Newark post., 1913-04-02
INTERESTING EDITORIAL FROM
THE EVENING JOURNAL

the Emitted States is due chiefly to
th" lack Of educational opportuni-
ties in the rural districts. and not
to immigration. is asserted by \. &.
Monahan. an educational expert for
the United States bureau Of Edu-
cation. Sucn ii statement. coming
from such a source. should arouS..
interest in all lhr States. aud III
none more acutely than in the Stat"
Of Delaware. where it has been rec
Oglized for year, that. apart from
a few exceptions. rural schools are
not what they >hoaid he in buiil-
ugS. rItinnrnt on tipH"i"l yun-
port
Mr.. Mouahau calls attention 10
the fact that the rate Of rural iiIi--
cracy is twic, the urban rate. de-
spite tn" fact that Approximately
thrrc-fonfijr Of the immigrants arr
III the cities. Still more significant
is a comparison between children
born IN this country of foreign pa-
rents with tIos, born Of nativr pa
RENTS
"Th, iiiitrracy among Mativr-
born children Of native parr,tagr
j. mOrn than three Times as great a.
among native children Of foreign
parentagr, SAYS Mr.. Monuham.
largely on account of the lack Of
OpDoItrnitipS for education i'm III
raj America
The bulletin is of special value at
this time because il is a brief. clear.
nons":rSatiomaI statement Of the l0r-
raj school problem. II does not
attempt to gloss over unpleasant
facts. II gives full recognition to
the positive advance that has been
made in many rural districts. and
to improvements now under way.
bnt in general finds conditions far
E'om satisfactory.
Among other things. Mr.. Mona
han finds 226.OOU onc-tcacher
schOnlhousrS in the United States.
Of which 5000 are log buildings
still in active Use. Although more
than 60 per cent Of the children in
the United States are enrolled in
country schools, the rural aggrc-
gate attendance is only ~ per cent.
The school buildings and grounds
III most country districts are in
condition that is only approached
by " homes Of the most shit'tless res
identS OF the district. and the
average teaching in these one-teach-
er schools is of ii very low grade.
The bulletin is illustrated with
photographs Of good and bad ri
raj schools. from the log school
house to the consolidated school
right and wrong heating in
country school: Il canning fac
tory and school garden councct-
cd with Louisiana school: and
map showing the system of local
school supervision AS it prevails in
the several states. The purpose Of
the map is TO show how real the
need is for the kind Of busimess-likr
supervision Of the country schools
that has led to such efficient results
IN the city.
With the help Of recent approp-
riatlons made by Congress the Bu-
reau of Education has undertaken
10 make a careful study of the
needs Of the rural schools. and the
bulletin Just issued is One Of the
rrst to definite results of the work.
1t Is in no way either complete
or exhaustive. - says Commissioner
Claxton, "but it is the best possible
under the circumstances and with
the facilities now at our disposal.
Incomplete as it is. this bulletin
makes very valuable contribution
10 a clear understanding of the ru- !
raj schools as they actually are. ="
Apart from the bodybuilding fea-
ture, the conditions complained of
IN the bulletin obtain in many rural
districts III Delaware. and are likely
TO obtain there for years 10 come.
"'''''' 'ii' ''h'iiiiS men ana NDtlltIl
IN our State who believe in liberal
education lnaugurate comprehen-
sive campaign and carry into the
districts the fight for twentieth
century conditions. Men like Pro
fessor A. r. Spaid, county superin-
tendent for this county; Professor
James {. Carroll, county superin-
tcndent for Kent. aud Professor +.
}. Hardesty, county superinten-
dent for Sussex. may work their
heads off in the effort TO
make educational conditions in the ;
rural districts what they ought to ;
be. Unless, however. they be back I
ed by strong public sentiment and
an alert citizenship, much Of their j
work is nulified by tight-wad tax !
DaVers in the rural districts who t