Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-02-24

Marion Brainerd. Refreshments Of
sandwiches, nuts candies and ice
cream were also served.
During the reception = delightful
musical program was given. including
selections by the White Sisters or
chestra of this city and vocal num-
hers by John b. Brown.
EVENING SESSION
State Superintendent of Schools Au-
gustus o. Thomas occupied the eve
ming with an illustrated lecture on
rural education. He traced the hiss
tory of the country school from lis
beginning to its ultimate conclusion.
| He said that our city systems are fast
| approaching efficiency and are giving
| to the boys and girls in the centsrs of
! population wonderful opportunities for
! an education which will function in
| their lives. but that the country boys
and girls are handicapped. He stated
| there would be no let-up in the cam
paign until the country school is the
bes, that it can be made. He spoke
! of the necessity of better facilities. of
| as good teachers for the country
/ school as for the city school, of more
F! sympathetic comradeship on the part
| of the people for the teacher. of bet
| ter sanitary conditions and of the
need of the right sort of transpor.a-
| tion where transportation is required.
| He advocated as comfortable and sa fe
l fray 70 a.
| provide for their fathers and mothers
who reside in the suburbs of the city
and transact their business in the city.
! He said We are transporting chill
dren to over 400 schools in Maine
and that in many instances the chill
dren We're simply piled into an open
conveyance without suitable wraps
and without protection. 1t will take
4 little time before all transports
used for school purposes will be of
| the right sort. superintendent
Thomas showed the newer type of
consolidated schools which have
! been gaining ground in many sec
tons of the county. He showed
that it Is both possible and feasible
to have as good schools in the coun-
| try as it is in the city districts: in
fact better for the sole inter rest OF
the country community can be CEN
tered-as has been demonstrated
time and again-on school activities.
while the city school has hundred
competitors wing for attention.
In tie pictures he showed the
new buildings teachers cottages.
m odern transportation and modern
school processes which must con-
vince anyone who saw it of the mer-
it's of thAse new schools. He. also
said that Maine had already intro
duced the proper sort Of conveyance
and that these are heated. They are
built for the children and have little
heaters slung on the sides Of the
wagon or underneath. Where auto
mobiles are used they are heated
| from the exhaust. When winter
comes the wheels are taken off and
runners put on. These wagons are
comfortable in the coolest weather.
i When it is % degrees below zero out
side. it will be 60 above in the wa gon
/ or the sled Parents do not object
to a drive which is made in absolute
comfort and safety. but they do OBJ
! iect to poor accomm oda tons and
nothing has initiated against the
school improvement so much. He
said to build the country schools as
good as the ordinary city school
system would require tremendous
sum of money: but the time will
come when Tire people will regard
the farmers es worthy the price.
when we can afford for our country
towns the right sort of school sys-
TENS. one Of the greatest obstacles OF
the development OF a high type o!
country life will be overcome.
/ During the course of the address
many pictures OF Maine schools were
shown. showing that improvements
f! in rural sections are coming very
/ rapidly in many instances and also
very satisfactorily. Better buildings
are being provided and a complete
| physical education program Is being
promulgated. The children In the
country schools are having warm
noon luncheons. Patriotic instruc-
/ ton is being promulgated. There
! were pictures of school buildings OF
/ the old type and also of modern
structures which are replacing the
! old safeguarding in every particular
! the welfare of the child. They are
perfect in light heat and sanitary
conditions. Among these pictures
was shown a map of the typical town
in Maine having FIVE small schools,
the farthest from the center about
three miles. on three highways; each
single teacher school. where 1t
would lie feasible and practical to
build a modern plant OF the highest
tvpe of efficiency with no inconven-
fence and very little additional ex-
pense.
Following DR.. Thomas valuable
address a round table discussion was
held.
The conference will he continued
today. with sessions at go A. NJ. and
1.30 T. NJ.
MONMOUTH