The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-11-12
EDUCATIONAL COLUMN.
By Mabel Horne-, County supt.
Organizing a. Country Community.
by w. H. Smith, Rural School Sup
ervisOr. Jackson, Miss.

The country life problem is pri-
marily one of community organiza-
ton. The great rural need is an or
will include the whole interest and
enlist the united energy of the peo-
pie.
The aims of such an organization
may be stated as follows:
LIST: To Increase Production, %
through improved methods of cuiti-
walton; CD by diversified ton: (3)
by seed selection; {4) by conserva-
ton of soil and other natural re-
sources.
End: To Increase Profits, CD by
cooperative marketing; GU by CO
operative manufacture; (3) by CO
operative use OF improved imple-
ments; Cd by preventing waste; 60
by providing cheap working capital
through rural credit associations.
3rd: To increase the Length Of
Human Life, CD through nutritious
food; CD by sanitary, comfortable,
and attractive houses; CD by educa-
ton, study, investigation, demonstra-
tons; Cd by community efforts for
the use OF modern cOnveniences in
the home; co through religious and
social efforts.
THE SCHOOL AS AN AGENCY.
In number of important direc-
tons the school, if properly admin
istered, will prove the most effective
agency for community organization.
The school should have, besides a
room for each teacher, a workshop,
a kitchen, and an auditorium of SUI
fcient size to accommodate comfort
ably all general community meetings,
and should be designed for comfort,
proper heating, lighting, and ventila-
ton. 1t should be located on five to
ten acres Of land so arranged as to
allow ample Fairgrounds, shade trees
and flowers, home garden and de-
monstration plat.
The community school unit should
be large enough to justify the en-
ployment OF not less than three teach
ers. This is necessary to do the
work demanded of an organized com
munity. The district economic
group with common interests.
SCHOOL CLUBS.
It has been the policy of the pro-
moters of boys and girls clubs to
organize them through the schools,
but this feature of community organ
ization needs Strengthening from the
school side. The club should be an
integral part of the school, just as
the literary and debating society are
a part of our high schools and col
leges.
OTHER CLUBS.
There should also be farmers
clubs and women's clubs. The farm
ers' clubs should have as their pur-
pose cooperative production, coop
erative buying and selling, c0-opera-
tive rural credit, and cooperation
for cultural opportunities.
The women's clubs should concern
themselves with cooperative study OF
household management, cooking,
sanitary, and hygienic problems; Ia
Dor saving devices; and enterprises
of social, literary, musical and arts.
tic interest.
HEALTH.
The first and most important COM
mon interest of the community is
health. Through the assistance of
the county health officer and the
state board of health every COM
ought to learn how to prevent
the spread of infectious and contag-
ious diseases. Systematic instruction
should be given in the school in such
a practical, concrete way that the
laws of health, as affecting the indi-
vidual, the home, the school, and
the community, should become COM
mon knowledge. The school teacher
should either lead in these matters
that pertain to the complete organi-
cation of the community or discover
and stimulate the necessary leaders
in the community.