Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-11-16
The Rural School and Community
Efficiency.
DIR. Arthur j. Jones.


Among the agencies that can be uti-
lized to promote the efficiency of the
rural community. the rural school oc-
cupies- position of strategic import
ance. Community efficiency depends
upon united community spirit and this
Is primarily a matter CT education
education Of the men and women of
the community and of the boys and
gtyls. The school is the chief agency
OF education: 1t is the only democratic
institution representing the whole
community: it exists everywhere: 1t
Is the only legalized agency that com
lpels support and attendance; 1t reaches
the heart of the community most cas-
lily; 1t Is even now the one point of
common interest and can bind togeth-
ser the community more quickly and
easily than can any other agency.
Since Maine is predominately rur-
'al state. this problem is. in large
measure. rural school problem Near
lly $4,000 children in this state are now
enrolled in rural schools; few of these
ever reach the high school and must
depend on tho rural school for all the
formal education they receive.
1. Each individual can become init
mately acquainted with the school.
a. Can know the physical condition
:. of the senool. house, yard and out
houses.
b. Can become acquainted with the
teacher in her school and out of 1t,
and can encourage her in every way.
.. lie can see that the best men are
elected members of the school commit
tee. and that no politics enters into
school affairs.
8. lie can give his services toward
fixing UP the school yard whether he
is a member of the school committee
or not.
4. Help secure the conditions neces-
sary for efficient school work. Make
the school house comfortable and at
tractive Spend half a day cleaning
and repairing the door and the seats
of the outhouses and in making them
sanitary; provide for each a bag of
lime; look into the question of jacket
ec stoves. they are not expensive and
are very satisfactory. See that each
school house has a water cooler and
individual drinking cups
5. Make your school one of the GEN.
tiers Of community activity. In too
wany places schools and school
grounds are considered public proper
ty; wood sheds are used as storage
places for bags of fertilizer. school
yards as convenient dumping grounds
for poles, brush, and refuse. Focalize
the attention of the community on the
school. not to exploit it nor to criti-
Disc. but to help: encourage your
teacher to have contests of various
kinds, socials. at homes. debates, liter
airy entertainments. ETC.; be sure you
go yourself and get all the people out
you can. Unite the community on the
school and around it build up COM
munity spirit and community life
which will lay the foundation for CO.
operative action for the best interests
Of the community.
II.
Church, grange or other organiza-
ton can,
I. Assist in raising funds for the
purchase OF books for library, for
maps, globes. dictionaries. etc.
Q. Assist in making grounds and
building attractive and comfortable.
s. Take charge Of the care Of vines.
trees and flowers during the summer
vacation.
4. Place mosquito netting at the win
dows when necessary.
s. Provide simply play apparatus
suck as swings, see-saws. sand piles,
III.
The community and the town.
i. The community can make the
school a center of the social activity,
+ holding neighborhood meetings, some
times school affairs. sometimes talks
by someone outside the community,
often purely social affairs with games
and light refreshments.
q The town can provide for making
a careful survey Of the educational
needs Of the town as a whole, provid-
ing for consolidation where advisable,
for comfortable conveyance, for union
supervision, and for such an expendi-
ture, Of the money available as will
provide for every child just as efficient
schooling as can be obtained.
3. Be sure to have the best super
vision over the schools that can be se-
cured. On the whole, in towns having
union supervision the schools are in
much better condition than in those
having town superintendent.
4. Get the best teachers that can be
found for the money available. Re-
member that your duty is simply to
provide the best education possible
for the children of the town. NOT to
provide positions for home girls, no
matter how much money Is paid in
taxes by their fathers nor how infiu-
entail they may be in politics.
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