The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1918-02-26

the most important functions of the
public school is to teach the children
to work together In the past rural
education has been too much lacking
in this very essential element of eff
Gent training Naturally, rural life is
more individualistic than urban life.
There is more independence and less
interdependence. There are fewer
social contacts. In the olden days the
farmers home was his kingdom, and
for the most part each of these little
Kingdoms" was able to support itself
economically Thus, the spirit of in
dividualism was fOstered. But now we
live in a new day, and while the farmer
still has more independence than his
city neighbor, he does not have as
much as he used to have. There are
so many things now for which he is
dependent upon his neighbors, the
people of his nearby market, the peo-
pie of the whole county, the state and
the nation. In fact we may now say
that the farmer, as is every other man,
is becoming a world citizen and suffers
or prOspers with the world itself All
of this ought to be taught in the public
schools, and the children there ought
to be taught the fine art of living and
working together for the common
good Instead of teaching personal
success, the school should teach COM
munity good. And this will destroy
that old fallacy that all true education
tends to make it possible for the pupil
to earn his living without work and
that other equally false conception
that an education will make it possible
| G., fba to ont Cf ha ,frsxr
and away from the farm and into the
city. So long as these conceptions
are fostered in the public school just
so long will the school fail in the full
fillment of it's function. The child
should be taught that he is just as
good as the city child and that the
country offers and can be made to
offer equal opportunity for self-ex1
preston and for social service, or SER
vice for the common good. If hap
piness is regarded as the supreme
end to be attained in life, then il
should be taught the pupil that the
best way to attain happiness is in
service to his fellow man. If perfect
and complete and harmonious develop.
ment of ones self is regarded the su.
preme end of life, he should be taught
that the best way in which to affair
this is in service with and for others
If the establishment of a perfect soc
iety is to be thought of as the goal O.
all human life, it still follows tina
service with and for the common gooC
is the method
} The school can be made to toucl
every interest in the community.
is the logical place not only for in
} struction of the youth five days in tn,
week. but it is also the logical plac,
for community gatherings of ever,
, kind-the lyceum, the reading room
the parent-teachers association, tn
debating society, the farmers meetin,
the domestic science club, the politica
gathering, the voting place, the in
door games when properly built 70
them, and for any other uses whicl
will serve the community
} The school and the church should
as rule be near each other and il
! the social activities of the communit
ought to cooperate. They are allie.
not enemies. Neither of them Shout
be neutral in any of those interest
which make for the good of the CON
munity
We believe the day of the little on
Z and two room school for the rurs
< community is passing, as it has passe
= for the towns or villages. With til
z coming of good roads and better NEAR
< of conveyance, the one-teacher scho,
= is passing. We are coming more an
Z more to the consolidated school" ide
! even in the open country One larg
2 modernly equipped, centrally locate
Z house is built. There is a big assen
= bly, room, for all gatherings: a roo
= for all or nearly all grades; a gyr
= nasium in the basement, we'll equip
! ed; a high school department. a Ii
2 rary and museum in one large ROOF
< II there are not enough pupils to n
\ cessitate a teacher for each grad
2 one teacher may take more than or
Z There are library hours. with a teac
= er in charge. Perhaps the principal
Z the school has certain rooms built a
: joining or as part of the school bull
= ing where he lives. He keeps libra
~ hours through the evenings of r