The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-28
WORK OF ONE TEACHER HAS RAISED
 STANDARD OF ENTIRE COUNTY

The school teacher who, alone. does not ably good work in raising educational standards and in improving efficiency of schools is rare. It is almost invariably scmc one other than classroom teacher who makes marked progress in pushing the schools onward and upward. and who appreciably raises educational stand ards The grade teachers work does make for higher standards and better conditions, just as any quiet. steady and well-drected influence has weight; but the fact remains that they do not as a rue, they cannot do the big things that count definitely
 Because this is true. the grade teacher who can and does succeed in improving educational conditions, in addition to teaching day by day, is one whose work is more than ordinarily worth while.
 Such a teacher is a young woman whose work has doubled the educational efficiency Of one county in Alabama. She is Miss Olive Shelton and her work is i'll Shelby county. The circumstances would be practically the same were she in one of any other of a dozen or more counties.
 Miss Shelton began her teaching in Shelby county five years ago, taking charge of a one-teacher country school.
 I. was rather below the average. with a forlorn little building. no equipment meager furnishings and a seven-years' unsraded course. There were 40 pupils and one teacher.
 The distinguishing feature was that the teacher carried to this school some years Of preparation, rather unusual ability, a genuine love of the work she would do abundant faith in it's possibilities and one of the most fortunate codes of justice cheerfulness. adaptablity and like vir-a tues that one strives to cultivate These are the things that have made her five years work felt throughout the county instead of being merely so much time spent in the schoolroom.
 Her first task in Union school was grading, and she gave 1t the distinction of being the first rural graded school in Shelby county The second year of her teaching there, the enrolment increased one-half, from 40 to 62. and the next year 1t was ST. It seems incredible that one teacher could handle the required course i'll school of that size and with seven grades, but Miss Shelton found time for all of 1t and for extension work beside She opened school at s O clock. and closed at 4 and one of the girls who was pre- pairing to teach and who held a state teachers certificate taught some of the classes under her direction.
 Improvements Are Made
 Month by month, little at a time, i'm provements were made, the first time that attention had been given to making the school attractive and comfortable New window sashes and shades were bought the windows were screened. sers and blackboard were supplied individual drinking cups were insisted upon, water coolers, towels and basin were secured end tooth brush drill was introduced
 The children had never had report cards Miss Shelton inaugurated monthly tests gave report cards, and kept honor rolls, the first, incentive the children had had to put forth an effort in school work and the first recognition of good work She organized a school improvement society, had corn club day, when that work was beginning parents day even though that usually means work and strain that teacher dreads; library day, growing out of her interest in the children's reading.
 The successive little first and second- grade children had read and reread the one. adopted reader of their grade with A.out any change or any new stories and the upper grades were equally unprovid- 4d with supplementary reading or with 4nything thAt would cultivate in them a tpsta for reading. Miss Shelton felt that al library was necessity and so she gave