The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1913-01-23
EDUCATIONAL.
(BY G. W. MEISNEST.)
Continued from last week.
AROUSING INTEREST IN
EDUCATION.

One of the most important phases of
the educational program is that which
deals with getting the people interest
ed in school. II the people become
genuinely interested in education, it
will be comparatively easy to make
improvements. Recognizing that this
feature is an important one, sub
committee was appointed to make a
special study of this work, and their
report follows:
1.-THE committee on making the
school social center has found it a
most interesting subject and filled with
possibilities for the rural school.
Our pioneer grandparents tell us of
the good old days when the school was
so much better than the school of the
present; of the attention given to the
three RS; of the spelling bees, singing
schools, and various contests.
We realize now that the success of
the old-time school was due not so
mach to the attention given the three
RS, as to its hold upon the COM
munity.
The great need of more social life in
the country is evident; our schools are
the one agency that reaches every
home. Therefore our schools must
make their own the problem Of the
social center for the community.
From questionnaires sent out to
county superintendents and training
school principals we have learned that
many things are being done at the
present time to make the school a
social and civic center. School con-
tests of various kinds are being held
in the rural schools, such as spelling,
writing, arithmetic, corn growing and
corn judging, etc. School clubs have
been organized in other places. Lit
erary societies are found in many
school districts. School programs of
various kinds have been held in various
pdFIS Vi tne Suate.
The committee has taken up the
work of preparing bulletin contain
ing suggestions for teachers and others
who wish to enter into this great
movement. The committee agreed
that while the school is to be the CEN
ter, the teacher must not bear the
whole burden. Indeed, as the teacher
is only a temporary resident the move
ment must become self-active if it is
to live.
The committee recommends.
|. That the use of the schoolhouse
as social center for the community
be encouraged.
2. That all such use Of the school
house be under the direction of the
school board, as they are responsible
for the condition of the building.
The committee has in preparation a
bulletin, to contain reports of what has
been done in this field and Offering
suggests the following means:
Make the school a social center by
means of
a. The course Of study.
Make the school work touch the
home: select, cure and test seed corn,
not only as a school lesson but for the
home; teach real farm arithmetic;
plaster and paint real houses; write
letters for home, ordering supplies OF
whatever is necessary; and give schoo
credits for such work.
b. The social activities Ct the pu
pills.
Spelling clubs, sewing clubs, reading
clubs, and the like all furnish a motive
for social gatherings. They lead TO
ward the school instead of away.
C. The school as a meeting plac,
for all gatherings, such as farmers
meetings, farmers clubs, socials o
community observance of special days
as Memorial Day.
d. A teacher who Is leader an,
who understands community life.
These meeting and gatherings Of on
kind or another are of great value il
awakening the people to realization
of what can be done in country com
munities. They are valuable to th,
children themselves in that they fur
nsh an opportunity for them to ap
pear before audiences and thus develol
their powers of expression. Sucl
training is one of the greatest essen
tias of an education. Besides, thes,
meetings do much to keep the olde
people In toucn with the young, thu
conserving that sympathy which /
essential to happiness in the home
Again, these meetings have tendenc
to bring about cooperation among tn
people. This cooperation will b
beneficial not only in an educationa
way, but it will eventually result il
the economic and social betterment O
rural communities.
HIGHER EDUCATION IN COUN
TRY COMMUNITIES.
The committee has not discussed +
any extent that phase Of the educa
tional question dealing with the high
er education. That better faciltle
should be provided for country childre
TO continue their mental development
is evident to all. On every hand W
hear it said that the children leav
! e.hr,i tna youno To uand chilR,a