The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1919-03-26

teaching equipment, in the prepara-
tion of the teachers and in better
class room work that these schools,
having usually eight grades gave the
bulk of education gained by the rural
population in Minnesota, only the
wealthy sending their children to
high schools, is the testimony of
Lcuco Gunter. state supervisor of
rural schools, who recently made a
trip TO Minnesota to inspect schools
and who has prepared statement
dealing with his findings in the rural
schools OF the western state. Mr.
Guntcr says that the idea of consoli-
dated high school is growing rapidly
i'm Minnesota, the people realizing that
his is necessary in order to give tho
lhron Of the country the same cdu-
cational opportunities as the children
of the towns.
lin making his inspection Of the
country schools in Minnesota, Mr..
Gmtcr says he was interested in the
type Of work done in the consolidated
schools. Only portion Of one day,
therefore, was given to a study of the
onc-toNchcr school problem. Two
Jackson county. The Rural School
Commissioner Of Minnesota said that
IN equipment and teaching conditions
these two schools were typical Of the
fA1 Hhnr sob In, 80
the State that is mainly agricultural.
In jackson county, he said, the
One-tcachcr schools are usually two
to three miles apart. In that open
prarie country visitor at one school
nuse can frequently see the school
house in the adjoining district. A
few modern onc-teachcr buildings
costing $4,000 and more, are being
erected. But such school usually
blocks consolidation movement in
the surrounding territory; and for
that reason the State authorities do
It cncrgctically promote campaigns
for new onc-tcacher school buildings.
In jackson county very few of the
0nc-toachcr houses are OF the type
visited.
These houses were built twenty or
twenty-five years ago, mostly Of
hardwood material They replaced
the log cabin school houses and are
today usually in good state OF pre-
scrvation. They are Of the tradition
al "car-box" type, with the door at
one end, the chimney at the other,
and windows in each side. eve are
familiar with this type in South
Carolina" says the supervisor.
Mr.. Gunter's statement continues:
at is in the teaching equipment, the
preparation Of the teacher. and the
consequent better classroom work
that tho Minnesota onc-tcachcr
schools surpass ours. Every one
teacher school in Minnesota must
have jacket stove, thus providing
for ventilation Independently OF the
windows These schools must have Il
sanitary drinking fountain one hun
dlcd square feet Of slate blackboard,
q suspended globe, a complete set o.
wall mans and desks adjusted to the
size OF the pupils The one hundred
twcnty- one Misunderstanding cOuSc$
in high schools OF the State send into
TIC onc-,cachcr schools each year
from 1900 to 1900 teachers with at
least one year OF normal training.
The character OF the teaching I'm the
two one teacher schools visited show
cd splendid results from such train
ing.
These 0nc-tcachcr schools usually
have an enrolment Of from fifteen to
twenty five pupils. The instruction
is confined to the eight elementary
grades. Only the children OF the
most well-to do farmers have any
high school instruction. The children
whose parents can afford the expense
of board in town and attend the town
high school. The people Of Mime
sofa realize that the Onc-teachcr
school can not attempt advanced work
without doing injury to the elemen-
tary 1t Is for this reason that con
solidation is making SO great pro
gross, that all the children in tho
country may have as good school op-
portunities as the children In the
towns enjoy.
t.,