The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1915-01-21
EDUCATIONAL COLUMN.
BY Mabel Horne", County supt.
District Number Eight.
STELLA DUNCAN,

\ w
the Journal of Education, shows the
wisdom of school board in keeping
a good teacher for several successive
tearms:
Near the first of December, 1911,
county superintendent Stech sent me
to District 8 to take the place of a
teacher who was resigning to get
married.
shall never forget that first
morning in District 8. The floor had
large cracks in it and was very
rough but clean, the seats were
double and bore the "jack-knife's
carved initial" there was a good
stove, good teachers desk and
chairs, a good set of maps and a
globe. Last, but most important
were the fifteen anxious, eager, little
faces watching the new teacher. we
kept our school room as clean as
possible, made it very coy and we
were just as happy as we could be.
AS it was nearing Christmas each
girl made an apron for her mother
as a present. At Christmas time we
gave a program and pie social, clear
ing over five dollars, and the parents
were so pleased with the children, S
singing that, two days later, the
school board presented us with new
organ for which they paid forty dol
lars, and new shades for the Win
dows.
February %, we observed as Par
ents' Day and thirteen parents spent
the day with us, observing the chill
dren at their work and enjoying a
picnic dinner at noon. In this way
the parents saw conditions as they
really existed, and from that time we
heard talk of new floor and new
seats. The children had earned a
new flag, and it was on display that
day, for the first time.
School closed with a picnic and
many of the parents attended.
When school began the next Sep
TENDER we had a new, oiled, hard
pine floor and new single seats-and
a scrupulously clean room-thankss
to the mothers. We also had about
thirty house plants.
The latter part of October we gave
a program and box social, clearing
twenty-five dollars, with which we
purchased a four-section book case, a
clock, a sanitary water jar, pencil
sharpener, waste paper basket and
several other things for which we did
not like to ask the board.
In December at the County Corn
Show and School Exhibit, District 8,
was represented for the first time
and won six prizes on manual train
ing sewing and corn.
Our Parents Day for the year
l912-1913, held in March, was much
the same as that of the previous
year.
One thoughtful mother gave us two
large framed pictures with which the
children were delighted.
In September, 1913, the school
board purchased thirty-hve dollars
worth of text books, an excellent mir
ror, individual drinking cups and
sand table,
During the summer vacation new
foundation had been placed under the
school house.
All material for regular work and
hand work is supplied by the district.
We held our Parents Day in Oc-
tober this year and fifteen interested
parents were present.
y In December, 1913, at the County
Corn Show and School Exhibit, we
won eight prizes on manual training,
sewing and primary work. With part
of the prize money and money reanz-
ed from the sale of some manual
training work we were able to pur-
chase kindergarten chairs and an I'M
abridged dictionary.
At Christmas time we gave a pro-
gram, and in January held an ex-
hibit of all the hand work done by
the pupils in the last three years and
of regular school work. Although
the weather was threatening there
were fifteen present. The parents are
very much interested in the hand
work and sewing done by the chill
dren.
But our school house CHANGED to
have very unsightly location. Dur
ing the lull in farm work this year
the men graded the school yard and
put up woven wire fence.
On Arbor Day our director was
kind enough to stop his work in the
field and set out sixty-eight trees, all
of which grew except one.
On the last day of school we gave
a Play Festival, and tifty-three par
ents and friends spent the day with
us. In the morning a program was
given by the school and County Sup
erintendent gave an illustrated lee
ture on Rural School Conditions A
picnic dinner was served at noon,
and the afternoon in supervised play.
Too much cannot be said in favor
of Parents Day When the parents
have become interested, the matter
of improvement is practically solved.
/ believe every parent is vitality inter
ested in the welfare of his child and
whether or not that interest is right
ly directed to his school life depends
upon the teacher.
Ny salary the first year was fifty
dollars ! have had five dollar
raise each year and am going back to
District 8 next year at salary of
sixty-five dollars per month. have
enjoyed the work there very much
and am glad to go back.
The children are interested in
their school and are always ready to
do their best in any undertaking.
The parents are my best friends
and give their most loyal support at
oil times With a larger enrolment