Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1918-01-24
Disadvantages Of the Rural School
The Lincoln County Times:

In answer to an article In re-
cent number of your paper on the
Advantages of the Rural School,"
wish to give some of the disadvan-
tages of the rural school, and ca0
think of no better way than by a
simple comparison of the schools.
When we pay a visit to the Jerome
Public Schools what do we see? A
large brick building, beautiful lawn,
beds of roses, which bloom in their
season, walks to the doors! We en-
ter q large hall, with wide spacious
stairs leading to the rooms above.
All Is warm and comfortable. We
have only time for short visit. We
enter 4 door on the right-we see a
room OF children all about the same
age and size. They walk quietly
when they move about the room. All
are busy and interested because what
will interest one child will interest all
and the teacher gives all or her time
and thought to to the one grade and
what is best for them, therefore the
discipline is good. II some child has
been disobedient or unruly the teach
er, after careful thought, decides
Johnnie" Is getting rather large for
her, so she will send him up to the
ONCE and let Mr.. Massey handle him.
She gives Johnnie" note and tells
him to give 1t to Mr.. Massey John
MES" heart goes away down In his
boots-he Is only ten years old-but
he knows he must CO., but he walks
real slow. BY the time he Is ready
to tap on the door he is feeling pref
ty bad. Mr.. Massey invites him In
reads the note looks at the boy stand
ing there with head down. He then
gives him a good fatherly talk; may
not punish Johnny" this time as 1t
is the first time he has been sent up,
and the boy Is sorry and promises to
be a good boy. Johnnie" goes back
to his room, very quiet. subdued
little boy. No one giggles or pays
any attention to him-even the tea
cher Is not sure Just what did hap
pen In the ONCE.
1t Is now lunch time and the chill
dren who brought their lunch march
to a certain room, where they eat
their lunch quietly and nicely. 9th
ers may go to the domestic science
room and get a hot lunch for ten
cents. We see the Majestic range,
the electric range, the snow white
pantry, the manual training room,
even a large warm room for waste
paper and we wonder why 1t is not
used for the Overflow" grades and
save fuel and money.
Now let us visit the lavatory and
toilet rooms. All clean and sanitary,
but we fail to see any cups to drink
from, but we do see a little girl bend
over and drink from q fountain OF
running water. We see the big fur
mace that keeps each room and hall
at an even temperature, with the
least waste of fuel possible. We have
very little criticism to offer and we
realize that It takes money and lots
OF it.
AS we look back at the building
on leaving we have a curious thrill
Of pride in our school and in the
thought that our little bit of taxes
help TO keep and maintain It, We
also have another and different feel
ing, and like dash of cold water
comes the thought: Are my chill.
dren and my neighbours children out
at the rural school so we'll provided
for? They should be for we are
in the same district and have the
same school board. Shall we go see!
What do we see when we drive uI
to this rural school! On a bleak hill
top, on bed of lava rock we See
two little frame shacks. We get out
and must be very careful or we will
stumble over this same lava rock. II
front OF the door was a puddle o.
water; 1t Is ice now We walk t.
one side step up on the open plat
form, push open the door, see small
room with a row of muddy over
shoes which look to be frozen; GER
tainly they are no warmer than wher
loft there.
We enter the main room. We SCI
children of all ages and sizes-foul
or i've grades, at some schools al
eight grades. The teacher Is tryini
to hear the eighth grade recite thei
lesson while keeping the rest busy
They drag their feet, write notes ant
got 30 noisy and mischievous tina
the harassed teacher loses both patti
ence and temper, snatches Johnnie
from his seat, some one giggles. Tn,
teacher picks up two-inch boar
(which seems to be the oficial wea
pom in this rural schoolD and pro
ceeds to give Johnnie" what tn
children call a padding" John
ME-. Is too frightened to cry-it l
the first whipping he ever had. an,
he ia only a little how Does this ho-