The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-17

| must be done at once, without delaying to
evolve an elaborate plan. The school must
be made effective this year and next year.
II they are to help the children who are
| now within school age
| The country schools-and they are the
ones with which Mr.. Baker is particularly
ooncerned-are woefully inadequate 1t
| seems unbelievable, but there are or
| very recently have been schools in the
| state which are taught in log houses and
In box houses with windows covered only
| by wooden shutters. AS rule, the teach
ers do their best-and a teachers best is
| very good. There are few teachers who
are not conscientious. Most of them work
as faithfully as it is possible for people
to work, and give great deal more time
to their schools than the 30 hours per
week which the law requires, and they
more than any one else-appreciate Mr..
Bakers efforts to improve the schools
As to how he is doing this, there is
much to tell. He is trying to get better
buildings, to make them accord with a
general plan throughout the state, to
make the work as efficient as possible to
have longer terms and to raise the stand
ard. 1t seems an almost superhuman un-
dertaking; but thanks to the Peabody
fund. the state superintendent the rural
supervisor the county superintendents.
the teachers, and many patrons, il has a
host to support it.
Standardizing the Schools
Mr.. Bakers system of standardizing the
rural schools includes practically the
whole plan and is especially significant
rms is plan to secure cooperation be-
tween patrons and teachers in improving
the equipment and increasing the effec-
| tiveness of the schools. 1t is a plan by
which the teacher may grade his school
and may receive from the state depart
ment of education diploma showing the
rank of the school. The school is allowed
credits or points for the condition of the
building and grounds. for material equip
ment, for vitalizing agencies, and for ad-
mlEistration. Under the head of Build
Ing and Grounds comes windows prop
erly arranged, painting of the outside
OF the building, plastered or painted and
| ceiled interior, roof in good repair, pure
water supply, cleared and cleaned yard,
and SO on totaling "a points. Material
Equipment" is explained by the words.
and counts 30 points. "vitalizing Agen-
| cies' includes various clubs, the teaching
| or crafts, and the communities financial
assistance, for all of which 80 points are
gwen. Administrator includes grad
ing, instruction, enrolment, attendance,
length of term, discipline and all neces-
sary reports and covers 80 points, If
school make 100 points out of this possi-
oie 10 points, distributed as required over
Aout hSduS, IL lS graded Dy the state
department of education as a STANDARD
| achool' and receives diploma to that ef-
lect. III any school make a total of 120
points out of the lbs, it is entitled to the
rank OF Superior School," which is the
highest grade given. Schools which rank
between 100 per cent and 60 per cent are
ranked In order ABB, c. Schools grading
peiow 90 per cent are classed as scrub
schools. None of these receives diplomas
score cards explaining this system in
m lmuii were sent out last February. The
vinegar Bend school in Washington coun-
| " qua1hed as a superior school and was
ne Hrst IN the state to receive that dis
tirction. Last year Mr.. William E. White
TOOK charge of the school. He found the
ouiidlng In the poorest repair and the gen.
srai conditions so unsatisfactory that
only nVe months term could he MAIN
tanned 1t ranked in the lowest or
scrub class of schools, below go per
cent, out of possible 125 points. Mr.
write pegan campaign for the improve
ihent OF the school. following the stand,
ardizing bulletin and striving to make
cohditiohs conform to Its requirements
IL Is now a three room building, has an
average enrolment of "a pupils, and is
the hrst and, as vet. only school in the
state which has received a diploma as a
superior school
me nrst schools to qualify as Standard
scfools. having 100 or more points, were
Marbury ins Autauga county; Docena,
fossil, and Bessie, in Jefferson county,
ana Geiger, In Sumter county.
Consolidation of Schools
another matter upon which Mr.. Baker
Is laying stress is the consultations OF
scEools. There are so many one room
schools throughout the state that they
must be considered; for, as they are now.