The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1913-06-05
THE GRANGE
Conducted b.
NV. BARROW. Chatham. n. l..
rdito. Of the New York State Grange
Review
THE RURAL SCHOOL.
craooe should Have . Vital Interest
In tie Development.

GRANGE should Have Vital Interest,"
In lite Development.
A great responsibility is resting upon
those who have the direction OF our
rural schools. And yet the RESPONSE
bility Is not wholly theirs. The kind
Of rural schools which any school dis
trict may have will depend very large
" ON tie kind of school the people IN
that district want. The community
spirit or the community ideal Will de-
termiue this matter In the last analy-
ais. There are some, even many, VINO
favor the consolidated school. but with
out discussing the practicability ana
value Of consolidation as remedy It
may be said that there are and prob
ably always will be very many c0un-
try districts from which 1t will be I'M
possible to transport the children, and
the maintenance Of a school for the
benefit OF the children living In the dis
trict therefore remains necessity.
That the standard Of such schools
should be as high as the combined wis
dom Of patrons and teachers can make
It will not be denied. but an increasing
interest must center about the affairs
Of the school and the future welfare
Of both the pupils and community II
this desirable end Is to be attained.
The grange Of all agricultural organ
izations should have vital interest IN
our rural schools. 1t is the champion
Of rural progress and better education.
Its influence In not actively urging the
adoption Of modern educational meth
DDS and reforms, but in creating the
progressive rural spirit. is the greatest
influence that can be brought to bear
In the interest Of improved schools
and better school surroundings In very
many rural communities. 1t Is there
fore under q certain obligation to the
community to use that influence In
every way II can. As recent writer
has well said: Every grange should
demand that there be a teacher em-
ployed who is In sympathy with farm
interests, who has some knowledge OF
the work which the children are sup
posed to do later In life and who will
cooperate with the grange In the In
terests Of the community. The school
cannot do this work alone. Neither
can the grange. Cooperation is essen
ttaI"
A course Of study which does not in
etr1x1., Sl>s kuowIs>don If Agriculture and
the work Of the farm home is not the
course Of study that Is now demanded.
Many teachers have not had the train
ing which will enable them tc teach
the essentials Of agriculture. The
grange can assist in this by securing
practical talks for the school and liter
allure and equipment for the teaching
Of agriculture Otherwise 1t must be
expected that the boys and girls train
ell In the rural schools will not have
the interests Of the farm at heart.
The grange should have a standard
for hygienIc conditions and artistic
surroundings. which will help to make
the schooIhouse a place that one can
point to with pride. The grange can
arouse public opinion In favor OF truly
attractive school surroundings. In a
score Of ways 1t can determine the
character Of the Instruction given and
the character Of the pupils who attend
npon that instruction and in so doing
will determine the character Of the
community In which the school exists
l. W. BARROW