Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-03-12
EXCELLENT ADVICE
TO SCHOOL PATRONS
Goes County Supervisor Calls
Attention to Way For Rural
School Improvement

IN circular letter sent out to the
principals and directors of the school
districts Of Coos county, School Super
visor y. A. Golden, Of Coos county,
calls attention IA the shortcomings in
the systems Of district management
and especially in the rural districts and
tells how, through the Influence of the
home and other agencies many of the
ills which beset the school system Of
the county and detract from their ef.
ficicncy may be corrected, state
School Superintendent Churchill is in
receipt of a copy Of this letter the text
Of which follows:
''Eyery home in a district having
good school is worth much more than
homes in other districts not 80 fortu-
nate. This is not alone because Of the
better school conditions but because Of
the better rOntcntment Of The children
and their increased love for home and
country life. In no way can You more
effectively promote the Back to the
farm idea than by improving your
school. As is forcibly said in Bulletin
No. 70, 19li. Of the United States
Bureau Of Education, THE place where
children come 10 gain preparation and
strength for life should not prove to be
hotbeds for the seeds Of disease and
death. Neglect Of anything essential
in construction, material arrangement
and equipment Of the country schools
is an educational sin, il not social and
civic crime. The country school should
be beautiful. This does not mean that
il need be expensive. The dissatisfac'
tion with country life which has caused
so many Young people TO 90 to the
cities is partly due TO the bleakness
and ugliness Of the rural schools A
beautiful school building will exert n
gentle but persistent influence on all
who are associated with II, either in
school or out Its unconscious reflex
influence will enter the life Of the
neighborhoOd. All who see beautiful
and appropriate school building are in.
clined to be more loyal TO the cause it
represents, and less satisfied with ugli..
ness anywhere.
"Snpposc you get together, overhaul
your school and its surroundings, and
find ont what is needed Inspect the
toilets first In many Of our schools
these are not only a disgrace, they are
a menace TO health and decent morals.
Look to the drainage and condition Of
the grounds, the furniture, the black. .
boards, little repairing here and
painting there, walks to the gate and
toilets. The children 8 feet cannot be .
kept dry nor the building clean without
walks and scrapcrs and mat by the
entrance for cleaning the shoes Allow
no blackboards less satisfactory than
hyloplate. II is not expensive TWEEN.
tyfour linenl feet ~ feet wide, costs
less than $500, Oil on the floor adds
TO the appearance allays dust lightens
the labor of swceping, and by destroy.
inc diseaso germs, may save doctors'
bills, II costs, at the oil warehouses in
Marshfield but i5c a gallon in five.
gallon enough to last the aver.
age school whole year. Have You
good SET Of maps, suspension globe,
and plenty of crasersl
"A teacher, no matter how well
trained, can no moro do good work
without tools than can the farmer or
the mechanic, and these are necessary
tools. The water containor in most Of
the schools Is an open bucket, and |
frequently find the common drinking
cup in use, Under these conditions
children are forced TO drink water that
IN not only not pure, but not clean, The
law prohibiting the common drinking
cup has caused an attempt at individ
ual cups, but these urc not safe. No
matter how yiglant the teacher may
be, the children viii use each others
cups, and lying exposed as they arc,
they cannot be kept in sanitary condi.
ton, A bubbling fountain supplied
either from running water under pres.
sure or from a covered tank is the ON.
ly safe method, Have you ample play.
grounds in usahlc condition1 Children
must play; child that cannot play
with vim and enthusiasm win usually
be found to work with equal lack OF
force and yiyacity In any annual
report TO the stato superintendent, |
have to tell hoy many Of my schools
have made these improvements Let
me report your school among this