The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1914-08-13
A Talk on Education
by b. c. d'Easum

often from the criminal indifference
Of their parents.
or course | know that these same
parents will raise the howl that their
children were getting no benefit from
the schools. Even II that were true
which Ii Is not the remedy lies III
the hands OF the parents. Amy com.
munity can core pretty near having
( the kind of school IL really wants.
III il wants merely u conform TO the
legal requifments Of keeping the
school open for the minimum term,
! and il it treats the teacher as nee
/ essaTy part OF the burden OF taxation,
with complete Indifference as To
! Shetner his work Is good or bad,
then..th district will have just the
kind Of school 1t deserves. And right
| here.It might he said that the quality
~ the school, the condition Of the
/ school buildings and grounds are tell
tale indications OF the community
standards OF life aud thought.
Happily, the general tendency is
I for progr ,ss, not stagnation. TO give
/ some instances at random: In Wis
consul, 81 out of NJ rural school dis
tricts In one county own BacbOck
1 tester, II borrow one for at least a
! month and Lave visited home or
creamery To see one in operation; in
dustrial clubs for boys and gifIs-the
county commissioners Of Bonneville
county, Idaho, last year. made
grant OF $500 for the encouragsm ent
IT SUCH work manual training, 10
/ nestle science and elementary agri-
culture from part OF the school cur
riculdm In many states.
1t is true that the proper teac hing
OF many Of these subjects involves
! question of expense too heavy To be
borne by our small rural districts un-
der the present conditions of publir
indifference. One answer to that lies
| in consolidation Of our rural districts
and the providing Of means Of trans
porting the children Ia centrally To-
Gated buildings. Inc plan has proved
a success in places where II has been
tried even lu Montana and Colorado
where the conditions are not ve.y un-
Ike those In this state. The result
has been better teachers. better school
buildings and equipment, more reg
ulsr and panetual attendance, and
better educational results all round
A live community interest viii re.
suit IN live school. IL will result
ia proper buildings and equipment,
equipment not only for the proper
teaching OF practical subjects but al
III In equipment for recreatiye pur-
poses, such as the photograph and
apparatus for games. our rural
chill tren need To be taught how TO
play. The time and energy spent In
aimleSs scuiliirg aud loaiing should
be used Tor games and athletic sports.
Lemhi county made a move in the
right direction hast year when the
tOtatorioal and athletic contests we're
held At salmon.
And, In the live school, built upon
\ solid foundation OF learning how to
think, work, and study, how TO
speak, read aud write his own Ian
gaage, the pupil would learn the
things to enable him To get the most
out OF life, morally, mentally, phys
lcally and financially. Every hoy
would have some training Ia business
method aud along the lines OF the
vocation he Is likely tu follow. And
evrey girl would learn at least the
principles OF sewing, practical cook.
ery-not he fudge aud caramel sort
sanitation, and home management.
As TO this last subject, being a
mere man ] suppose | ought To keep
silent, but, pleading the excuse that
fools rush IN where angels fear to
tread ! do say that many overwork.
= ed and harassed country women could
add much to their own and their
family's enjoyment OF life n they
: had stIdisd sumo OF these subjects
) and Applied them To CON monsense
aud intelligent system of home man.
, agement,
And, radiating from the live school
as a Soclal center, would he vaTiou.
community organizations for Local
betterment, for recreation and social
welfare.
In thSse.papers II has been imposS.
lbIe to do more than skim the surfae,
OF mi, big suhIsct OF education. II
, progress Is TO he made 1t will come
With united public opinion.
You may think that muen of what
| have written is impractical AND
visionary. Hut, where there is ne
vision the people perish. '