Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1915-03-02

r A great celebration was held in tn,
e district when the stars were awarded
: to the various schools, and the frs
/ standard school was presented witt
beautiful pennant, on which were
inscribed the name of the school and
= the words, "Standard School," Ac-
counts Of the meeting were given in
all the county papers, and thus the
; campaign for better schools was
launched. An appeal to local pride
was made in every district. There
were many discouragements and an
endless amount of hard work for the
county superintendent and his teach
ers; 1t meant many long midnight
drives and much work that is not
prescribed in the school laws of Ore
gon among the duties for county su-
perlntendents. But they kept at it.
Inc Cooperation of the Parents.
1t has continued four years, and
most OF the rural schools have become
standard; really better than stand
ard; for, to prevent stagnation. the
requirements are raised slightly every
year. The neighborhood meetings are
becoming part of the community
lie. Last year the county superin-
tendent and his assistants each con-
Quoted two meetings a week. making
total OF seventy-two meetings held
during the school year under their di-
rect supervision. Interest has grown. j.
so that one entire day is given up to j
an annual meeting in each district. !
The farmers and their wives come i
early and all bring luncheon. The 1
usually begin at 10 O'Clock
N the morning, and close at 4 O'Clock
n the afternoon. The state superin- t
;endent s office, the State University.
he State Normal school, and the Ao-
1cultural college have all been called il
lpon to help; so that there is always
me outside speaker to give an address b
m some topic of vital Importance to
hat particular community. p
In many of the districts, co-opera- tc
ION OF the parents has been secured. il
that it has been possible to intro
uce the home credit system. which lie
'as originated in Oregon, and which D
many other states have adopted in
ome form. The father or mother R
ends to the teacher a record of the W
ork which each child has done at
ONE IN gardening, in housework, or W;
helping with the chores, and this
'unts as industrial work. Last year. Co
Venty OF the school districts pur- wi
lased Babcock milk testers. On the da
sth, the tenth, and the fifteenth of
lch month, the children bring sam in
es OF the milk and test them in on
hool. On these days they also weigh
e milk of each COW, and take re- spt
I'd OF the amount of feed that is So
ven to each COW. From the records /
these three days an average is fg- out
ed' and then an estimate is made of vii
total for the month. The teach vii
have no difficulty in teaching full
thmetic in these schools, and each disl
'mer learns from his children which maj
VS. are worth keeping. The chill S.
IN are learning that the work of offiC
ming is the most interesting in the {
rid, and that learning to make for
ngs pay is worth while. not
High Praise From the East. sma
hree years ago a children s indus app
Il department was established at thin
Oregon State fdlr. Among the be
zen exhibits, Polk county secured estn
Blue Ribbon" The work of u
ch these exhibits told has had even II. l
ler praise. Mr.. J. C. Muerman, f.
'iallst in rural education, from the optl
Eau of education, Washington. D. lntel
spent three months inspecting the gon
k of these rural schools Tn bis Matt
'rt Of this work he declared that, Gi
loden buildings and in clean and Ht
tary conditions, the schools of turn
county eXcelled those of all the price
+ counties he had visited in tbo publ
ed States. He could not find a Da
pencil mark in any outbuildings lo,Oo
he county. He also commended inSi,i
plan of fitting the course of study "oI In n
lie needs of the community. DR.. st,.on,
ace Buttrick, secretary of the o.
raj education board, also visited e.
rural schools to find out whether -
lone credit system was practical 'S WI y
Examined the records and oues- -
d the pupils closely in a number on
e rural schools. As he was leav- Ill;
he last building inspected that n
he said to those accompanying c.
WAIT a moment; l wish to -. -
my eyes in order to fix in nv tn.
the picture of these happy chill 70 frr
it'll - ~, -v'nui"ss' 50 'has loads
ork being done here will always n
nt th;na Il. u ,ne must I'M heaves
plan is one that can o.
ed anywhere. The good results 49, :,
AIMED IN tha cobooIs 80 n-a.-o.. N"'S Z