American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1916-02-03


maeting Of the teachers Of the county
M Mary Treadway read the fol-
lowing paper outlining the methods
which enable her to hear forty-four
classes per day. These methods are
interesting to parents, a. they how
how time must be economised In ou
rural schools. The methods may also
be OF interest to other teachers.
Miss whistler, surely must have
known what a great study my daily
program has been for me, when she
assigned me the subject, Study, Max
Ing the Most for Everybody Out Of
the School Day"
When I came to this beautiful val
Icy surrounded by the Cordilleras, as
a teacher In a country school amongst
environment that was totally foreign
to me, but amongst a progressive
class OF Germans. speaking a differ
ept Language from mine, and whose
children that were to be my compan-.
ions day after day spoke very little
Of the English language, 1t was then
that ! realized what a great problem
confronted me.
The difficulty I met with when ]
commenced teaching In the. Colder
wfst was not the fear OF the rough
Cd boy. the wild anipals- mylpg the
pl2l1s, the coyote, : the 'ferocf6us In
din, so common In Western life In
tn movies and .nQyels.sbpt tbN feA,
Of bling unable TO make q good daily
ptGIram and have It. suit the school
c6R6itions. l entered, my school. room
nghovcly, hot. dusty. windy .septem-.
be(&morning. had not been In the,
ru6m very long until about 30 on IS.
Ii(o children haA entered. eager 70
"a sheir new taachers and wonder5
Ind she would be cross. II not. they
wde ID like to 90 to school but II she
pn I'D to be. we'll, they didn't know
I'd II. They were all Germans.
m663by couldn't speak a word OF Eng
lidt or understand my greetings OF
n oQdship and cheer. School didn't
me11h a great deal to them. they had
always come because they had or
catSh to. and being children they did
not Understand what an education
would mean TO them. But neverthe-
less, their teacher understood and
realized with a sinking heart what
being n teacher aud companion to
those children meant. ] knew | would
have TO make school attractive as
we'll az a place to study to draw them
20 school. and must be careful not
to discourage them In any way, but
encourage them so they would be
anxious TO learn and do my will. ]
realized that each day must count. ]
must put forth my greatest efforts to
win my pupils confidence and make
them zee the Importance OF learning
something each day. OF ] would fall
as a teacher. had been q successful
teacher for several years past, and
the thought OF failure seemed. oh
terrible to me. / had taught where Q
professor outlined our work. man.
aged n difficulty that came up In
the way OF discipline and assumed all
responsibility. was now in a rural
school where ! alone was going TO be
a help or a hlndrance to these forty
some children's educational progress.
My responsibility seemed great. ! was
In a new country. amongst strangers
and It was up to me to make good. so
Mt my earliest convenience I called
at each home In my neighborhood so
I would know the child's home o n
ditions. and could gain the confidence
OF the parents and impress upon
them the Importance Of each day OF
school to the child.
After / had seated my pupils. got
their names and grades. oil that first
day Of school ] was surprised 10 find
how old they we're for their grades.
Upon inquiry later I understood that
most Of thcm had been In Idaho only
three to five years. and this being a
new country. they had not always
had school during that time. and II
was only last year that the county
superintendent and trustees In this
section had tried to enforce the COM
pulsory education law. And thanks to
the county superintendent and trus-
tees every child between the ages OF
eight and eighteen In District Is In
the four schools, Is enrolled In school,
Realizing this condition and knowing
that these children had lost In early
training In school. I felt like II would
be q crime. and almost IN u%upardon-
able sin. unless I gave to these pupils
all that was In my power In the way
Of book learning, culture, sympathy
and love. I we'll know that the only
way TO do my best and the most fol
them was to work day by day. Fill
each day full to overlooking. ther
heap II up some more the next dpy
The secret OF 1t all lay In the dali!
program so ] studied my program.
thought l had It perfect several time
but l have made II more perfect sew