The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1915-12-23
RURAL SCHOOLS
By oliver Johnson, Rural Life Class
Vocational Department, Berea
College

Vocational Department, Berea
College
The future destiny of every coun-
try boy and girl is to a great extent
determined by the teaching and
training given them while in rural
schools.
A great per cent of our national
power is constituted by the country
boy and girl. Since this is true, we
should use the most skillful and ef-
ficient methods by which they are to
be moulded into useful material.
Our present rural system as a
whole should be changed entirely.
The grounds should be improved.
The buildings should have more and
better equipment as well as differ
ept situation and construction. The
method OF teaching must be
changed. The teacher should be re-
quired TO have at least two years OF
pedagogical training before entering
any school-room as teacher.
All these changes bring about the
necessity of new kind of teacher,
professionally prepared, who shall
understand the difficult problems OF
present-age life and shall have the
right vision of this life and be will
ing to live it, in the midst OF the
co,,pfrx, community
Such teachers should a. Be CON-
munity leaders. (2) Be masters OF
the subject taught, and (3) Be strong
in modern rural school organization
and administration. Such qualities
will enable teacher to be more ef-
flcient in contributing to his COM
munity thru his pupils those
things which are most essential to
the upbuilding Of rural life. But
such work cannot prevail until the
parents and community as whole
come together as one central unit, to
help take responsibility, TO encour-
age the teachers and lend a helping
hand to assist him in turning the
mighty wheel that determined the
pupils success or failure. Touch
them while their minds are young,
tender and hungry for new thoughts
and ideals. If a good impression is
TO be made, let it be made at the
time when il is the easiest and most
likely TO predominant.
Let us turn again TO our teachers
and give a few statistical figures
which might be OF interest to you
Did you know, three-fourths OF our
rural teachers are lady teachers
That eighteen per cent Of all teach
ers are married, leaving eighty-two
per cent which is not. Two-thirds
OF our teachers are teaching the
grades from the first thru the eighth
Out OF 29i teachers only seventy
three have homes in the districts in
which they are teaching. The aver
age age of our teachers is nineteen
and two-tenths years. Two hundred
and eighty days is the average
school term. Forty per cent OF our
teachers have not completed the
eighth grade and yet they are teach
ing in il every day fromAwenty-two
to thiry-five classes per day. Can
you see the results obtained3 Forty
five per cent have completed four
years high school. The average SAL
airy OF all our teachers is four hun
dred and eighty-five dollars per
year.
Did you know that flfty-three and
seven-tenths per cent OF our rural
population Is largely determined by
the efficiency OF the rural teachers?
II this is true, then why not as civ
ilized citizens Of your community
be more willing and anxious TO lend
your support 10 the one 10 whom you
eutrust your children. II should be
your duty and you sincerely owe II
% your state. TO your nation. and TO
God who gave them ell.
II IS true that our teachers get
only forty-five per cent OF the
amount expended for schools. which