Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1921-05-26
Educator Pays
Tribute to Polk
County School

Oregon Normal School, Mon.
mouth, May 26.-The following
paragraphs are quoted from an
article by DR.. William C. Bagley
OF Teachers College, New York
City, which appears in 1.-THE Pro-
gressfve Teacher" for May 1921.
Mr.. Bagley visited the rural CEN
ter at Oak Point when he was in
Monmouth last autumn and it is
that school to which he refers.
A few days ago / received let
ters from two children who live
In Oregon. They write as re-
presentatives of a rural school
that I had the privilege Of visit
ing last fall. The letters told
me that should shortly receive
a package by parcel post, and that
the package would contain a jar
OF potted chicken, which had been
prepared by the children as one
OF the products of the poultry
yard which the school operates.
The package came In due course,
and the potted chicken was made
into the piece de resistance of
delectable dinner, serving also as
the text of little homily direct
ed to the younger member of the |
family on the value of the poultry |
industry as a means of reducing
the Fl. G. of L. In spite of this
moralizing, however, the chicken
was enjoyed--in the well-known
phrase, "a good time was had by
ALL" |
Il do not refer to this personal
experience for the sake of suggest
Ing to this large and represen-
tative audience that similar con-
tributions to the family larder
VIII always be welcome, but
rather to call your attention to
little school in the open country
that has gone long way toward
what | consider to be
he important aim of rural educa-
ion.
This school, as l have said,
operates a poultry yard. 1t opera
es also productive school gar ).
len. Pure-bred poultry is its
Ipecialty in the one case; pure
'red seed corn in the other. It's
'roffts come from the selling of
ettings of eggs and from the sell
ing of corn for seed purposes.
With these profits the school plant
improved. Through added in
crest, a large comunity room has
cen added to the school building
y the district. An attractive
REPLACE gives a home-like atmo-
phere not only to the community {
oom, but to the classroom into 9
yhich it opens. Comfortable !
hairs, a small library and a
library table contribute to this
Iome-like atmosphere. In an !
'ther part of the building is a
,itchen where the children pre-
'are their warm luncheons and
where, imagine, my potted chick
N was put up.
Now, 1t is clear enough that a
chool might realize the aim of
ural education without operating
poultry year or a seed garden; !
is equally true that 1t might
POSSESS these and other adjuncts !
nd still fall short of being a I
ood school. But a prime essen d
ial Of effective rural education,
am sure, is that the rural school '
hall make an intelligent use of
he rich educative environment =
hat surrounds 1t. In this parti-
ular school the poultry yard and
he garden were sources OF educa-
ional materials and radiated .
tudies in arithmetic, in geo. =
raphy, in elementary science,
nd In language. In part, they T
'ere ends in themselves, but only
a part; of far greater Importance
Tas their service to larger ends.
hey were a starting point from
'hich the pupils were led out into
wider world; their contacts
ere multiplied; their horizon :
as extended" I