Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-07-10
RURAL SCHOOLS
MOST IMPORTANT
Small Towns Cannot Develop
without Educational Advan-
tages, Says MIR. Thomas.

MiddichurS. July Sin an address be-
}ore the rural life conference to-day on
"Rural School Improvement" Presdcn;
lohn NJ. Thomas OF Middlebury College
Ipote in part as follows
There are two reasons why we must
have good rural schools. First to make
life on the farm desirable, or even toler-
pble. People will not move into a neigh
borhcod where there are not good schools,
bnd sven families attached by long resi-
fence and deep sentiment to certain To-
patty will not remain there permanently
when the schools are pad. Secondly, we
must have good rural schools to
Keep up the rural population The coun.
Sry is not going to he repenshed from
)he city, c. even from the villages, to
yny considerable extent for som" years
10 come. Tho srnall towns must replonish
themselves. They cannot 10 this without
good educational facilities
What makes a good rural school?
First Il good teacher, thorough, at home
IN the common branches. with sufficient
d!tioilAl knowledge 70 Illustrate and
vitaize every subject OF instruction She
must have come IDEAS OF school manage.
meat and know how 10 grade her pupils
and distribute her time Justly among
them 1t takes both natural ability and
good training 10 make an efficient each.
er, foq w.,uosjt training ",,a' '". mort
gifteG require vsars t" lh, 9r't
methods.
For u good rum. .'"l there must
be a suitable building well kept up. Many
Of our Vermont schooihoHsex We're built
D. or 40 years ago when the population
1or nd hD hppu allowed IN
get out of repair The communities would
,,ut them in good order If their attention
were called To the need our Vermont
folks believe in good educational advan-
tages. and the trouble is in carclcssn"ss.
rather than in wilful devotion to bad
practiCes.
SCHOOLS WITHOUT GLOBES.
MANY rural teacher does not have
The proper tools of the profession. There
Is many a child in Vermont who has
never seen globe and has little idea of
the real relation of the countries and con-
tinents to each other.
Efficient supervision must be had If
.our schools are to continue efficient year
after year. Supervision should he COM
pulsory for the entire state and there
should he more freedom in re-arrange-
lnent Of supervision union.
The smaller the towns the poorer its
Dchools are apt to he, but We really need
Che best schools in the smallest and most
remote places. There the school is likely
to be the only center Of life ana leading
in the whole community. Other institu-
itions. which furnish great helm in larger
;xlaces, are there wanting and the school
bousc is the only representative of the up
u',ihE ana sum "Ia'lhE me OF the out
"oe "ori"' .'ut JUST 10 these places We
1eh' ''e teachers OF smallest training
H''" Icds' eApei i'lce' we want Massa-
S'"S."S OF So" YORK normal graduate
" N'''P'H'i or hutIHil"' "ut Tor Yer
f.'o"' i''""',''u town one year with ono
...rt, ~ ,t'' "'7" S'"ooi Is enough
=, w PAN We are hera'uIhE as
''''i ", 'n' i"rd' School problem
"''"' cid''h 'hat the best are
49, i'' our Nerihoht Dogs
,'it US give 'h'in what Is
ISM "i'"' '"eN ought 10 nave what
"""' our wv" ci'iloren to nave and
E"'r - ''sF ana cheap
'''' ~ 9PTaRue OF the Massa-
o"uSe.'S Agricultural college spoke for
"'''' ""'' "' 'n' opportunities OF the
'"'". I's'oHS Io' poautlnCatlon OF home
h''d"S' P"'l' grounds streets school and
re 9"'U mere are III
I We" f"F'"l" the most beautiful ever
L So" '''' !" "c 4"""H "H the p'afet
~ Ei'"t F"'le'H anu "puhudhce' we Ne"
7 LINZ '''"c'9 nave iot man useu THESE
"d'''' resources LOT 'he Improvement OF
49, .,..., 49, , " '"', Nv
IIoS' dutHui l"rlIi "oiheSteaus ana VII
'"ses III Hi'e'''a II we Will
PERTINENT POINTS MADE,
The following pertinent points were
made by Professor Sprague.
% Identification with native trees is
| almost without cost. but It may add
greatly to economic values u artistioally
done He gave numerous casel where
values had been doubled by Artistic treat
ment at practically no expense.
90 Village organizations. street and
ttlGghbGrhood societies are the best way
for stimulating cooperation and better
msnt, and csrec!aUy for thinning over
y-rarhy f7G3Niihis who hold back
90 Rural school yards are often places
wh%re lhere is no oefutF OF 'e"' "heI'
nothing has f'ght TO ave Oppor
auDues TOT pay "uS' ne pr'"e' Veu pU
beauty shoUd ne "oFhc" CUT NM n1''"'
the constant coHo''loh OF inc 'hliu'''
@ohooi ohys l"eN sn'"'" We '"'to" "Po'
4 70 Iiant anu peau'iS anu O"'' '' '"o'
GROUNDS
D many chu'ch S'ruS are " "''s'