The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1914-06-26
BIC UPL|FT FOR
RURAL SCHOOLS
Good Work Being Done by the
Supervising Teachers.
MANY IMPROVEMENTS MADE
Economic and Social Aspect of Eduea-
tionai Work In One Hundred and
Thirty Counties In the Southe m
States Reviewed by State Supervisor
jackson Davis of Virginia.

Intrty SounticS IN INC oo0SueTH
States Reviewed by State Supervisor
jackson Davis of Virginia.
How industrial training, under a SIS
tenn Of supervising industrial teachers.
has not only vitalized the rural schools
among the coored people into which
It has been introduced, but Is also hav-
ing farreaching economic and social
effects on rural conditions generally,
is described by Jackson Davis, state
supervisor of elementary schools in
Virginia, in the Southern Workman
Mr. Davis says in part:
"A few efforts had been made here
and there throughout the south to tie
up the work of the country school to
the life of the home and the farm. hut
it was not until the establishment Of
the JeaneS fund for rural schools that
q general effort was made in this III
rection In HenricO county, Va. In the
fall of 1908. following conference Of
the school officials Of the county with
agents of the .IeaneS fund. superyiS
ing Industrial teacher was employed
and put to work in all Of the cOlored
schools Of the county.
1.-The pioneer work of Virginia Ran
dolph in overcoming the Indifference Of
her own people. organizing improve
ment leagues ut each school. intrOduc
ing simple forms of industrial work
and in the enlistment of the active i'll
terest of the white people in these ef
forts for Improvement in practical
ways, met with such success that d
new spirit was soon aDlaze In each
colored community. and the schools
were transformed in appearance and
in the general character "f their work.
1.-THE general plan. so successful in
it's early demonstration. has continued
to grow and meet with approval 1t
has developed initiative among the
! colored rural people, and it has tied
their interests together in school for
q better neighborhOOd. The moral ef,
feet has been noticed by the white
people around them and their support
Of this movement has been hearty
Supervising industrial teachers We're
employed in 100 counties in the south
ern states last session.
'"ThiS work has been made possible
In most cases by the Jeanes fund, but
the counties, as they see the splendid
results, are putting up more money
from local funds for the support of the
work. and in some counties the teach,
er's salary Is paid entirely from local
school funds. In sending out trained
teachers to supervise the rural schools
we are putting the best leadership OF
the Negro race to work in the task OF
bringing about better training. better
farming and better living.
THE school Is almost the only point
where conscious effort Is made by the
white people to influence and develop
the Negro race. and here is great Op
pOrtunity for constructive work. as in
deed the supervising teachers are
showing. In organizing the school i'm
provement leagues they are bringing
the older people together in the inter
est Of better things and are calling
forth the spirit of self help. which Is
indispensable to their progress.
Zone Of the most promising develop
ments in the work has been the co
operation of the supervising industrial
teacher with the farm demonstration
agent In working during the summer
months with clubs Of girls who make
home gardens and can their vegetabl
and fruits for winter use. This fea
ture of the work was begun In Virginia
two years ago In four counties Dur
ing the past summer it was carried or
In fourteen. Under this plan the in
dustrial teachers are employed for the
entire twelve months. At the close OF
the school term they organize garden
clubs among the larger girls. They
visit them in their homes. meet then
in groups. give them practical instruc
ton for their gardens and teach can
ming. cooking and sewing in theil
homes
1.-THE teachers are in great demanC
during the summer months. not only
among the girls. but among theil
mothers as well. for they, too, have
| Uccu cdSt.T " tcdIu Tie SoNcIuIucu
way Of canning vegetables
EITHER as tenants, owners or labor
ers the cOlOred people cultivate farms
In the south with an area Of 100000.
600 acres This Is an area equal Il
four times the state Of Virginia. Much
| Of this land, as we know. Is cultivated
In the very poorest fashion We shall
have a onesided cultivation as long as
we have twentieth century methods IL
and with the problems in political life
for the past forty years Major Lynch
Is well qualified to write intimately
| concerning the subject treated in hi:
book.
There Is no way of accounting for til,
wonderful sagacity and wisdom mani
tested by our people during the recon
struction period How tMry learned s,
quickly to conceive AMI plan legiSla
ton OF such farreaching importance Il
a puzzle. but that they legiSlated wise
ly the laws Of many of the southern
states do attest. The administration o
colored officials In the state Of Missis
sippi, whatever may he said to the con
trary. was manly. 1t must be remem
bered that the race had no historian
to record Its acts: its critics were 1t
enemies.