The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1914-10-30
WASTE IN OUR
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
By Roswell ". Rogers. Department
of Education. University
of Mississippi.

Among the nations of the world we
have the reputation of being a wasteful
people. Our great growth and expan-
sion have produced an economic waste
of immense proportions. Our losses by
fire are out of proportion to those of
other nations, and it is charged that
the American family wastes enough to
support the average family. This same
element of waste has crept into our
educational system, and that in various
ways.
1t is important that the citizen,
the layman, recognize in outline our
sources of waste in schools and assist
in remedying these defects by employ
ing teachers who have made a study of
the profession, and by calling for pro-
fessional advice when a problem in this
line is to be solved. AS illustration; it
is true according to official statistics
that n child in every four who go
through public school come out with de-
f~ective eyesight. This is serious charge
but true. Defective eyesight is caused
principally by defective lighting of
buildings, and yet it costs no more to
light a building properly than improper
ly. The great majority of buildings
have been constructed without regard
to this most important matter. The
citizen should demand expert opinion in
this, as in other matters equally as i'm
portant. The time spent in school by
children during a year has been DECIDEDLY
reduced as compared with former gen
erations, and as compared with other
countries.
BY making improvements for the ply
steal welfare of the child in ventilation,
lighting, gymnastics and various exer-
cises for his physical well being. the
/. time per day and per week might be ex.
tended without his physique being i'm.
paired and without being unsafe. Tt
this requirement should be added Ger
tain pedagogical requirements, such a:
interest. proper contents of subject mat
ter, method, etc. The schools of othel
nations run longer per day, per week
and per year, and the course is com
pleted at an earlier age than ny tn,
American.
The question of the ORGANIZATION
of schools furnishes a great source O.
waste. Even in a fair sized rura
cnEopl tanrhf NV ppn taoohar thn al,,,
es are many with but few in each class
and the time is frittered away in 4
great number of short recitations. An
other school nearby will duplicate thi
one whereas the two combined woulC
enable the teachers each to have onl,
half as many classes with twice as man,
to the class, and with the recitation
time doubled. One of the very great
est sources of waste is in the rura
school where consolidation is not ap
p~reciated. In such communities i
waste in quantity, quality, finance, ny
CINE, efficiency of teachers and teach
ing, equipment, and all phases. Blu
\ NiCSS olC lCaNllN lClllttlC
where the advantage of consolidate
are had.
There is at present an almost impa:
sable gap for many between the con
mon school and the institutions of high
err learning. Consolidation makes pc.
sible high schools for everybody. Or
high school district greater than II
. common school districts may provic
secondary training.
y Pupils have different capacities ar
abilities, just as they have ditferel
bodies. Yet they are too frequently a
taught in the same way as though the
fitted the same mould.
For these better programs of stud,
for better sanitation and hygiene, fl
better organization and administr
ton, We have need for better teacher
For better teachers we need a bett
tenure of office as they have in 9th
countries. We need more men who
not use teaching as a temporary e
pedient. but as a permanent professio
For the elimination of these sourc
of waste in our schools we as citize
need to call upon specialists before v
accept a school building. a course
study. a teacher, and we should d
. mand teachers with more than the te
book content merely. A democra,
. government is dependent upon An ed
Gated and enlightened citizenship.