Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1915-10-01
a LETTER TO THE
MINISTRY OF OKLAHOMA
WhirIwind Campaign for Better Rur-
al SchoolsOon to Start.--A
Deserving Movement.

A number Of articles have been
written and published regarding q
whirlwind compaign for better rural
schools. which campaign Is expected
to start on the 14th OF November.
next In planning this campaign the
Rural School Commission decided
that the ministry would be the most
desirable class o fpersons to start the
movement going This Is not the
first great movement that the minis
try has helped to launch. and 81 IS By
nc means the least; IN fact. IL is one
Of the greatest movements that the
ministry or any other class has start
ed in this country.
II will be sufficient 10 say 10 the
ministers that on the lsth day OF
November next. it is expected from
every pulpit In. Oklahoma great ser
mon will be preached on the subject
o. Education in the Rural Commun-
tiles" The new movement in rural
education S. best illustrated By
book entitled. "The Brown Mouse"
published by Bobbs-Merrin CO. The
cry Back to the Farm. is a farce
uutil the farm conditions are chang
ed from what they are in many sec
tionso II he country. Statlsticians
show that while the population has
Increased at the rate OF about 90
per cent each decade. the output Of
The farm has increased only about
10 per cent. IL is also a well known
fact that the output from the farm
must come from an additional yield
on the acre by more scientific meth
eds. and not by additional acreage.
These conditions have uncovered
great problem for the government
to solve. and in thel solution of this
problem the rural school has been
designated as the proper agent
through which the rural community
is to be taught how to make the farm
yield sufficient amount TO meet the
additional demand which the growth
in population and the war conditions
have created.
The rural school should tremble
from the great responsibility placed
upon 1t in the solution Of this great
problem. and at the same time II
should and does rise with pride be-
cause OF the wonderful opportunity
which It affords.
The rural school has not and will
not be found wanting in this move
ment. for already enough has been
done to warrant great praise for the
rural school. This wave of better
rural education has started in the
east and is spreading f, toward the
west at a rapid rate. and the high
school and college problems are go
ing to take a back seat and let the
rural school problem have considera-
tion until rural school education is
not only improved and scientiric
farming and business methods are
taught in all communities. but Incl
dentally illiteracy will be stamped out
and every citizen will become an as
set to the community in which he
lives. Under these conditions the
farm will take on new life. and ne
cry, Back to the Farm" will not be
preached; but conditions will make ii
60 desirable that the Back to the
Farm" movement will be a natural
Consequence
The Rural School Commission IS
depending upon all classes to aid in
this matter. and thus far everyone
has manifested not only willingness
TO aid, but desire to have part in
so great a movement
Let us all keep in mind the date
whom this whirlwind campaign is to
start. and be ready for It.
Just word to the ministers Of the
Methodist persuasion: am remind
ed that on the l4th of November all
the Southern Methodists in Eastern
Oklahoma will be in Conference. Let
me suggest that you should preach
your sermon on the 7th of Novem-
ber Ga week earlier than the others).
This will. in fact, be an advantage 10
the movement and will give you an
opportunity to carry your share of
the burden. w. T. DODSON,
History and Government. South
eastern STATE Normal, Durant.