Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1913-03-20
ADDRESS AT COUNTY
SCHOOL MEETING.
SUPT. TAYLOR TELLS HOW TO
IMPROVE RURAL
SCHOOLS.

Suggestions to Teachers by Professor
Hollis. Miss. Amidon Objects
to Ragtime.i
Prof. A. P. Hollis of the Valley
City Normal delivered an address on
the improvement Of rural schools.
He referred. at length to the matter
Of consolidated schools, and pointed
out the advantages which result
therefrom. Also the facts that have
been acquired by experience in those
districts where the consolidated
schools have been given fair trial.
In the state there are, strictly speak
ing, some 20 consolidated country
schools. Three or four different
neighborhood schools have been clos
ed to make the successful consoil-
dated school. The result has been
highly satisfactory, both to pupils
and parents. With the proper dem
sity of population, the consolidated
school is a matter easy to establish,
although not every county can as yet
successfully launch the central school
system. But in we'll settled COM
munities this can profitably be done.
An instance of how consolidated
school became the nucleus of little
village for, the district is found in
the case of one of the eastern coun-
ties Of the state. At first the consol-
idated school building was the only
building in the locality. Soon, how
ever, there followed small general
store, and one floor Of the school
building became used frequently for
township and other meetings. and
the central school has become a pop
ular gathering. place for the resi-
dAnts oethe district: Another prac-
dca1 advantage oef q Genital school sis
that It has q strong tendency to keep
farmers reading on their land, as It
isnot necessary to move away to give
children the advantages Of better
education than can be had in the one
room country school. AS conse-
quence, the farmers not having to
leave their localities for other places
have built a better class Of dwellings
and farm buildings, and make i'm
provements to the farm home.
t8 Rnn,a Table |lsg 3..s +
Among the subjects discussed at
!; the round table was the question of
compulsory attendance. Mr.. Pendray
asked supt. Taylor how to enforce
the attendance Of boys who work on
the farms during certain seasons Of
the year. To compel attendance Of
ten makes trouble in farm communi-
ties. Supt. Taylor said that he real
lied that this was dihacult prob
lem; it is easy to say. do your
duty" but If we were 80 situated we
would probably do as many school
ofacers. He advised, however, that
that the law be enforced; it is q law
on the statutef books. and it ought to
be observed. In case the parent re-
fused to send the children to school.
Il should be reported to the states
attorney. Usually q letter or two
calling attention to the matter will
answer the purpose. County Supt.
McGinnis said no cases Of legal en-
forcement of this compulsory law
had arisen in this county, although
It 10 possible there may be in the fu-
ture. supt. Taylor said that public
sentiment will in the end enforce
this law, az 1t has to large extend
aided in the enforcement Of the pro-
hibition law. One trouble with the
enforcement. Of the law was that
clause which exempted parents
where it was possible to prove that
the work of the child was absolutely
necessary for the support of the
family. Supt. Taylor thought that
this was rarely a fact, and that no
man who was owner Of half sec
tion OF land, really needed the Ia
Dor Of q II year old boy to support
the family. Mrs. Fogarty Of Bloom
thought there was great difference
whether the rules should apply tto
!; city or country schools. and, that
she had noticed In her long expert.
ancA of TEACHING. that there were