The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1914-06-26
Good Work Being Done by the
Supervising Teachers.
MANY IMPROVEMENTS MACE
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.


tenn Of supervising industrial teachers,
has not only vitaliZed the rural schools
among the colored people into which
it has been introduced, but is also huv
Ing farreaching economic and social
effects on rural conditions generally,
Is described by Jackson Davis, st; te
supervisor of elementary schools in
Virginia, in the Southern Workmi,
Mr.. Davis says in part:
"A few efforts had been made here
up the work of the country school to
the life of the home and the farm. | ut
It was not until the establishment OF
the JeaneS fund for rural schools that
q general effort was made in this Ii
rectiOn In tIenricO county, Va. In the
fall of 1903. following conference Of
the school officials Of the county with
agents of the .IpanrS fund. superN IS
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. introduce
ing simple forms of industrial work
and in the enlistment of the active n
terest Of the white people in these f.
forts for Improvement in practical
ways. met with such success that a
new spirit was soon ablaze in ea'h
colored community. and the schools
were transformed in appearance and
in the general character IF their work.
1.-THE general plan. so successful III
it's early demonstration. has continued
to grow and meet with approval It
has developed initiative among tIt
colOred rural people, and it has ted
their interests together in a school lol
q better neighbOrhOOd. The moral IF
feet has been noticed by the white
people around them and their support
Of this movement has been hearty
Supervising Industrial teachers were
employed in 100 counties in the south
ern states last session
This work has been made possible
in most cases by the Jeanes fund. 1u
the counties. as they see the SplcndiD
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 loca
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 o.
bringing about better training. bette
farming and better living.
THE school is almost the only pOin
where conscious effort is made by th'
white people to influence and develoI
the Negro race. and here Is a great Op
pOrtunity for constructive work. as in
deed the supervising teachers ART
showing. In organizing the school i'm
provement leagues they are bringin!
the older people together in the inter
est Of better things and are callin.
forth the spirit of self help. which i
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 vegetables
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 OF
In fourteen. Under this plan the in
dustrial teachers are employed for TIT
entire twelve months At the close o
the school term they organize garden
clubs among the larger girls The!
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 thei
homes.
1.-THE teachers are in great demant
during the summer months. not Onl.
among the girls but among thei
mothers as we'll. for they. too have
been eager to learn the 'governmen
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 t.
four times the state of Virginia. Mucl
! Of this land. as we know. is cultivated
In the very poorest fashion We shall
have OneSided cultivation as lOrg n
we have twentieth century methods il
and with the problems in political If,
for the past forty years Major Lynch
Is well qualified to write intimatel.
! 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 roy learned $
quickly to conceive ami ll%n lCgiSla
ton OF such farrrachin" importance
puzzle. but that they lcgiSlntrd wis,
~ 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 cor
trary. was manly. 1t must be rcmen
bered that the race had no historian
to record its acts: its critics were 1t
enemies.