Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-05-24

view to establishing uniform stand
ards of hay grades.
Brief though this report IL. the
committee feels that the plans here
with submitted should merit tho
support and receive the hearty CO.
operation Of all organizations come
posing the Maine Federation OF
Agricultural Associations. Agrees
sive and definite action along these
lines will open the way for broader
activities In the future for the many
agricultural products Of the State.
The marketing committees report
was accepted, and the committee in
structed to take the next step, which
is to assist the Department Of
Agricultural and other agencies to
carry into effect the recommenda-,
tons.
Or. Thomas Diseourees on Rural
Schools
Through its chairman, Mr.. Purin-
ton, the committee on rural schools
submitted only a preliminary report
of PROGRESS. and suggested that DR..
Thomas, State superintendent of
schools, be invited into the confer
ence to talk on the subject in hand.
Before DR.. Thomas came in there
was a sort of round table discussion
of the question of what is most
needed to improve the condition of
the rural schools and thereby to en-
courage rural community life.
DR.. Merrill expressed disapproval of
the present custom of grading down
teachers salaries and school equip
ment, giving first consideration to the
high schools, second to the village
schools and last to the rural schools.
The first step toward improvement of
the rural schools should be to bring
about a fair division of the funds.
President Leland said that in his
town the difference between the SAL
aries paid the rural teachers and
those of the village schools CORE
spends with the difference in prices of
board in the country and in the viii
lagos.
But isn't the difference in cost of
board Offset by the difference in priv
iIeges as between the rural commune
ties and the village or c1y?' DR.. Mer-
rill asked.
Yes Mr.. Leland replied land our
experience shows that most teachers
prefer the village schools, in spite of
the difference in cost of board
DR.. Merrill: do You know any
way to induce the rural teachers to
remain?
Mr.. Leland: NO, I do not"
Nor l." remarked Mr.. Porter of
Ircsque Isle unless it Re that q
farmers son has a good aut>mopiIe.
That combination may interest them"
At this point in the discussion DR..
Thomas entered the room. was intro
duced by Mr.. Purinton of the COM
mittee. and for half hour he dis
coursed very interestingly on the ru-
raj school problem, which is favor
lite topic with him. He said that the
rural schools are entitled to as coed
teachers as are the villages ami cities,
and as the head of the school depart
ment IN Maine he is using bis best
cndeaVor to make them so, though it
is slow process.
He uotlined the Maine plan of select
merit and training them at the States
expense to become special or model"
teachers in rural schools, the State
adding to their salaries % per cent. of
the amount paid them by the towns.
Under this plan 100 such teachers may
be selected each year for such service.
The first year he was able to muster
only SO, the last year only "a. but the
good results of the plan are manifest
and he believes that henccfortr it will
be possible to get 100 each year and
that their work will be of great ben
eft in working out the problem of ru-
raj school betterment.
Comfortable means of Transporter
ton for the scholars consolidation of
schools where advisable, more atten-
ton to conditions of sanitation and
comfort in the arrangement of the
buildings, safeguarding the moral and
physical life of the scholars ard MAX
ing the terms of the rural schools
correspond with those of city schools
These were phases of the problem of
rural SCHOOL betterment on which DR.
Thomas laid stress.
At the suggestion of Dr. Merrill
the COMMITTEES will have conference
with DIR. Thomas and with him go
thoroughly over his plans before re-
porting to the federation.
Secretary a. l.. T. Cummings of the
federation was authorized to send to
all the oranges and farm bureaus in
Maine copies of a brief outline of the
action thus far taken and of the aim
of the several committees in handling
the problems assigned them.