davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Mena weekly star., 1918-01-17

arousing a greater school interest turnout the county. A movement IS now on foot to establish a sum- mer normal in the county, which will mean still better trained teach CTS for the schools of the county.
 The course of study has been re- vised from time to time to meet the requirements of progressive peo- pie. The tendency has been to make the course more practical. Instead of stressing Latin, geometry and kindred subjects, we are stress ing agriculture, domestic science, manual training and other subjects, that will really prepare our boys and girls for the duties of life.
 The people of the county are talk ing greater interest in the school work than ever before. They arc pulling together for the proper de- velopment of the school interests of the county They are beginning to think of their schools just as a farmer thinks of his corn and cot ton crops. that is, with a view of getting the most good out of them possible. The county has made re- markable strides educationally and with the splendid school legislation passed by the last legislature now in force, we may expect till greater de- Velopment within the next few years.
The Mena weekly star., 1918-01-17

land to be used for school purposes. The building erected on this site served the district we'll until in 1915 when 1t was found inadequate to the growing needs of the district.
 In 1915 a new building was erect ed. This building is we'll lighted in such way that there are no con- fuslng cross lights, and is provided with a convenient cloak room. and n large clear toned bell.
 Single desks and seats of varying sizes, ample blackboard space, maps 9 globe, and other equipment make the school room work easier for teachers and pupils alike.
 The building is used not only for school purposes, but also for Sunday school, song service, and religious exercises, thus being in the truest sense a community center.
 The district is a special district, the directors being w. M. Lowrey D. L. Cook, Charles Bates, Walter Bunch. Bob Sullivan and Archie Neal.
 Miss Edith Grace Kinney of Mena was employed to teach both the summer and winter terms of the current school year, and under her instruction the school is making ex- cellent progress.
 During the summer term the en- rollment was ~, lacking but eight pupils of equaling the total enumer- ation of the district.
 For the first time in the schools history, a display was prepared for the annual Educational Rally. This display included not only the regu- lar school work, but also a splendid display of needlework from the girls
The Mena weekly star., 1918-01-17

matters of education. The fact is the result of an effort on the part of our educators to meet the social and economic demands of the age. It IS an effort to quiet the spirit of unrest which prevails everywhere. It IS not strange, therefore, that they are performing experiments and in
 roducing new theories because we are llVlng III an age of progress. Tn every field of endeavor man is seek ing to become more efficient and. as result, we have at last realized that real education involves in sruction and practice with real things"
 l have said that we realize what the educational process means. | am forced to say, however, that we have only in part recognized this in Arkansas and Polk county. We know that our courses of study may be one of two types. They may be what IS known as the international type or they may be developmental in their nature. Thus far we are largely chnglng to the old international type, because we are forced to try the new or else We are ignorant of ne best methods of translating the 0ry into actual work in our schools. The tune IS soon coming when we
The Mena weekly star., 1918-01-17
YESTERDAY AND TO-DAY.

A brief glance at the pioneer school of Polk county will probably enable us to catch a greater vision of the work being done in our schools at the present time. When the pioneer school is mentioned, the minds of some of our older citizens will probably run back to a time when there were no free schools in Polk county. The old log school house will rise from the dust of memory and the grim old school master can be seen as he comes to the door of the school house and calls in thunder tones of authority, Come to books" Groups of happy, contented boys and girls can be seen as they leave their favorite sports on the playground and take their seats on the old fashioned puncheon benches where they study aloud their next lesson from Webster's Blue Back Spelling Book"
 The children of those pioneer days had very poor educational advant- ages, not because their parents and the people generally did not be- lleve Tn education, but because the county was very sparsely settled and no money was available for the sup port of schools. The teacher was paid a very small salary and usually
The Mena weekly star., 1918-01-17
THE EFFICIENT RURAL SCHOOL

The efficient rural school is the most vital educational need today, not only of Polk county, but of the entire state and nation. The whore rural problem, which is probably our most vital problem, is practice ally the problem of the rural school.
 All over the country we see the farms being abandoned by the owners and agricultural progress and production are failing to keep pace. with growth in population and progress in other direction, mainly because the rural school has failed to relate it's work to the life of the rural community. When the proper educational advantages have been provided in the rural communities, we will not only keep our boys and girls on the farm but we will bring back to the farm a large number of people who have moved to the towns and cities to secure these advant- ages.
 The efficient rural school, in or der to keep good citizens on the farm and make good citizens on the farm, must educate the children for country life instead of away from il <; must teach agriculture; must train the children for their future work in the home, on the farm, and in the social life around them; must be community center of education. instrueting the children in terms Of country fife and pointing the way to community prosperity and welfare.
 The efficient rural school must be housed in a properly constructed school building. with good light and ventilation, modern fUrniture ani equipment and sanitary outbuild- ings The grounds should be ample and properly laid olT for all kind of recreation A suitable plat of ground should be provided as a school garden and the pupils should be interested in the Boys Corn and Pig Clubs and the Girls Canning and Poultry Clubs.
 The course of study for the eff cient rural school should be ar rangei to meet the needs of the ru- ral community. If is not proposed to discard the fundamental studies; it is proposed to relate these studies more closely to the rural life. II is proposed to put new leaven into some of the old essentials, discard some subjects of the old traditional curriculum which fail to express the activities and needs of the com
The Mena weekly star., 1918-01-17
OZARK SCHOOL.
Faculty: T. J. Wilbanks, Principal; Miss June Winston, Assistant.

The Ozark district, situated about thirty-seven miles south of Mena, has one of the best one-teacher schools in the county, and pays it's teachers larger salaries than any other rural district in the county It has a campus of three and one half acres and buildings consisting of a modern school building, a good, tive-room teacherage, garage and sanitary out-buildiRgs. The campus is fenced and includes plot of ground for gardens, a generous playground and basket ball court. A never-failing well, curbed with con- crete, is located on the campus. All the buildings and fences were re- gently repainted
 The school is equipped with Duro- plate blackboards. modern desks, WateFman-W Waterbury Heating Sys- tenn, modern teachers desk and chair, library of if volumes, splen- did book case. chapel organ. globe, wal EiDth. tuA ytlbIjtuid, bWN ult- tionaries, charts, individual drink ing cups, and phonograph with a splendid assortment of i0-inch rec ords. The school room is tastefully decorated with pictures, flags and pennants. The district furnishes all it's pupils with textbooks free of charge. The library was secured on the "flfty-fifty'' basis, the district furnishing half the money and the school children the remainder.
 The course of study consists of the common branches completed in eight years of eight months each.
 The school building is the only public building in the district, and is therefore used as a community cen ter. Among other organizations meeting at the school building are the girls canning club; the boys corn club, pig club and cotton club; literary society which meets semi monthly; and Sunday school that is now more than two years old
 The district has a progressive board of directors composed of l. E. Roberts. president; F. c. Arnold, secretary; c. c. Burke. J. E. Harvey.
The Mena weekly star., 1918-01-17

took part of his pay in boarding round among his pupils. As there was very little money in the dis trict, it was frequently stipulated in his contract that he could be paid in meal. pork, sorghum or other ac- ceptable produce.
 The house was built of logs. 1t had one large room with door at one end and large fireplace at the other The window was a hole, two or three feet square. cut in one side of the building. A board pushed be- tween two logs of the wall served as a desk The benches were made of split logs placed on wooden pegs just high enough to prevent the children's feet from touching the floor
 These schools seldom attempted to teach more than the three R's- Reading" 'Riting,' and 'Rithme- tic.' Webster's Blue Back Spelling Book was the all-important text book, as no student was thought to be proficient in his school work un- til he had thOroly mastered this text. Friday afternoon were usual ly devoted to recitations and spell ing matches, and frequently from these school contests grew the old time neighborhood spelling bee, in which the entire community old and young, took part The people for miles around gathered Saturday night at the old school house and the contest began as soon as sides were chosen. The champion speiler was considered the hero of the com munity.
 The history of our present pub lie school system dates back to 1867, when the state legislature passed law providing a system of taxation for the support of our schools. Those fifty years have brought about a wonderful change in the schools of the county. Since that time the schools have grown steadi- ly; and while the laws have been changed from time to time, the principle of taxing the wealth of the country to maintain the public schools remains the foundation of the school system.
 The little log school house. with it's puncheon benches, has long passed into history. Schools have been provided in every community so that every boy and girl in the county is within reach of a public school. We are erecting modern frame and brick buildings to replace those of the pioneer type. We are equipping our buildings with mod ern furniture and apparatus. The sanitary conditions of the school are being looked after mQre care fully with a view of the proper physical development of our boys and girls.
 The grim old school master has been replaced by corps of more efficient teachers who are really in- terested in the proper development of the school interests of the coun- ty. A county teachers association has been organized which has grown in interest and numbers until it is now one of inc strongest teachers associations in the state. This or ganization has done much towards
The Mena weekly star., 1918-01-17
schools for the i9i7-is session is as

schools for the i9i7-i8 session is as follows:
 c. K. Wilkerson, Superintendent.
 High School-T. c. Wiggins, prin- cipaI, science and mathematics; Ho- mer Lawrence, Latin and German; Miss Catherine Cabeen, English: Mrs. C. K. Wilkerson, History.
 Central School-Mrs. O. B. Bag shaw, principal, First Grade; Miss Toka Anderson, First Grade; Miss Mary Kennedy Second Grade; Miss Nena Crowson, Third Grade; Miss Bessie Board, Fourth Grade; Miss Leonora Rector, Fifth Grade; Mrs Lula Conklin, Sixth Grade; Miss Louise Mullins. Seventh Grade; Miss Ruth Kelley, Eighth Grade.
 Southside School Miss Louise Durham, principal, Fourth Grade; Miss Maude Moore, Second and Third Grades; Mrs. Jennie Mont gomery, First Grade
The Mena weekly star., 1918-01-17

|
 shall be forced to place in our cur rlculum such courses as vegetable gardening, domestic art. manual training, shop work, music and oth- CT subjects which shall prepare our boys and girls for the normal pur- suits of life. The pedagogue of to- morrow will be the man who knows how to instruct children to do real things for particular stress is to be placed upon the doing side of school work Especially is this to be true in the rural and elementary schools.
 Although we are still clinging largely to the international type of education, we feel that we are right insofar as our aim and purpose goes. It IS the aim and purpose of the Mena Public Schools to give our boys and girls a progressive ad- Justment of behavior which will se- cure for them normal development of their physical, mental and moral natures. This is the aim and pur- pose of all education. Therefore it IS our aim to gradually transform the childlife into youth and youth into manhood by giving to our pu- pills such facts and instructions as will best tend Co their development.
 The curriculum of the Mena Pub lie Schools today is in keeping with the educational progress of the state. It offers a course of study which covers period of twelve years. It IS arranged according Co the Eight and Four-Year Plan, which seems to be best suited to the needs of small towns like Mena. The elementary part of the curricu- lum with but few exceptions, is based upon the Manual published by the State Department of Educa- tion. The high school department has been reorganized and arranged to meet the requirements for four year high school and at the same time meet the local needs and con- ditions. For the first time the course has been made differentiai and elective. In the future the work is to be made more develop mental and plans are being laid with this in mind.
 The physical equipment of the Mena schools consists of three build ings-a large eight-room brick grade building, a splendid frame grade building and a substantial high school building. At present the 7i8 pupils enrolled more than con gest these accommodations. The pie lures or cuts of the buildings illus trate tHe physical side of the plants.
 The following are few progress siYe movements that have been ini- tiated during the present session:
 |. The arrangements of seats to protect the eyes of the children in the grades.
 9. The replacement of homemade benches by desks for the high school recitation rooms.
 B. The equipment of a reading room and superintendent's office in the high school building.
 f. The equipment of physics laboratory.
 ,. The installment of the Normal Curve System" of grading pupils.
 6. The classifying of high school
The Mena weekly star., 1918-01-17

A. B. Higgins and Bert Higgins. The directors are working toward the common goal of a good common school education for the boys and girls of the district.
 The school is under the supervis- ion of Tom ]. Wilbanks, who is teaching his third year in the dis trict. Mr. Wilbanks is president of the Polk County Teachers Associa- tion and is doing everything possible to make Polk county the leading county educationalIy in the state.
The Mena weekly star., 1918-01-17
MENA PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

Education has been promoted with each succeeding generation. Thru out all ages, the true purpose of ed ucatiOn has been to assist man and to fit him to cope with his fellows in the world. It's function today is to assist and direct the processes of the mental and physical growth of the undeveloped. Without educa- tion no generation can be adequate ly fitted for the duties of life and the achievement of a worthy destiny. The ultimate end of education is complete human development and happiness.
 Just now, however, there are many theories and experiments in the
The Mena weekly star., 1918-01-17

and manual training work and agri- cultural products from the boys.
 The patrons, directors, pupils and teacher of the school are striving to make the school all that a mod ern rural school should be, and by their energy and perseverance bid fair to achieve their purpose.
The Mena weekly star., 1918-01-17

pupils before the opening of school.
 '. The installment of a uniform record system.
 $. The making of an age grade survey of the school.
 9. The introduction of medical inspection of the schools.
 10. The initiative of a co-opera- tive movement between parents and teachers.
 The teaching corps of the Mena
The Mena weekly star., 1918-01-17

". HOMEp pIGG
 County suBcrinlendel Public Schools. ticll Ceturs wou ' a blending of th se tive into a n35 er an l rich CT idcal-ritizenship or serviee--iR which individual liberty and the ac- quisiti0n of knowedsc fur tbe sake of knowledge would he su50rdinated t0 the welfare of lse people as a whole. Isveiy rurai teacher must catch the spirit of the Twentieth Century ld bc governed by it.
 Every created thing is for some use and when usfd the right way at the right time will produce both henelt and enjoyment; hut if abused bv unwise or untimely uss any thing may become a curse.
The Mena weekly star., 1918-01-17
BUNCH PUBLIC SCHOOL.
Miss Edith Kinney, Teacher.

Bunch, one of the most progressive of the farming communities of Polk county, is situated three miles north east of Wickes.
 The people of the neighborhood, realizing that education is the foun- dation of success, have always taken a great interest in the school and it's work.
 In 1900 Joseph Green Bunch do- mated the neighborhood an acre of
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-10-12
Capitol Closed to French
Heroes by DR.. B. F. Roger

DIR. B. F. Roger, acting commits
sioner of health, who was very much
provoked yesterday afternoon when
the Foreign Legion under escort of
committee of Liberty Loan work
ers visited the Capitol. last night
said that 1t had been "a mistake"
on the part of the committee to have
permitted the crowd to go into the
building in the face of the quaran-
tine order against crowds.
Il sand by the order" said the
commissioner who is understood to
have personally berated b. Boyd
Harrington, who was in charge of
| the automobiles which conveyed the
guests of the city to the State House
in the afternoon.
The Legion gathered in the ro-
tunda where clerks from the de-
partments came out and applauded
them. Then they went through the
building, few remaining in the ro-
tunda, where they were surrounded
by quite q crowd, wherein attaches
of DR.. Rogers office were conspicu-
Gus. Finally word was gotten to
members of the committee by Cap
itol policeman that DR.. Roger was
on the warpath and that they had
better get out of the place. By that
time the French veterans were in the
gosernor's office and they beat the
first retreat on record.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-10-12
SEVEN DEATHS
AT TOWER CITY
Spanish Influenza Takes Big
Toll in Schuylkill County
Mining Town

Tower City, Pa, Oct. IL. - Span
ish influenza is causing much havoc
here. In this short time seven persons
have succumbed to the disease and
about fifty persons are at present suf-
fering severe attacks. Among those
who died are:
oliver Thompson, who is survived
by five daughters.
Mr.. and Mrs. James Barry. who are
survived by two small children.
Mrs. Snyder. survived by two
daughters at home and a son and
son-in-law in France.
Robert Laudermilch. who was
lately appointed tax collector of Tow
er city, and who is survived by his
sister
Mr.. Irving, who is survived by his
wife and six small children.
In some homes as many as Fix are
afflicted at the same time. DR.
Knauber is confined to his home and
that makes it necessary for Williams
town doctors to visit patients in this
valley as there are too many for DR.
Stutzman.
The owners of the Palace Hall Of
fered 1t for use as an emergency hos
pital. The girls employed in the shirt
factories went to the hall and with
ly clean. They also canvassed the
| town in the evening for white rags tC
| be used for various purposes. Cots
We're installed and two nurses secur-
| ed. On Thursday morning three pa
tientS were taken to this hospital.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-10-12
Health Board ThroWn Out
by Commissioner Rouer

A special dispatch from Mt. Pleas
ant. Westmoreland county, contains
the following:
Five members of the local Board of
Health We're fired" by telephone by
State Health Commissioner Rover
after they had refused to permit the
Elks Club to remain open unless other
clubs were permitted to do likewise.
Police of the borough are guarding
the Elks Club, with specific orders to
see that it is not opened.
The fight started when DR.. J. w,
Shelar president of'ths board. asked
for advice from Commissioner Rover
regarding the Elks Club, which, he re-
ported, was selling liquor. DR.. Roger
told DR.. Shelar to put a paddock on
the door, and, If necessary, put three
on"
DIR. Shelar padlocked the door.
Meantime District Attorney Cort COM
order to reopen the club followed,
with the provision that no liquor was
to be sold DR.. Shelar called Commits
sioner Roger on the telephone and
asked permission to open all other
clubs. DR.. Royer refused and DIR.
Shelar, it is said. informed the Com
missioner that he would not permit
permission was granted to all other
clubs.
During the conversation, it Is al
legged. DIR. Roger said to Dr. Shelar:
The other places are all booze
hosting clubs. Just open the Elks;
the others remain closed"
DR.. Shelar refused to do so and
Commissioner Royer said:
You are fired and your board is set
aside"
DR.. w. NJ. Horner, a member of the
Elks, was appointed president.
Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-10-12
CITY TO CLOSE
TIGHT AT $50
Continued From First Page)

Continued From First Page)
Saturday evening, will not be started
out this evening, and some Enola
cars will be taken off. New Cumber-
land will get half-hour instead of
fifteen minute service.
With 5000 local cases as his esti-
mate. and twelve persons dead dur
ing the past twenty-four hours as
the result of Spanish Influenza. DIR.
]. NJ. j. Raunick, city health off1cer,
declared last night that the situation
in the city is no better. DIR. Royer.
State Health Commissioner, declared
last evening that the epidemic is
only approaching it's crest.
The present needs of the city, DIR.
Raunick said, are physicians and
women willing to care for the influ-
enza patients. With the esta ablish-
ment of hospital in the open air
school at Fifth and Seneca streets,
influenza patients are assured ade-
quate and proper treatment, but
more nurses are needed to handle
the patients. DIR. Raunick said that
women are needed to work under
the supervision of competent nurses.
Specialists, too, were called upon to
give their help to the already over
worked practicing physicians who
are at the breaking point, due to the
unusual strain of the past week.