The Snyder signal. (Snyder, Tex.) 1887-????, 1921-02-25
ABOUT RURAL SCHOOLS.
Editor Signal

As the Legislature will bring its
labors 70 a close ia a few days, /
think every man who is interested in
the rural schools OF our country,
should write our representative ask-
ing him 10 do what be l. - he in
terest OF the apprcp .--,on TO the
general school fund This is matter
Of vital Importance to the schools of
our county There would have been
a crisis in the schools OF our state
this year IL II had not been for the
four million dollars appropriated by
the special session OF the legislature.
This appropriation enabled the State
to make an apportionment this year
of s14.50 per scholastic enrolment.
Unless another appropriation is made
by the State, the apportionment for
next year cannot be more than $l1.OO
or $ll.50 per scholastic enrolment.
This means that this county will re-
ceived several thousand dollars less
than we received last yesr
The shortage OF teachers during
the last few years has been a very
serious problem in the schools all
over the country. The teacher train
ing schools have been short in, at
tendance from 10 per cent to GO per
cent during the past three or four
years. There is not such a shortage
OF teachers this year as there has
been. but because OF the small at
tendance in the teacher-trainlng
schools during the past few years. the
number OF well-prapared teachers
Is limited A large number Of eff
cient teachers. who have given years
OF preparation for the work have
quit the work simply because II did
not pay enough 10 meet the cost OF
living. In 1870. 80 per cent OF our
teachers were men; In 1919, los per
cent we're men. To carry on he work
OF training boys and girls for citizen
ship. a larger per cent OF our teach
ers should be men This is no reflec.
toi non the lady teachers many OF
vho do better work than some men
teachers, but the influence OF a man
as we'll as that OF a woman is needed
on the life OF a boy. Every boy needs
IN his school life between the ages
OF l2 and 16 to come In contact with
"A real. red blooded man. Tn condi-
lions that actually exist N'th refer
ence 70 the supply OF vel trained
teachers are going TO be a serious
financial problem for school i'oards
iCr the next few years. Th' cchools
that pay the best salaries ere going
& get the most efficient teachers,
and others will be compelled to take
the poorly prepared. Statistics show
that onyl 21 per cent OF the teachers
are college trained. hence ~, schools
tnat can paw the best salaries will
have a large number OF teachers from
whom to choose.
No one but the hardwor'd' Z Goa"
scientious country school ache
Knows real problem OF reform ana
ptubably no ole N'urks at its solut.r'.
with as much good grace and pa
thence as that unpretentious, unas-
suming little woman away out yonder
In the country who Ia giving her very
life's energies to the work Of teach
ing. Gods chosen people live out In
the hooks and corners of the earth.
but they are so far removed from
what the world calls refinement and
good taste. and there tolls for eNis-
tence are so strenuous, that the chsld
environments create an almost In
superable problem for the teacher
For this reason most OF our real
teachers leave these country districts
for the better schools. But these
places must come out from under
these conditions or We must bring
better conditions to them. This Is
what the great State of Texas is go
ing to do within the next generation
or so. or just as quickly as we Will
let her do II. The state is now doing
about all the people will give consent
to. and more, we must do our part.
Every citizen who is interested in
the welfare of our schools, should
write to our representative and sena-
tor at Austin and urge that another
appropriation be made to the general
school fund by the legislature now In
session.
T. ]. BRYANT,
PRINCIPAL of Arab School.