Evening journal., 1915-06-29
TUESDAY JUNE %, 1915
DR. WAGNWs ENCOuRAG,Nc sTATEMFNT

DIR. WAGNRS ENCOURAGING STATEMENT.
ERoN Dr Charles A. Wagner, State Commissioner
of Education, have received the following let
ter which cannot fail to give pleasure to all who are in
terested In the improvement OF educational conditions
In the rural districts of Delaware:
To the Editor Of THE EVENING JOURNAL
Sr-Ihe editorial headed "A Harmful Influence" in
your issue of Friday. June 25 contains this statements
IL would be interesting TO know many teachers of
ascontent there are at work in the rural districts Of
disparage the opportunities that surround the rural
child and magnify those of the city or other distant
locality, seemed probable; therefore measures were
introduced last summer to counterfeit such an influence
and to substitute saner healthier more promising
set OF hopes and aspirations for teachers children
anke Your editorial seems 10 make an enumeration
vi tnese measures desirable, If not obligatory.
First AT the Summer School last summer half of
the term was devoted to the study of Miss Mabel
neys book Country Life and the Country school"
Second During the term Just closed each County SUI
perntendent met groups of the rural teachers
Nenen centres on Saturday afternoons to discuss this
book as lessons In class This book SO enhances the
esteem of rural opportunities living and for work
ing. that the teachers who has heen i'm servica
more than twenty-five years i'm the rural schools re-
marked why were not taught these ideas of rural
values twenty five wears agog wish NV school tcach
ing career were just beginning instead of closingi"
Third AS soon as the County Farm Agents were ap-
pointed last fall we invited them to begin work in the
schools among the girls and boys organizing Corn
Clubs, Hog-raisng Clubs, Canning Clubs. and so on
Iho great end IS cultivation of cooperative spirit and
awakening to valie OF the opportunity that can be
created right at home The response to this appeal
has been most gratifying the reported state school
Fourth The beginnings of this work of organizing
nc BOYS and girls had been made previously through
me agent OF the U S Dept Of Agriculture Mrs. r. C.
Slyder OF Newport, Del
Fifth For next winter the school year Of ia5-feI6.
we already have all the plans made for the County
Farm Agents TO conduct Saturday Extension Classes
Saturday foronoons at convenient centres In each
county IN cooperation with the County Superinten.
dents the rural teachers AS the students for The
study OF the topic Agriculture and Life"
Your editorial necessarily raised the question "no
the Delaware leaders in education perceive the danger
pointed out by the Farm Life article2 Are they do
ing anything about II p? My reason for submitting this
statement the opportunity and obligation which your
editorial imposed.
Let it be distinctly remembered however that In thus
stressing the chances of the rural child we are not
ssyng by implication or other indreoton, that the
r,hu il'ne IN rural surroundings must remain there
ihe gifts talents and abilities the child must deter
nine where he shall live his life The rural child is
anqer no greater obligation TO learn the business of his
father than the town child Each must have the full
right to the discovery and training his gifts II is
not restriction crcumscription of the riehte ana
opportunities OF the rural child that Is sought Instead
ne attempt seeks merely 10 help the child to correct
estimate OF the and the distant chances whom no
makes his choice For some years now not only the
teachers but the textbooks and the courses of study
lme FOR correction of this -sdedness has come
The response which the teachers our rural schools
nave made and are making TO these efforts indicates
better than anything else could do just what the effect
.es oeeh ana what u may become quote from the
ifachers themselves; The worth and dignity of INV
work never seemed so great an opportunity 10 me no
!ore; Il used TO think my work teaching sub
lects, now see It is rousing hope, ambition BELIEF in
themselves and their chances in themselves "Findino
ano awakening mind IS great chance for teacher II
surpasses teaching tables grammar and other for
mai knowledge much discovery and creation sur-
pass patternng or meldngthe merely initiative pro
tessos"
submit this statement which know Is too lone
Mr. Editor the public may be informed of the snrit
which 10 at work in rural homes communities over
me entire State There is spirit of expectancy felt
very generally, ready not only to welcome but 10 co
operate ana 10 participate in the creation of the State
vide consciousness that DelaWare's greatest Opporfr
mites are not IN her soil in her climate nor i'm her
&c graphic position but they lie in the perception that
ueawares sons and daughters have measureIess ca
pacy to understand and TO master their surroundings
and IN t12 perception that their faith must be incnI
rated and that the efort to understand aud MASTER
sutroundngs is both worth while and sure TO succeed
lms IS the doctrine of aspiration and hone that lies
81 the root of the present effort to WITTY education An
natural advantages have been here for AGES.
pioBress mas been made. has been made nv ener-
ee'ie' enterprising men and women To nsnire an on
TIRE population with hone so eIor;o,s ora ~ , ~
non as POSSIBLE o, attainment as this her. H. ,hi
maung motive IN and behind every effort from, an 70
~, p,on1u ieaoeI Governor Charles Miller down
70 inc loNest worker IN the ranks And II Is our ,r.I
teachers. who Nork without hone or exnectsti
neWn or OF even due need AOf praise who are -
themsei'es most cOnsecratedi- this task -,fi"s
10 protect the many loyal. Woodworking Teachers 60
even the suspicion of wrong influence that is cbsrss
N the Farm fe article have presumed 10 suhroi,
this statement T. those who to know and under
stand and appreciate what teachers are actually
doing CHAS A WAcNFsR ANY
Wilmington Del, June 2S, 1915.
We appreciate the promptness with which DR. Wac
ner has net this issue His action cannot fail to b.
productive Of good The spirit of cooperation he has
found aonE the teachers also should serve 10 encour
age him in this particular line of work
In writing he editorial I question we did not sug-
ees BY direction indirecton that the children who
attend country schools should be taught to look with