Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1915-11-24
EDUCATIONAL NOTES
items ~ Interest TO Friends and
Patrons ~ our Schools
Rural Teachers Reading Circle

Purpose-The greatness and future
of the 5O,O00,O00 men, women and chill
dren who live in the open country and
in rural villages must have more ade-
quate opportunity for wholesome and
renumerative living than heretofore
This calls for leadership which can
come to rural communities only
through the highest degree of edu-
cation of a cultural and practical kind
Much Of this must come about by the
cooperation of nation, state and local
community through all the different
agencies now available. The most
important and indispensable agent in
the accomplishment of this task must
be the rural teacher.
The vital factor in education is the
teacher Without the well-educated,
board-minded, sympathetic teacher
any system of education can only be
a lifeless mechanism. Therefore, we
must look to the country teachers and
their preparation and see to it that
they shall be men and women of the
best native ability, the most thor
ough education, and the highest de-
gree of professional knowledge and
skill.
1t is to assist in finding and equip
ping such educators that the United
States Bureau of Education, with the
assistance Of committee of the AS
ISOLATION of State Superintendent
has recently arranged the first Rural
Teachers Reading Circle, open to the
teachers of every state under such
rules as are set forth below:
Organization-Th plan for organi-
zing the National Rural Teachers
Reading Circle were first preached at
the National Education Association
meeting at St. Paul, Mimi, in 1914.
The final plans which have been work
ed out by the Bureau of Education
in cooperation with an advisory COM
mittee of State superintendent is
now ready to put into operation, and
teachers throughout the country may
register at any time. Thirty states
have already joined the circle and, no
doubt, this number will be largely in
creased in short time. Only teach
ers residing within those States which
have expressed desire to cooperate
in this work will be permitted to join.
Cost-The Reading Circle work
will be without cost to the members
aside from procuring the necessary
books, which may be procured from
the publishers at regular retail rates,
or they may be secured through local
libraries or in other ways. There
is no restriction as TO membership.
although it is highly desired that APP
plicants have a liberal acquaintance
with the best literary works, past and
present.
Study Course for the Years 1916
1.-THE books to be read are CLASH
fed under five heads as non-profes-
sional books of cultural value, educa-
tional classics, general principles and
methods of education, rural edu-
cation, and rural life problems.
The work is intended as a two-year
reading course, although it may be
completed by the Industrious teacher
in shorter time. To those who give
satisfactory evidence of having read
intelligently not less than five books
from the general culture list and three
books from each of the other four
books in all-within
the two years of the time of register
ing will be awarded National Rural
Teachers Reading Circle Certificate,
signed by the United States Commits
sioner of Education and the chief
school official of the state in which the
reader lives at the time when the
is completed
Observation-Disclosures interest
ed in the Reading Circle work should |
write for circulars, registration |
blanks, ETC.. to the Commissioner of |
Department of the Inter
ior, Washington, ID. c.