Mexico weekly ledger., 1914-09-17
COUNTY SCHOOL N0IEs
tBy County School Superintendent
" n-a. IohnsonA

tBy County School Superintendent
W. Clyde yohnsOnl
"a neglected school house Is a
terrible demoralizer. Place a child
at 4 musiIiated desk. put in his hands
torn and soiled books and we find an
almost irresistible temptation TO
continue the destruction with knife
and pencil. Place the same child in
a neat, clean room with suitable and
beautiful furniture and we immedi-
ateIy remove the temptation for de
struetiOn."
As / visit school after school, the
truth Of the above, clipped from the
vandalia Mail, is very forcibly
brought home to me. One year ago,
tine Cant dis;siS: painted their desks,
and today there is scarcely a new
mark or scratch of any kind on them.
This year they have put in q fine new
system Of heating and v~entilating. !
am sure that the pupils and teacher,
W. L. BalIew. will take good care Of
the heater.
Monday morning, Miss Edna
James began her years work at
Washington. | am sorry to say that
/ saw nothing that had been done 70
make the house ready to receive her
and the pupils. | do not know why
the school home should receive less
attention than our hog houses,
chicken houses, and the like.
At Beaver Dam, Miss Lillian Wool
cry is working hard, and will have
things in good shape, If she has TO do
the work single handed. She is get
ting the pupils deeply interested in
their work, and is doing much good
At Burke last year, Ed c. 0ffutt
succeeded in persuading the board
to make a trial investment of $40 in
a library. 1t worked such good re-
suits, they are putting in $40 nor
this year, and also have put in a
good book case. | wish that the
; other 50 districts in the county could
see the inside of the Burke school,
and see what a wonderful change q
few dollars spent for paint can make.
The building has been painted inside,
the seats have been vanished. 1t
looks clean and presents a very at
tractive and pleasing appearance to
him who enters. / am anxious to
: know the influence this will have on
S the pupils and their work.
Mrs. Martin resigned at Pleasant
4 Green and Miss Georgia Miller has
l. taken her place. They have made a
/ good start and it looks like they will
n do some good work this year. Tbs
weeds have been cut, and the build,
% ings have been repaired some. They
Il have no equipment Of any kind.
At Payne, Miss Ehie Simpson
y teacher, on Cleanup Day they grub
s. bed up a number of sprouts. Here
also the equipment is a negative
= quantity.
l. Highland has an enthusiastic
Is young teacher, Miss Mary Zehr. Sh'
y has four pupils. II will cost tn
e, district $500 or more per pupil Il
give them about seven month
ne school. Very little has been done T.
! make the house pleasant or fit TO re
~eeive the pupils.
~ At Moline, Miss Mabel Cook witt
ct the able cooperation Of the board,
trying to get her school on the ap
IL proved list. The weeds have bee
cut, but a good cleaning up will b
required and ONE equipment.
The Sneed school house is abou
ne worn out. They need a new build
ing. The outbuildings are almos
new and are good, but are very filth
and need cleaning. They also nee
Al equipment. Miss Sarah Culbertso
RI is the teacher.
At Carter, Miss Lucy Lewis, teach
:, err, the house has been painted out
We side and inside. | like the outsid
u color better than the inside. 1t
much better than il was, and | al
o. sure that a lighter color would hav
". made the home much more cheerfI
lis and pleasant.
Last night ! received this much az
preciated bouquet:
"My Dear Professor:
81 write this not to encourage 20
to continue your exceedingly inter
esting rural school notes which 70
write for the Audrain papers.
"Of course ! take a great interes
in everything that happens in m
district. I am especially intereste
= in school notes, having begun t
: teach school before ] was fifteen an
continuing at intervals until / wa
!, passed twenty-six.
:. Il rejoice that the common school
|. of Missouri are improving every
!, where.
"Your friend,
"CHAMP CLARK"