The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1914-02-26

fourteen rural teachers nine have had
some training in Normal schools,
seventy have had no training but one
or more years experience, thirty-four
with no training are teaching their
first terms and seven have never gone
beyond the eighth grade. Could these
teachers get schools in the towns?
By no A town board of edu-
cation would laugh at the teacher
who presumed to ask employment
under such conditions; the teacher
herself would not think of doing it yet
all seem to agree that such teachers
are all right for the country school.
Now l do no want 10 ce misunder-
stood in the above statement. be-
lieve our rural teachers as a rule COM
pare favorably as a whole with those
OF other counties and in many cases
with the teachers Of any town in the
state. In fact l have a large number
that l would not exchange (f l could)
for any teachers in town or out yet l
have to keep quiet when the town
boards are around for they are just
waiting to pick up those kind of
teachers. Every year we are com
PEELED to see a large number of our
best teachers go into town schools,
not because of better wages but be-
cause of better conditions of build
ings, janitor work, ETC., and last but
not least the chance to work with
fewer grades which consequently en-
ables them to do more efficient work
and also gives an opportunity to work
with grades to which they are adapt
ed.
Again we are compelled to lose the
real teacher who realizes the need of
more training. We wish to encourage
such enterprise yet we know 1t means
that we will never get those teachers
back to the country schools under ex-
listing conditions. Every year we
must employ a large number of be-
g~inners many of them graduates of
town high schools who have never
been inside of a rural school house
and have absolutely no idea of the
conditions. The wonder Is that so
many of them do as well as they do.
AS soon as they get some experience
they begin to look for a town position
so we are compelled to begin a pro.
cess of training another lot. We al
ways have a few experienced fail
ures" who manage somehow to get a
school year after year, never twice In
the same school but as long as they
hold a certificate and our supply Of
teachers is scarce they are taken as a
last resort. Those who really make
good too often get too good for the
rural school," l have actually had
school boards tell me that they had
Just a splendid teacher this year and
when / ask them IL they are not going
to secure her for the next year the
reply has been, 20, I'm afraid she is
too good for us. / don't expect we
can keep her." when L knew a very
small inducement would have kept
her. When will we learn that the
best is none too good for the country
child!
Many reports of consolidation of
rural schools come to our notice. In
every case the reports show increased
enrolment, more regular and punctual
attendance, better progress and better
community spirit and a lower cost per
capita.
A very noticeable feature in these
reports is that those who most strong
ly opposed the move at the beginning
are the heartiest supporters of it now
and could not be induced to return to
the old system.
Much as has been said to the con-
trary u W annual reports show
that the country child is not keeping
pace educationally with the town
child. A much la rger per cent of the
town children pass the seventh and
eighth grade examinations of those
who take and the number who never
even attempt it because of their irreg.
ular attendance, is pitably large. We
know these failures are not due to the
child's lack of intelligence for we
know many of our most prominent
men were farm reared. Self-made not
because but in spite of their chance.
What could not the farm homes pro.
duce in this line If they we're given
a chance? / am pleading for that
chance for every boy and girl in
Brookings county, and l will leave
the rest to them not fearing the re-
suits.
Those who oppose this movement
implore you to look carefully into the
merits and dement's Of the system.
Do not argue ignorantly. Ignorance is
an infrmity. Expert ignorance is
both an i%mpertinence and a menace.
Ignorance that Is teachable is hope
fpI To moLa ioporopoa ~ 40 duty,