Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-01-21
getters frotl1 the Schools.
School improvement in Rural Com

School Improvement in a Rural Com
| munity.
| A rural school and forty pupils,
three school trustees, one teacher, q
single room, unpainted school house,
unIenced school grounds and you have
the picture or school house before
being treated to School Improvement.
when a teacher meets with a fail
ure in her first attempt to enlist the
patrons to organize School Improve
ment association, and tries again, we
may look for results.
] The first effort to organize was at
tempted by having the children write
| invitations to their parents to meet
ing. On the day appointed one moth
er appeared. The meeting resolved
itself into an association Of two men,
bers, the mother as president and the
teacher as secretary. Plans for rails
ing money were considered.
| The first entertainment was sue
cess, socially and financially; SIS was
cleared. However, the greatest gain
was the active interest created.
The young people begged for an
other party. A good time was still
the first object. After four entertain
ments at the school, nearly 500 was
/ in the S. I. A. treasury and everybody
i
be improved, and when the helping
hand would be used.
The interior Of the school was
transformed by the addition of need
ed equipment and decorations. The
floor was painted, the walls were
treated to a tinting Of soft green, the
window panes were replaced and eight
of the best window shades were pur-
chased. On these, the children were
taught to stencil borders emblematic
of Washington's birthday, Thanksgiv-
ing and Christmas, etc.
A soap club was formed from which
maps and charts were secured. a
teachers desk, blackboards, copies Of
good pictures and reference books be-
came the added property Of the
school. A bench was placed in the
rear of the room and on this was
placed a chest containing the first
aid to the injured" The wash-bowl,
pitcher and soap were in evidence,
also at this juncture the school direc-
| tors decided the grounds must be
drained, the pine stumps removed, the
walks and outhouses fenced.
All this created talk. The people
| who lived in the attractive county
seat, seven miles away, were interest
ed. A lumber dealer decided the
rious that he gave handsome flag to
the school This gentleman also Of
fered flag and flag staff to any 5. L.
A. in the county.
After all the above work was ac-
complished, the spirit to beautify was
awakened to still greater efforts. The
teacher went to the county treasurer,
acquainted herself with regard to the
funds Of the district and reported that
there was remaining enough to meet
her salary for a month longer term OF
school than contracted and still $40
over, and she advised the painting OF
the house with this.
The house was painted. The girls
planted flowers. All the garbage and
rubbish was collected by the small
children. Within and without the
school was made attractive. With the
flag flying to the breezes, this school
is q standing evidence Of cooperation,
| through the School Improvement as
sociation in a rural community.
Yorkville, s. c., Jan. IA, 1913.
Dear Miss Russell:
I have been reading the letters in
The Enquirer from other children, and
I have become interested in them and
thought I would write one.
I am going to Forest Hill High
school. Miss Catherine Cowan is our
teacher. We have forty pupils at
school. I am in the seventh grade.
We wish you could have been with
us Friday afternoon before Christmas,
and helped US enjoy our Christmas
hunt We all worked hard TO get 1t
fixed. The room was decorated In
cedar and holly, and We made ribbon
Of crepe paper and mixed in with
the other decorations. We had our
names on one end of strings and our
gifts on the other, and the strings
were leading all over the school room.
We are hoping to have new school
house before long and we want you
| to visit us. If you cannot come before
we get our new building, we want you
! to be sure to come when we get 1t.
Yours sincerely,
Lonnie Currence.
Seventh grade, Forest Hill school.
Rock Hill, Jan. 8, 1913.
Dear Miss Russell: