Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1915-11-26
THE RURAL SCHOOL

Mr.. President. Ladies and Gentle
men of the Farmers National
Congress:
After many years of study and in
yestigation / have come to believe
that the rural school is the problem
of the age in country life.
Primarily this is the farmers
problem, and will not be solved
right without his own effort and CO.
operation.
Since, by our own neglect, our
country school has fallen behind the
line of progress, it will be only by
our united effort that it can be re-
stored to it's high place among the
people whom it was created to serve.
Not only the welfare of the country
people, but the future of this nation
is involved,
A self-governing people must be
an educated people--not part edu-
Gated and a part ignorant, out all
must have an opportunity to obtain
that learning which will qualify him
or her for the high duty of citizen
ship. More than that, we must con-
troll the schools that we support with
our taxes and we must help make
the course of study used in u csc
schools Because, whatever power
shall control the common public
school will control government. If
the people would long retain self
government they must resume con-
troll of the source of that power, the
common public school.
Down along the pathway of the
ages lie strewn the wrecks of ua-
tons, which by the Capitalization of
their learning and of their wealth
had taken from the people the light
of participating in government ard
had placed that power in the hands
of favored class.
Eternal vigilance is the price we
pay for liberty, and it is our duty to
see to it that special privilege does
not occupy the high places of learn
ing while the tiller of the soil sits
at the gate and begs for the crumbs
that fall from the tables of hat
common knowledge which ought to
be within reach Of all But an equal
opportunity for learning is not with
in reach of all. Even during the time
in which public schools have grown
strong and splendid in the cities and
towns, the rural schools have grown
weak and have been legislated weak
er. While grades and departments
have been added to these village and
city schools, the rural schools have
been decapitated, curtailed, weak
ened and left mere kindergarten
as compared with the strong and
vigorous country schools of genera
tions past.
In this age Of reason and of prog
ress shall we sleep on in supine in
difference while our educational sys-
tenn, the peoples last great hope for
the perpetuation of popular govern
ment, is transformed into a mighty
machine, pageant of power, bear
ing aloft historic banners on which
are emblazoned the transcendental
glories of an ancient and erudite
past, arrogating to itself the right
to rule both in school and in state?
We stand today in the precence of
a gigantic educational combine be-
side which all other combinations
seem weak, for from the advantages
obtained through this educational
system all other trusts and corpora
lions WELD their power.
l quote great educator of Kan
sas, who, with many men of learning
all over the land. sees the drift of our
schools and colleges toward central
lied power. He pays: Our colleges
are not educating men to serve the
community, but to exploit the com
munity. AS now conducted or man
aged. our colleges are creating So
cial parasites and industrial banditti
rather than dealing with problems
vital to the existence of the state"
We should not pluck star from
the splendid armament of your city
schools, but we ask of you people
OF the towns and cities, will you
reyel on in the luxury of learning
which is now within reach of your
door. while we out on the farm sit
in, semi-darkness, or. firing of that,
leave the land and crowd you to the
wall in our effort to partake with
you of this richest human prize
knowledge?
0nn oF Nynnr