The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1916-12-23
a PLEA FOR COUNTRY SCHOOLS
CcontInued from page oneD

he must spell correctly read intel
ltgeuGly. write legtbly perform rapidly |
and accurately the fundamental pro. |
Cesses IN arithmetic, know fractions 1
and decimals speak clearly and cor |
IractlE and write fairly correctly. Of
things within his comprehension
Is this an eyorbtant Demand In a |
course intended for the many. We can.
not we'll ask more but dare We demand
less The school that equips the twelve |
yearold boy with these essentials will
satisfy alike the business man and she
college preparatory school Vet who
would dare say IL cannot be done in
the country school,
How shall the teacher teach these
essentials Not by trying so teach SO
many different things in a day that
nothing gets chance 20 take root
What kind Of a crop would be have
who soaed twenty bushels to the acre
or II be sowed a peck Of seed and nine
teen bushels OF chan Get rid OF the
chan Let the mothers and the fathers
and the teacher and the school diree.
tors get together and so over every
subject commonly taught, and read
| through every book used in the school.
and without eompunction reject every
subject and division and Item and book
upon whose worth they are not agreed
When the non-essentIals are eliminated
you viii be Rratified 10 see how much
more time there IL for the old aud tried
essentials, including good manners
LEI nae offer further suggestions.
which have been tried In various public
schools intelligent mothers may SO
plan with the teacher that she will be
able 20 do individual teaching One way
Is TO have the young children come for
only short period each day an hour
or Sc. aud then 40 home 10 make room
Ia the school for another small group
| Should there be, let us say. twelve
little beginners, far more viii be gained
by having them come IN three small
groups two hours for each group then
BY keeping all of them In school all
day 4 child of six or seven. properly
taught, learns as much In an hour an
| he can possibly learn IN a whole day.
and Il Is better that he should go home
and play than get In the habit OF
daw ding ia school This arrangement
OF the time Is a matter TO be decided
| IN each district according 10 the best
interests Of the little ones No mother
need fear that her little one is cheated
because his school day is So short He
| Will be more eager 10 learn. and will
make better use of his time. Does any
one imagine that a small child can be
taught OF can be learning from books
| all day The older children. needing
#'H0 ottH hf%H fiA4t s1Albda anu itihFl
periods for study. may study IN school
all day, but should finish their school
work la school hours and go home free
to help their parents, and to enjoy play
or exercise In the form Of sensible
athletics
What shall we do about the roca
tional courses Of the city school where
they undertake to teach the household
Inrts' Of the kitchen. the laundry, the
sewing room, the nursery Our teacher
sill have her hands quite fall II she
perform her part OF the program which
| Toes not include the work OF the home
Ne shall call upon all good parents
to teach their boys and girls the
sciences Of farm and garden and house.
hold not only teach them how TO work,
but make them keep at IL every day
until the habit OF work is part Of their
very marrow We shall have a talk
aow and then at the school by the
man OF woman who does some kind
of work exceptionally we'll whether
cooking, or pruning trees, or making
garden, or setting a table. The fertile
mind of the child will act upon many
Of these suggestions later In the home.
Such talks may help. In a degree, the
unfortunate child who does not get
home training Of the practical kind
When once you come to know the
efficient. thoroughgoing, economical,
practical district school you will fight
hard against the effort TO exchange II
for the elaborate. costly monotonous
grading system Of the consolidated
school
Except In occasional eases. de- not
advocate the disruption of the con
salidated school into separate districts
No situation IL 90 bad that Ii cannot