Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-08-03
TRAINING RURAL
TEACHERS AT CASTINE

Perhaps one of the most importa Mt
for the betterment Of rural
schools is being exemplifed at the
present time at Castine. Maine. The
last session of the legislature gave
TO the State superintendent of schools
the right to select each year not more
ers and place them IN special train
ing for rural leadership. Last year
ninety-two young women received
training ard demonstrated the merits
Of the system which has attracted
universal attention throughout the
United States and is said by educa-
tional authorities TO be one of the
foremost movements that has ever
been tried out
This year there are about seventy
five young women in training. The
regulations require that they be grad
yates of normal schools or colleges
and have two years of practical ex
perience a S teachers or the equivalent.
1t has been rather difficult TO find a
sufficient number OF teachers in the
country schools who measure up to
these high standards owing to the
fact that the country schools. aside
from presenting long list of incon-
veniences. paid too small a salary to
be attractive to the best prepared
teachers who were in demand in city
school systems.
The State superintendent's plan re-
quires that these young women be
country bred. that they be in SYM
are willing to remain in the country
schools while they teach. These young
women are carefully selected and
must have shown unusual ability in
the work already done
The plan contemplates that the
rural teacher shall be both the best
prepared of all our teachers and the
pest paid. The rural school presents
the greatest educational problem to-
day. The great necessity Of maintain
ing a standard people on our farms
and of making our food resources
Weld one hundred per cent of their
possibilities present a national pro-
Diem of unusual proportions. The
law provides that the Young women
selected shall have their expenses
while in training paid When thew
set out into the service they receive
State bonus Of twenty-five per cent.
OF their salaries. They are employed
as regular teachers in the towns of
the State. Their first job is to put
their own school in order and build
standard school as nearly as can he
cone with the materials at hand and
After their schools are in order other
teachers OF the town may visit them
IN order to see what has been accom-
plsned. These teachers NAV also
VISIT other SCHOOLS in the town and
assist inexperienced and unframed
teachers in finding themselves. such
leachers are very great advantage
70 Superlntendents in getting at the
Institutional end of the work. They
also become community leaders
Many OF the young women trained a
year ago have transformed the COM
inuhltles INTO which they have gone.
Communities haye been gotten To-
se'ner; musical organizations. liter
AIRY societles and church work have
peen undertaken with a high degree
oi success and much Interest has been
aroused in the communities in which
'hese young people have labored.
country life movements, elementary
Furai surveys, community leadership |
tne discovery and development of
leaders connecting the school with the
life Of the community and nnak,n. !. |
part thereof form the basis of the !
course OF study presented to these
leaders IN preparation. A full line of
physical education is also carried
representing the dramatic form of ex-
erclses for the younger children. for
MAJ setting up exercises for the older
ones, with the recreational plays and
games together with the PRINCIPLES of
hygiene and sanitation.
The State superintendent gives nor
sonal attention to the work. He is
directly assisted by Rural Aeents
Harold A. Allan and Florence NJ. Hale
OF the Department of Education; w.
D. Hall, principal of the State Normal
scnooi at Castine: Miss Alice Conn |
ana MISS Nellie Jordan of Pressure
Isle: Mr.. Glenn w. Starkey. Den,,tv
and Mr.. j. W. Tav-
Tor, Agent for Secondary Education
DR.. Doris kraus. Miss Agnes Hig.;n.
OF the American Red Cross, and Miss
Doris Wilder Physical Director in tho
schools OF Augusta, have charge of
lne physical education program. Mr.
= ). Galpin, former Professor ~
rural economics in the UNIVERSITY NJ
Wisconsin. and at present in charge
d the Bureau of Economics, Depart.
ment OF Agriculture, Washington n
:" MISS Mabel Carney, Professor ~
hurai Education Of Columbia IJniver.
sity, and DR.. Lee Driver, in char.e -
me bureau of Rural Education of
pennsylvania, are educational exnerts
from outside the State.
Ihese teachers who are In tra,n;ne
VIII go back to their schools this fan
Win new viewpoint for the services
% De rendered. The accomplishments
already achieved have exceeded the
hopes OF the friends of the method
Many OF the other states are prepar-
ns as fast as legislatures convene n
'ut into operation the Maine nIan
Nhich was named by DR.. J. l.. Nc
5rien of the Federal Bureau of E.d,,-
,ation as the Teachers Plattsbure