The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1916-11-15

Normal school, Valley City, in OPEN
ing his address on The Social Survey,
a Means by Which the Higher Educa-
tional Institutions May Serve the
section Of higher and professional ed
ucation Of the State Educational as
sociation.
This widespread agitation" con-
tinued Prof. Goodier, has resulted in
a very general agreement respecting
three definite lines Of action.
"First, the one room rural
traIized or consolidate schools.
school must serve as a social CEN
ter for the creation Of a sociaI
consciousness, the development of
community solidarity for the
people of the surrounding neigh
borhood.
consolidated schools. must be the
intellectual and social leaders in
making possible the solution Of
the rural life probIem."
While practically all of the teachers
in North Dakota are rural teachers as
the term is used in educational litera-
ture, the speaker intimated that the
curricula of the state education insti-
tutions do no give the prospective
tion regarding the problems with
which as social leaders they will be
obliged to contend. To remedy the
situation, Mr.. Goodier urged that the
higher educational institutions of the
state collect and systemize more defin-
ite information regarding local COM
munities OF the state and that this in
formation be made available to the
young people who are expected to be-
come community leaders
In explaining what would be in
volVed in the making of a. survey Of
this nature Prof. Goodier would have
each local unit center in some small
town where the people do their bank
ing, trading, as well as ship their
grain, cattle, etc. Schools, churches,
lodges and other organizations help to
locate the center
With the boundaries of the local
unit determined, the Survey should
begin to include those facts which
would identify the community and
through which the community might
be interpreted in social terms. Some
Of the more important items included
would be:
l. A brief description of the topog-
raphy of the region and it's natural
resources.
2. A short account of the settle
ment of this part of the state, it's sub
sequent growth and the present ten
denotes in respect to population.
!. A detailed study of each family
including its nationality, size, number
OF wage earners and character of
work performed by each, economic
condition, at least as to the owner
ship Of the home, attitude toward edu-
cation as revealed by the amount of
schooling Of the children, church, club
and lodge affiliations, participation in
social events, newspapers and maga-
zines read, condition of the buildings,
convenience in the home.
4. A description Of the school,
showing condition of building and
grounds, length Of the school year.
number of children enrolled, salary of
teachers, s#E.
5. An enumeration of the churches,
lodges, clubs, and other organizations
of the community with an estimate
of the influence Of each. ,ast.'
6. A description of the recreational
and amusement agencies, showing
how each is financed and managed,
how extensively 1t is patronized and
by what class of people, and what in
fiuences they have. 2v
Mr. Goodier suggested that ony one
or more of a number of departments
of the higher institutions of learning
might &C uduct such a survey, and
that when properly done and publish
| ed the facts would be invaluable as
study in connection with the train
! ing of teachers. 1t was also suggested
that a number of schools might COM
bine in such survey, each taking a
different section of the state. he sur
vey would be bound to add to the ef-
| ficiency of these schools and also to
the teachers sent to these communi-
ties because the qualifications Of the
teacher could be more nearly suited
| to the conditions of the community.