The Denver star., 1917-07-21
RURAL SCHOOLS
and THEIR NEEDS
Preparation For Country Life
Presents Big Problem.
DIVISION OF SCHOOL FUNDS

Failure Of the States to Mako Adequate
Provision For Agricultural Education
Emphasized In Federal Bureau Re-
pert-Attituds Of Edueatsd Group Of
ceiorsd People In Rural Subjects.
In his report dealing with the facili-
ties for education in the south among
colored people DR.. Thomas Jesse Jones
Of the federal bureau of education at
Washington emphasizes the needs Of
the rural schools. He says:
According to the report of the state.
superintendent, the expenditures for
white schools in Alabama Increased
tenfold between 1880 and 1910, while
those for the Negro schools doubled.
Similar expenditures In North Caro-
lima increased eightfold for the white
schSols and threefold for the Negro
schools. 1t is noteworthy that practi-
cally all these increases have taken
place since 1900. In most of these i'm
provements the city schools have been
favored to the neglect Of the rural
schools both for white and colored pu-
pills.
'"The following quotation from the
report Of the North Carolina state su-
perintendent OF public instruction is
significant: 1T will be observed that
considerably more was spent on rural
Negro schools in 1895 than in 1905.
Suppose our white schools showed the
same results for the past twenty
years. Would We not be necessarily
alarmed at that evidence of lack Of
progress
DIR, Jones lays great stress on the re-
by the colored people Of the south.
where nearly so per cent OF the Ne
groes live in rural communities. BY
1910, the last available census, S93,3IO
Negroes owned their farms or cultivat-
ed land as tenants. This is an in
crease Of 16.4 per cent over the figure
for 1900. OF the total 21S,972' were
proprietors and 672, 1854 We're tenants
Preparation for rural life is the
greatest educational problem of the
white and colored people of the south.
The rural education of the Negro is alb
solutely essential, not only to the well
fare of the race, but also to the sue
cessful development of the southern
states. Though rural opportunities are
perhaps least appreciated by the edu-
Gated group Of colored people. they are
those in which the Negroes are making
their most remarkable gains. Rural
life represents both the best progress
and the greatest needs of the colored
vt1n fpr tl,nf,
ment must give large consideration to
the problems of rural life
important as this phase of educa-
tion is both to the south and to the
colored people. the public and private
facilities provided are very inadequate.
Other than the agricultural and me-
chanical schools largely maintained by
federal funds. the states make prac-
tically no provision for the agricultural
education of Negroes. or the private
schools. Hampton institute, Tuskegee
institute and few smaller institu.
tions, are making a genuine effort to
prepare pupils for rural life With
very few exceptions. however. the col
ored schools have failed to develop an
interest In rural problems. The large
majority have not even tried
"The explanation of the Indifference
Is in the conviction OF the colored peo-
pie that the way to prosperity and hap
piness is the study Of literary subjects
and especially the classical languages.
In this they are following the example
Of the white people. who are only now
beginning to see the error of their be-
lief. This conviction is emphasized by
the life of drudgery which the pupils iE
colored schools have always seen to
he the lot Of cOlOred farmers
"A partial explanation for the fall
, ure of the schools lies in poorly pre-
pared agricultural teachers who have
themselves only weak hearted belief
in rural life. With inadequate train
ing and a lukewarm interest in their
subject these teachers have endea vored
to make use Of large farms In their ed
ucationHl efforts. Failure was nevita-
bic. The emphatic conclusion of this
study is, therefore, that the first step
In rural education should be the en-
thusiastic advocacy of the theory and
practice of gardening for every colored
pupil.
"AlOng with this instruction in gar
dening for the elementary pupil man
ual training should be taught. In the
teaching of both agriculture and trade
to the beginners there is no need for
an extensive farm and expensive shop
equipment. What should be done is
- the children how to do those