The Mena weekly star., 1919-05-15
scHooL ELECTIONS sAruRDAY.
Some Interesting Figures Concerning
 the Schools of the County.

The homeseeker from Texas or Mis- souri asks many questions of the real estate man, but no question is more certain to be asked than, What kind of school is there near the farm in ouestion?0 Decause of the inability of the real estate man to answer that question favorably in many cases, many trades have been lost. It is certain that the school is considered an asset by the homeseeker.
 There are rural schools in Polk county as well equipt, as we'll taught, and as we'll managed as any schools in Missouri or Texas, but the average for the county is low. A survey of all the schools of this county has just been completed by County Superin- tendent Wilbanks and some interesting figures result. For instance, only 59S of the schools outside of Mena are properly lighted. 55eo are painted out side and only 3346 are painted or pa pered on the interior. Dark blue ap- pears to be the favorite color for in- terior decoration and this is one req son for the extremely low average of properly lighted rooms. No shade of blue should be used for interior paint or paper White or some shade of buff is preferable.
 Again, only 379o of the schools are provided with outhouses for both sexes. It has been argued that out houses are not practical because they are not always kept in sanitary coH- dition This argument is not sound for by similar reasoning the school house itself should be condemned be- cause of its sometimes unhealthful condition and because indecent state ments sometimes appear on the biackboards and walls on Monday mornings. It is disgrace to Polk county that this condition prevails, and no school should be started this year until suitable outhouses are provided for both sexes. The morals of your children demand it.
 Fifty percent of the schools have patent desks, but eleven schools have no desks at all. The pupils are re- quired to sit on rough, straight-back benches with no desks upon which to write. This condition not only pre- cludes all possibility to write we'll, but is an excellent method of develop ing hump-shouldered and weak lunged children especially susceptible to tuberculosis.
 Only 16Ro have libraries; 21@o have sufficient maps, globes, charts and dic- tionaries; 34ao of the school buildings are kept locked; 1696 of the grounds are fenced; 35eo have a United States flag; 39 schools have new teachers; nine schools have teachers who have taught two years in the same district, and three schools have teachers who have taught three or more years in the same place. It is unfortunate that schools cannot retain teachers longer than one year. Get a good teacher and hold on to him. You won't ever pay him too much. The only item in which the schools of Polk county seem able to make a good score is that of drinking water. They average S2 per cent in that, and it should be 100es. The average length of the terms of school is 5.3 months. Surely there is room for improvement in the schools of the county.
 However, no better instances of in- dividual effort can be found anywhere than in Polk coutny. Two schools, Acorn and Ozark have good teachers and equipment equal to that found anywhere. Eureka school is fifteen miles from a railroad and hidden away at the far end of Posey Hollow, but nevertheless they have a splendid building, nicely kept and equipt. Rocky has an excellent new building and the railroad had no hand in build ing it, either. Hatfield and Wickes have modern brick buildings that would grace any town, but Indepen- dence and Lone Valley have no build ing at all. Cedar, Heath Valley. Union Grove, Dallas, Towery, Thacker are all contemplating plans for new build ings. May they all succeed.
 No community it better than it's school There is no surer indication Ok tn% pfOkFeSSiNeheSS or cOmmun- ity than the condition of the school maintained by that community. Your school is the one big cooperative business of your district. 1t affects every citizen therein. Support it with your money and your influence. It is your best investment. The school election on next Saturday will present an excellent opportunity to determine your position with reference to your school. Elect public spirited men, pro- vide ample funds to make necessary improvements, and resolve to help raise the standard of the schools of Polk county by first raising the stan- dard of your own school.
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