The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-07-10
BAKER
ON RURAL SCHOOLS
Outlines System of Credit
for Standardizing Schools
is DOING MUCH GOOD
Conference for Institute Instructors
Will Close Today-C. A. Brown
Speaks on Arithmetic and
Dimmitt on Drawing

An address on "standardizing Rural
| Schools" by Prof n. r. Baker, state
| supervisor of rural schools, was the
| feature of the morning session yester-
day of the conference for institute in
structors In session at the Central
High school
| THE plan of standardizing schools"
said Professor Baker. gives promise of
becoming the most important plan that
| has been advanced in recent years by
not only securing material equipment
for the school but also for vitalizing
| them and effecting closer supervision.
Some of the county superintendents
are reporting that their schools are
taking on new life since adopting this
plan.
Gives an Example
"The most remarkable example of
| this is the school at Vinegar Bend, in
Washington county. When Prof. Will
liam e. White took charge of that
school last year he found the build
| ing in so bad a condition that it could
| scarcely maintain five months school.
| In fact, SO bad was this school that 1t
| ranked among the scrub or lowest
class of schools in Alabama. A few
weeks after taking charge of the
school he received a rural standard
| izing bulletin from the department of
education and by having a high ideal
and by following the rural bulletin.
Professor White has brought his school
up from the scrub class into the su-
perior class, the first and only school
in Alabama attaining that honor The
school is a three-room one and has an
average enrolment of 81 students.
Varied Credits Given
1T is readily conceded" continued
Professor Baker. that two very good
| schools may differ widely in equip
ment and ideals, yet one will serve its
community as we'll as the other There
fore we have thought best not to cut
all schools after the same pattern, but
| to allow a certain amount of substi-
| tuition"
| He outlined the scoring guide for
rural schools which gives credit for
condition of building, grounds, mate
| rial, equipment. clubs and administra-
| tion.
| Any school scoring 100 points by Sc
lecting items according to the direc-
| ton will be designated a STANDARD
school," and will receive a diploma
from the state department of educa-
| tion.
Should a school make a total of 12O
points by grading on any and all items
| considered upon the scorecards or by
| allowing proper substitution, 1t will be
entitled to diploma as a superior
| school,.
| In concluding Professor Baker stated
that principals desiring schools graded
| for diplomas should make application
to the state superintendent, who shall
| designate committee to grade the
| school.
The morning session was called to
| order at o'clock by Charles A. Brown
immediately after convening the in
structors he introduced Miss Rosa v.
| Strickland, the first speaker on the
| programme. Miss Strickland spoke on
| Language"
Miss Strickland stated that language
was one of the most important sub
jects with which a teacher has to deal
| 1t is one of the most important duties
| of the instructors to make the teach
ers with whom they work see this,
she said She also gave a brief review
of the books which are used in the diff
ferent grades of the best way to teach
their contents to the children and of
| the benefits resulting from becoming
proficient in grammar
| Miss Strickland was followed by Pro-
| fessor Baker
Brown on "Arithmetic"
! Charles A. Brown, principal of the
Central High school, was next on the
programme. He chose as his subject
| Arithmetic" In brief he told the
reasons why it is taught, of the neces-
| sity of having some mental or oral
arithmetic in each grade; where possi-
| bic the daily interest of the pupil
! should be drawn on to make prob
lens, and how the mental value could
be secured. He also stated that chill
dren's analysis should be statements of
their own solution and not memorized
forms from text books.
r. S. Dimmitt, principal of the Ems
ley High school, concluded the morn
ing programme with lecture on draw
ing. He gave an analysis of the new
series of seven drawing books recently
adopted by the labama book commits
sion In conclusion he took up the
theory of color.
The afternoon session yesterday con-
vened at o'clock with Spright Dowell
the first speaker. He talked on
Geography" He told of the value
and how geography could be made a
pleasant study or heavy one to the
student.
N R. Baker spoke next His sub
ject was Grading Schools His ad-
dress was in the form of an outline.
Spelling Poorly Taught
G. B. Glenn followed Supervisor
Baker on the programme with talk
on spelling. He stated that spelling
is commonly admitted to be the poor
est taught of any subject in the cur
riculum. Judging from results. the
cause for this, he said, was the absence
of public conscience which demanded
good spelling. The fact that the sign
boards in shop windows and on the
streets purposely misspell words and
that street cars are filled with adver-
tisements and signs which have no re-
gard to proper spelling.
The afternoon programme was con-
cluded with an illustrated lecture on
play activities.
The conference will come to close
this afternoon, The following is the
programme for today:
Morning: Grammar Miss Rosa
Strickland: Course of Study" N. r.
Baker: "HistorY." spright Dowell;
Reading Circiaf C. B. Glenn.
Afternoon: school and Home SRni-
tation,' n, r.. Baker; Agriculture" J.
B. Hobby and l.. N Duncan; "Socializ-
ing the School," C. A. Brown; Use OF
the State Muaual." @. B. Glenn.