The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1919-10-29

the Importance of giving equal edu-
cational opportunities for all.
South Dakota has SLAP school
houses. 2.345 are poorly ventilated;
$500 have deficient light; 1000 have
inadequate water supply; $500 are
scrubbed but once year; 1000 have
defective toilet facilities, and so on,
items too numerous to mention, but
each telling its story of utter unpro-
gressiveness.
The speaker complimented the eff
fort made in this county towards con-
solidation, but on referring to the
rural school conditions pertinently
remarked that we have belittled the
biggest school job in the state and
those who heard the statement fully
agreed with him.
Our tremendously proud record in
production runs about as follows:
Livestock, $50, 0,000.000; wheat,
$142,00O,O 900; oats, $50,000,O
dairy products, $25,000,000; poul-
try, $1S,000,000, but education. the
most important matter of all, comes
in for only $13.000.000. We still
cling to antiquated notions about
rural education, supporting the little
district, the little teacher, the little
child, the little school house, and
most fatally of all, the little oppor-
tunities for the country boy and girl
to receive a real and practical and
liberal mental training.
Mr.. Shaw stated that it was crime
against humanity to tie a child down
to humdrum old-fashioned routine in
unprogressive rural schools and have
him learn nothing but words, words,
words instead of providing facilities
to give culture and range to his nat
ural instincts and activities. We must
teach in terms of farm life and insti-
tute a system of schools that will
take high school advantages to the
country where the teacher should be
provided with a home and be en-
ployed the year round
Following Supt. Shaw's address, a
class of high school girls who are
engaged in the study of French, sang
several quaint but pretty French
ditties.
Supt. Toby, of Cooy county, Illi-
nois. in opening HIS address, stated
that the eyes of the nation were upon
South Dakota, the first state in the
union to develop a real uplifting
rural school movement that will soon
sweep the whole country The speak
er ran over the charts used by Mr..
Shaw, emphasizing point after point
that related to our educational we'll
being. He said that he was astonish.-
ed both at our wealth and our
"stinginess," meaning, of course, the
pittance doled out to better educa-
cational facilities. He, too, with the
other speakers of the evening, main
tanned that the whole school system
must be reorganized to meet modern
needs. In speaking of teachers sal
aries, he affirmed that they were too
low and that progressive teachers
drift off to the cities where the high
salaries are pair, leaving the scrubs
in the country to merely exist and
stifle real rural progress. This Eas
his first trip to South Dakota and
what he saw of our farm progress and
our uprising and enterprising cities
simply amazed him, so he stated
Following the address by Mr.. Toby
the high school glee club appeared
in an interesting song number under
the direction of Prof. Kendrick, their
vocal instructor.
State Historian Doane Robinson
brought to notice the state of unrest
now prevailing throughout our land
| and in other countries across the sea
| His erason for ii was found in the
perfection of machinery by the genius
of man at the expense of the more
cutivable values of the man himself
He thought that we had just enough
learning to intixicate us, but needed
to revert to the "spellin' book" type
| for our ultimate good, especially In
| that such would tend to sober US
He admitted that the rural school
do thC PlOoiChi anu out VI thChl
must come vision, incentive and in
spiration, else we are lost. One
especially timely suggestion cams
when Mr.. Robinson pointed to the
fact that this township and Madison
with her excellent schools would
form a fine nucleus for the develop
ment of consolidated system that
would reach out over the surround
| ing townships. His remarks were
received with applause and at the
conclusion. Supt. Ault quoted from
an N. e. A. bulletin where were list
ed the following facts: In th'
schools of this country there are
10000 teachers needed to fill exist
ing vacancies. The state superin
tendent mentioned that there was ;
shortage of 1000 teachers in thi
state alone. Question-Where ar
we to get teachers, trained, efficient
far-sighted teachers who will assis
in stabilizing civilization by impart
ing proper instruction to the boy