Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-10-01
BURRIS TAKES
SUPERVISION OF
STATE SCHOOLS
Continued From Page one.)

nlzed by teacher training courses in
some fifteen States. The rural school
| should become a living center not only
for instructing the young, but for in
| structing the older persons as well. The
rural school SHOULD serve more effective
ly for the complete upbuilding of country
community life. The problem Of the
rural teacher is such that she should be
| especially suited for it either by expe-
rience or training, preferably both. More
of lndiana's rural schools should be bet
ter organized and better conducted They
| must be made to serve the State more
| completely than now.
After all is said about school method
| buildings. equipment, etc, it remains that
! 20 per cent Of any school is the teacher
| The chief problem of every school sys-
TEN is that of securing a corps of teach
ers-all of whom are capable, willing, and
effective as MISUNDERSTANDING who can
develop in children habits OF honesty and
industry, who can develop in children a
spirit OF sef-reliance, who have the abil-
ity to hold children responsible for def
mite things well done; teachers who com
/ prehend that the school is not organ
lied to teach geography and Latin, but
rather to use these instruments as
means of developing efficient, patriotic
citizens. This requires a corps Of teach
ers Of mature age and broad treining,
those coming from the highest ,cass Of
Indiana citizenship. be they rich o: poor.
We must never forget that successful
I teaching Is species of service requiring
the best ability and highest conservation.
There are many lessons to be deduced
from facts brought to light during the
late war. OF these none is more i'm
portant to the State and Nation than
that respecting the health of the people.
Medical examinations of war draft boards
disclosed that under the first selective
draft 730756 men were rejected for phys
ical reasons; that on this basis about
80 per cent of the entire Nation are moro
or less physically unsound. Upon inves-
tigatlon 1t is declared by a reliable au-
thority that most Of these persons could
have been saved for productive occupa
tions and could have become happy and
self disappearing citizens had their health
and physical well being been properly
cared for while they were children In
school Then, too, mental development
is contingent upon good health. The truth
Is, 10 the amazement OF most Of us. the
health condition of country children is
not so good as that of city children;
yet the rural schools, as compared with
the leading city schools, have been slow
IN providing medical inspection and fol-
low-up work by a school nurse to pro-
tect the health of the children. AS yet
the problem of health scarcely has been
touched in a great majority Of our rural
schools. and not a few Of our city schools
have been slow in providing adequate
means for the imperative needs Of better
health conditions Of school children
Our form of government, in It's final
analysis, must rest on the Intelligence
OF the people; and If a democracy with
diverse traditions and interests. ss In
diana has, IS to live and continually. grow
strong. IL will be because OF the social
and ethical ideals fostereo by our schools.
The schools may do thei part yet there
IS danger unless the state sees 70 It that
the young are brought lnder the schools
Influence. 1t is much the duty OF the
State TO SEQ that children attend school
as Il Is the duty of the State to estab-
lish and maintain the schools. Unfortu-
nately, there are those IN our common
wealth loath TO send their children 20
school regularly. Heretofore this atti-
tude or Indifference toward the schools.
more pronounced In some localities than
others, has gone along UNDECIDED by the
State. The Legislature Of 1921, recog
nlzing this situation, enacted a compul-
sorry school attendance law, placing In
diana conSpicuously forward in the mat
ter Of seeing 10 II that not only a part,
bu tall the youths OF the State obtain
that degree OF training essential 10 eff
Client participation IN the life of the com
munlty. II will be the business Of this
department, working in conjunction with
the State board Of attendance, the State
attendance officer, county ara city at-
tendance officers, TO enforce this law. The
putlic may be assured that this office
in the coming months will lend every
effort to the proper enforcement OF Its
provisions, having due regard for the
rights OF children who may be lawfully
exempt by reason this act.
There are other problems to which the
efforts of this department Will be direct
ell during the coming months. such as
Americanlzation; the need Of exercising
due diligence for the economic admins
tratlon OF the schools; the administration
Of the State aid fund so that Il viii con-
tribute in he most effective way in the
establishment OF good schools and at
the same time foster a spirit for local
support consistent with the ability of the
community to pay; the problem Of I'M
proving teachers In service through a
reorganized and revitalized county teach
ers' institute; and other problems which
may arise and require the departments
consideration from time to time"
sBefore leaving his office Mr.. Hines
made a report to Governor Warren Z.
McCray, portion of which follows:
an going over the general school sit
uation in Indiana, ! Will say that ! am
greatly pleased with the attitude OF the
people In general toward the question
Of the advancement of our schools.
Everywhere and always we have found
hundreds of fathers and mothers who
have shown their interest in getting
better school advantages for their chill
dren. The people want good schools
and they want Indiana to have as good
State school system as any other State
has.
In suggesting things that are still
needed for our school system, l would
enumerate the following
Il. More consolidated schools.
"2. Equal school advantages for coun-
try and city children.
"3. A greater supply Of better trained
teachers for rural schools.
~. The elimination of politics from
the election of county superintendent.
3. Erection of homes for teachers in
rural districts.
"6. Adoption of the county unit OF
school administration In some form or
othet.
80. Distribution Of State school funds
on the basis of attendance.
IS. Adoption of all textbooks by the
State board Of education ON the same
date.
20. At least a slight increase in the
amount Of State funds for support Of yo-