The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-02-21
RURAL SCHOOLS
Material Presented by c. r. Bee
man, Supt. Schools, Williams
town, VT.
LET Prosperity Come to the Rural
SCHOOL,

sehoot 10 the ueBfee tuHt every COUNTY,
child can attend sanitary sohoolhouse
situated in an attractive playground, al
IN charge OF a good teacher, who is IN
sympathy with country life. Too Otter
the human plant is allowed to struggle
against an unfeyorablc environment IN
order that the school tax may be kept
where it began 40 years ago.
THE rural school interest is the larg-
est single educational interest in our
country to-day. There are in round
numbers 100000 country boys and
girls attending the one room rural school,
Only about 25 per cent even finish the
eighth grade. In this age of scientific
agriculture and country life develop.
ment, it is of supreme Importance that
all the boys and girls living on the farms
shall have an opportunity for education
in country high school. 1t is during
the high school age that lfe's ideals and
plans are formed. As it is now, the
country boys and girls are sent to the
city high school TO be educated away
! from country life, or else they 60 no
where to school. And this absence of
educational direction and training comes
at the most important years of their
lives, when we consider their future so.
cial and industrial efficiency.
"The weak points in the rural school
system will never be strengthened until
the country people take more interest
and pride in their own educational insti-
tuition and are willing to support that
institution better financially Prosperity
must come to the rural school, More
money must be expended for trained
teachers, for better buildings and equip
ment, for attractive Fairgrounds. There
is no other way.
'If seeing is believing, then action
should follow conviction in rural school
improvement. This kind of action is
urged, viz, That each man and woman
on the farm go to the March meeting
and voice their sentiments for needed |
school improvements. In the ma iority of |
cases the school board is anxious to do !
what the people want done. In case the |
school directors are incompetent, then /
elect directors who win give school |
worthy of the name. Too often school |
directors are expected pinch the dollars
rather than be leaders for school better
ment. If there is a single patron who
reads this who is undecided as to what
steps to take to secure better school,
let me suggest this:
sFirst-Visit school with good
equipment and teaching force, so you
may have standard by which to Judge.
Second Visit your own school and
note how your school measures up with
the good school visited
"Third-Go to the March meeting and
vote for directors who will make your
school as good as the best
"Fourth--lf you will not do this third
do not dare to call yourself
in the welfare OF your own
hildren."
HYGIENE Seating.
When you visit a school it will not re-
uire very expert knowledge to deter !.
nine whether the children are seated in !,
ecordance with good healthful develop 5
nent. At this time OF the year You can :
asily tell whether the air in the school
DOM is conducive to good health and !
york.
State Superintendent Blair saws: AThe !,
esks are too large. Many schools have !.
esks for no children under 10 years of :
ge. Usually nearly all the children are =
nder 10 years of age. The feet of the
hildren do not rest on the floor when {
hey sit erect. He is quiet little of the !
ime for he must shift his position to
scape discomfort. The desk is too high
or his arms. This in time causes much /
the spinal trouble of this age. This
nnatural position and the discomfort
lake continuous study impossible. Desks
re not placed correctly. A row from
ont to rear of room should be composed
desks of the same size. They are
sually arranged in rows, the smallest in
ont, behind this the next larger and so
J., ending in the rear with the largest
re. This causes six and seven year -old
lildren TO sit on seats for eight and
ne-year- old children. Their feet do not
st on the floor and the desk is too low.
he result is the child cannot sit upright
Id work at his desk. He must lean for
ard, making him round shouldered and
blow chested. Frequently there is not
seat in the house that correctly fits
~ child The remedy is TO reset the
SKIS. IF there are no No. 5 or No. 6 !
SKIS and rears they should be supplied
ne uGShb are disD LOO 1dI apart.
he desks should be so placed that when
e back of the child rests against the
ok of his seat, the desk in front should
me within an inch and half from his
dy. When the desk is too far away,
e child must lean forward, thus caus-
? round shoulder Or he must sit on
e edge of the seat. He might as well
on baekless bench. The remedy is
place the desks closer together.
THE Importance of proper seating can
be over estimated.
First, as promoting health. It has
ly recently been discovered that many
aknesses of the body are due to spinal
natures. The nerves supplying the
al organs come largely from the spinal
d and through the nerves between the
-tebre. When the spine is out OF
lpe. these nerves are compressed and
'ir work cannot be properly done.
Second, as affecting success in life. A
s-shapen person is handicapped in the
test for success in life. A well-formed
~ is the greatest recommendation to -
'oung person seeking 10 win place in -
worlds work. II is criminal negli- IT
lee 20 compel growing children to sit
hours Of a day in school desks which
orm their bodies.
Third, as affecting school work. Good II
er and good school room work cannot II