The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1913-05-16
SIX MONTHS
MINIMUM TERM
SUPERINTENDENT BRISTER MAKES
APPEAL FOR RURAL SCHOOLS
County Districts Sufferins-county
Officials Will Be Urged to Co
operate-PuII ToGether-Ap-
peal to Those in County Dis
tricts-Large Sums Added
BY state.

The following letter that is being
sent out by Prof. j. w. Brister, State
Superintendent of Public Instruction
in the interest of longer school terms
contains information that all should
be interested in:
Realizing the need of a longer
school term for the country schools
of Tennessee, am soliciting the aid
of the newspapers of the State OF
in a movement to that end.
'The city schools run, on an av-
rage III days, and in most OF the
large cities the term is approximately
200 days; the county high schools
run III days; while in the elemen-
tary schools of rural districts the
average term, last year, was only
ia days. When it is remembered
that in hits average are included
many large counties whose term is
eight or nine months, it will be seen
that in the small counties the terms
are very short, utterly inadequate
for the proper training and educa-
ton of the youth of the State. For
instance. rs counties OF the State
have less than a six months term
Al less than a five months; Z less
than four months, and in one OF two
counties the school term last year
was less than three months.
I'VE are trying to inaugurate a
movement which will result in a
minimum school term of six months
in every county in the State; and a
corresponding increase in the school
term in the counties which now have
more than six months until a term
of eight or nine months is reached
1T may be urged that the ques
tion of school term is not the most
vital school matter before the peo
pie of the State to-day, and we woulo
assent to this contention. At the
same time we believe that We car
expect no great Improvement in the
teaching force, and consequently nc
better schools, in counties whose
terms are too short to offer a rea
sonable annual income.
'1f the people of the country dis
tricts can be brought to realize tina
their children need as much schooI
ing as the children of the city, they
will exert themselves to improve
school conditions. The press is th'
allJpowerful instrumentality by which
we can create public sentiment; ant
if it will present this matter clearl!
and persistently, such a popula
sentiment will be created in favor o
longer term that a demand for l
will soon be made.
"The State has recently addet
largely to the school revenues. Th'
main purpose of the State Fund j
to stimulate local school activities
and this purpose will not be attaine'
unless there result longer schoo
terms and better school opportunl
ties for all the children of all tn
people of Tennessee.
1--WE shall appreciate it if you will
give this letter a place in your col
umns with such editorial commen
from time to time on the sub1ec
presented as, in your Judgment, it
Importance demands
1--WE have written to the Count
Superintendents and Boards OF Edr
cation on this particular matter; an
we are hoping that the appeal t
them and to you, and through yo
to the people, will meet with cordla
response in every county in tn
State"