in the mum
Der OF teachers. In 1902 there wer,
327 teachers. where now there ar
429 Most significant OF all is tn,
difference in the sums expended FOL
school maintenance. Where 10 year
ago the schools OF the county cos
S3l7.537 a year. they cost in 1871
si14l66 The greater cost is account
ed for partly by the increase in tn
number Of teachers and partly by tn
higher salaries paid. Both items in
dictate an Improvement in the sci
vice for higher salaries mean NOR
ctlident teachers. and greater numbe
90 teachers means more individual
attention for pupils.
DATE BACK TO 1850
Records now in the office OF tn
county superintendent OF schools dat
back only 10 the school year 1896
In that year there were sc publ
schools In the county. employing 16
teachers. The average pay OF III
country school teacher then was pei
haps SEQ per month and the ordinar
school term was five and one-hal
TO six and one-half months. Now tn
average pay OF the country teache
is about $40 and the average schoC
Is in session eight months each yea
The lowest salary a country schoC
teacher has been paid during the l
years ] have been az the head OF IN
county schools was $50 per montl
The directors in this case being viii
ng 20 employ the lowest bidder. WIN
happened TO be a resident OF the di
irict. boarding al home free OF charg'
and consequently underbidding a
competitors. The highest salary no
paid in a strictly country school. :
Far as ! am aware, is SIS per montl
This is not eNorbitant for IL mu:
De- borne in mind that teaching is
profession nowadays that require
practically al Of the time Of thos
sho follow IL, while pay is drawn Il
July part Of the year. SiXty-five dc
ars a month for eight months wOul
give a yearly salary OF but $500
rear, which surely Is not an unrei
sonable- sum 10 compensate one e
al his time during the best years {
ais life, especia ly after years Of sp