The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-09-08
WARM PRAISE FOR
OHIO SCHOOL CODE
C0ngraiu'ateS State for Setting
Example.
COCO INFLUENCE IS EXTENDED

Brief Review and Eulogy Of the New
Order In ohio, Which Gives the
Same Advantages to the Rural Pu-
pill as to the City Pupil, is Printed
Editorialiy In the Urbana Citizen,
Republican Paper.
With the schools of Ohio about to
begin operations for the first time un-
der the provisions of the new school
code, there is considerable comment
in the papers of the state and through
out other states of the Union.
The program of progress in the line
of school endeavor has met with op
position, just as have all other mat
ters, which have upset the old order
of things, but with the demonstration
Of efficiency and business-like conduct
new friends are being won every day.
Until Ohio joined the ranks of pro-
gressive states there were just two
states In tie Union that did not have
school supervision in some form or
other, and the other state was Arkau-
sas Now, in brief period of time,
Ohio has taken the lead of all the
states in legislation and plans for the
betterment of schools, and especially
the betterment of the rural schools,
where conditions have not always
been as good as they should have
been.
Republican Praise.
A great deal of the opposition to
the advance in education in Ohio has
been partisan and political. 1t is,
therefore, pleasing when praise comes
from quarters least expected.
The following appeared in a recent
issue Of the Urbana Daily Citizen, Re-
publican, published at Urbana, o., un-
der the head of Better Rural
Schools"
Since the days Of William McGuf-
| fey, a professor in Miami university,
who wrote the famous series of read
ers, and OF Horace Mann, who showed
the Importance of training for teach
| ers for their profession, Ohio has
stood high in her influence in educa
tional matters. Unfortunately the de
| velopment OF her own educational
system has been one-slded 1t EN-
! phasized the betterment of city
schools and neglected equal opportun
tiles for the rural schools. At las
this one-sided condition has been rem
edied The new school law deals al
most entirely with the betterment o
the rural schools. Among the import
ant features are efficient school ad
ministration and supervision, stand
sion into higher schools may he oh
tanned without examination, improve
ment of rural schools through the en-
couragement of state aid, and profes
sional training OF teachers. Thes
provisions as worked out in detail il
the new law, combine the best expert
ence OF number of progressive men
"The most encouraging feature o
the whole matter lies in the state
County boards composed of intelligen
and distinterested non-polltical men
ters, for the most part, have been ar
pointed These boards have e,scte
county superintendents very genera
ly on the merit of the candidates
without political bias. The countie
are being divided into districts whic
will best serve the educational need
of the various communities. Their
IS disposition to elsct as supervisor
Of these districts the best men avail
able. The abolshment OF the fins
examination in the eighth grade an
the standardizing of the school il
stead will materially strengthen tn
rural school The teacher will nc
feel obliged to spend so much tim
upon reviewing for this examination
The teachers have responed splendlt
ly to the new requirements for pr;
fessional training. During the pas
summer, over twelve thousand teacl
ers have been in attendance in sun
mer schools in the state. A gres
many of these students are teacher
in the rural schools who have for tn
trst time in their lives attended
higher institution Of learning. The
have gained much during their shol
stay in the summer term. The school
where they will teach will also ga'
much, for these teachers can not ia
10 take back with them ideas and e,