The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-02-24
RURAL SCHOOL PROBLEMS.
What Teachers Influence Should BE
Investigations Nv the IL. s. bureau o


What a Teachers Influence Should BE-
Investigations by the u. $. bureau OF
education show that our rural school
buildings are, as rule, dingy, badly
lighted unsantary and poorly equipped,
and that the living accommodation pro-
vided for most rural school teachers are
Il very great deterrent to teaching etli-
cheney. IL has been we'll said that the
rural teaching force can never become
stable or efficient as long as rural school
buildings are badly constructed poorly
equipped, teachers underpaid, and whlle
the rural communities fail to provide de-
cent and comfortable homes Tor those
who are TO mould the minds and morals
of our future citizens.
Rural school statistics further show
the medium salaries for teachers IN ~
states to be $4i.76 month, Tor an aver
age annual session of 1877 days. In 9th
er words, rural school teachers, who have
the commendable courage to make teach
ING their life-work are expected to i've
on the princely yearly income OF S4H
cents a day, less by 10 cents than the
average farm laborer gets throughout
the states. The question OF suitable
places for our rural teachers to board
is, indeed, very serious one. Wealthy
farmers don't, as a rule, care to take
teachers to board. while the poorer ones
are not in position to offer them the
comforts and privacy to which they are
entitled if they are to do their best
work in the schools. The solution, then,
of this vexing problem is the system in
force in Switzerland, where every school
has a house, or at least comfortable
quarters in the school building where
the teacher may live. These rural prob
lens are discouraging, especially to the
young teacher fresh from the normal
college. but they are not unsurmountable
difficulties. except to those who regard
teaching as means of livelihood only,
rather than as a patriotic conservation to
great responsibilities laid upon them by
their state.
The Rewards Of Teaching.
The profession OF teaching, although
it offers no inducements in the shape OF
monetary rewards, is one of the noblest
of callings; it not only demands many
sacrifices, but requires courage, energy,
persistence, ingenuity, patience, and a
fine insight into character. That teach
ers possessing these attainments are few
ana far between is evidenced by the re.
port of the estate superintendent of edu-
cation of Missouri, showing that of some
q .sS3 teachers who were in charge of the
one and two-room schools in his state
during the year lol0-l0ll, go per cent.
were teaching in their first year; q per
cent. their second year; per cent. their
third year; only per cent. their fourth
year; and less than | per cent. their
sixth year. Rural school teachers az
a body" saws the president of the Nir-
GINA Polytechnic institute, have not
been measuring up to the responsibilities
the nation has laid upon them, and there
is small hope that they will so measure
up until their outlook upon the problems
and opportunities of rural education has
changed" These problems and opportu-
mites viii be discussed next week.
copyright, 1914. by f. R. Parkinson-Ali
rights reserved