The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-04-18
Present System Outworn, Totally
Inadequate and Should Be
Abandoned.
NEW PLAN is DISCUSSED
Method Should Be to Train for
Living Instead of Forcing
Specific Studies.

the Education of Women in the South.
and discussed by that body for three
hours. 1t will be considered again this
afternoon.
Whitfield. president OF the Mississippi
State College for Women. the follow
ing charges are made against the school
of the present day:
1t does not teach health
| 1t does not train for home life
1t does not train for parenthood.
IT gives no real instruction in scion
tihc feeding and clothing.
1t does not teach how to make sani-
tary and convenient homes.
II does not teach how TO make beau
tiful homes.
IL does not train for proper use of
leisure In the home
1t contains no training for political
citizenship that is worth the name
Must Rcorgnnizc.
Not only criticism, but constructive
suggestions were offered by DR. Whit
held. The school of to-day can. lie
said. only be made adequate. not by
industrial training added to the pres
cnt curriculum. but by complete re-
organization both in subject matter
and in method.
Ihc systems OF all ages down TO the
present have been simply the admin
istration OF Il prescribed dose or so
( other studies with the vague idea that
thcy would somehow help the student
In life. Nobody in this day really he
lleves that this is the proper method
ne SAID, and. since the basis of conf
dcnce has been removed. 1t is time tn
sweep away forever the entire suner-
structure, which now rests solely upon
ialse base OF custom and tradition
All instruction in the school should
rciate 70 the home and To actual liv-
,ne proDiems. There should be taught
health. citizen making. rather than
the ethics of citizenship. the right usn
OF leisure and practical religion.
work of Colleges.
NoiieScs should supply the right kind
OF teachers by training them to teach
iile ny extension work. by making the
school revive and uplift social life nv
making ii the basis of community life
ana the social ccn.re The church
should he composed .r members who
WIZ work TOR community upbuildinp
Drudgery should be reduced by
teaching scientific cooking and food
values. Interest should lie added RI
the nome by cultivation OF music and
ehrichinG the social life. Homes should
DE made beautiful, and should he the
/ place of proper amusement
NJ this together will. concluded DR..
( Whitheid. constitute the base of true
/ culture.
L.. I
mississippi leader said that boys ana
girls trained in this way will do rho
/ right things because il will become
automatic To them. They will be good
citizens because they have been cd,
Gated Tor II from the beginning
difference of Opinion.
! There followed series of nancre an
! many phases Of rural education and
rural social life. In most points thnv
agreed with and anplified on what Or
/ Whithcld and the Conference of Prcsi-
dents of State Colleges for Women
unanimous
j. g Hardy. president of Baylor
college. Bolton. Tex. talked of com
puisorN education and of better school
/ houses and better teachers When Or
I Whltheld suggested that this was get
'hG or The subject. Mr.. Hardy said
} ne ociieNed the studies now in exist
chcc can be so vitalized as To cover tho
! desired ground that il is not ncces
sarN to teach physiology and hygiene
as dead matter, hut that the teacher
may ihculcatc real principles of health
ana sanitation with the present facili-
ues In other words he doubted the
necessity for such a complete revoIu-
tlon IN school work as had been pro
posed
H. j. Wilingham. State Supcrintcnd-
cht OF Public instruction In Alabama
sa'n ne ala not indorse back To the
farm talk. once q boy or cir, has
left the farm and gone TO n centre -,
ponuiation. he does not want To go
pack and would be Of no use if he
d'u 20 inc work should he to keen
II iarecr percentage from leaving the
arm; IN Japan. no said, ?S per cent
OF the children are In the public
schools for nine months in the ycn,.
," Texas, less than 90 per con, .rc
mere and for less than six months
fhc Future school.
! Mrs. itctty =. browne teacher Of an
/ experimental farm school at Roclt mn
: ~ made remarkable address toll
me hcf idca of what the school of the
future should be like. When she wac
through. II came out that she is tcoch-
ING JUST such school. and that il was
suggested by Or. a +. Bourland. The
executive secretary Of the conference
9hc began by saying that the intro
"u'tion or Industrial education in the
SCHOOLS would not do. and that a com
pl.te rcorGanizatiou is NECESSARY This
suited Dr. Whitfield
hN instruction in soils and their nos.
sipiiltles. agriculture can be learned
""co,'sciousiy she said. The child
should bc encouraged to br AN :,.,Io
pchhcn' thinker. and not to think ,,bo,
n" thinks the teacher wants lin, -,
'hlhk She would teacn carpentrv ana
now 10 huild houses and how TO bcou-
tlfN them.
Her ideal building is ono of four
,ooIiS- one OF them practically an ont
"oor apartment one a carpentry. shon
one Kitchen ard the other a tcachin~
room. In this structure she would
tcach school-nOt set courscs in mn
scrihed studies. but teaching To mako
men ana women There should be a
EA."'n connected with every school
iihd theSc should he sewing The cbild
shoui' lie saturated with the spirit Of
agriculture.
Files mud Isutiicsnnkrs.
fad buildings, Poorly equipped teach
crs. lack "f contact win rural lifo
u" IRA ming in hou*c!io Id mana cement,
are The weak points i'm the rural
S.hool.' according to Miss Leila 4.
russell, SUPERVISOR in York County \
children are not taught that nics
are as dangerous as ratllesnakes. or
'hat inc maiarial mosquito only works
AZ night and that both can be kcnt
"u' 10y proper screening. She also dis
cussed The tragedy or isolation OF