The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-02-23
fame OF WAYNE COUNTY SCHOOL INSTRUCTION
SPREAD BY ARTICLE BY MISS STELLA HARTMAN

That the fame of Wayne county
schools, and particularly the domestic
science instruction In those schools,
has travelled beyond the confines of
Wayne county is evidenced by the spe-
cial article on that subject which has
appeared in current issue of an In
dianapolis publication. Educational
Issues" in the January number, car
ries a very full descriptive article COW
ering the subject.
Miss Stella Hartman, domestic sci
ence supervisor of Wayne county
schools, wrote the article at the re-
quest of the editor of the Indianapolis
magazine which circulates among the
teachers OF the state. The article fol-
lows:
1t was July IL, 1915, when the
Wayne county board of township trus-
tees met at the courthouse in Rich
mond in special session to discuss
important topics of business being pre-
sented at that time. that the work of
a county supervisor of domestic sci
ence was originated.
Suggests Supervisor
The state department of education,
10 try out the plan, requested that
Wayne county employ county super
visor OF domestic science who would
have supervision of all domestic sci
ence work in the township schools of
the county. Conditions were right for
action for from reports made by in
spectors and from data gathered over
the county by trustees and school
officials, Ii was apparent that consid-
cradle money was being wasted by
the methods pursued.
There was lack of correlation be-
tween the work of the grades and the
high school, the various teachers were
not pursuing the same courses nor
getting anything like the same results
and it was apparent that the grade
teachers were very badly in need OF
help in this prevocational work
A resolution was presented and mo-
ton carried that the board of trustees
should employ county supervisor of
domestic science for one school year
On the recommendation of DR.. Book,
head of the vocational department of
the state board of education, Miss
Grace l.. King, a graduate of Purdue
university, and with two years expert
ence in this kind of work, was elected
county supervisor for the township
schools for the year beginning Sept.
4, 1915.
committee was appointed to make
contract with Miss King, to devise a
plan of payment for her services and
to formulate rules under which she
should work.
Miss King made very careful
study of the conditions and devised
urhi oh ha Of
help TO the teachers, especially those
in the rural districts.
For time Miss King used a livery
outfit in getting to the outlying dis
tricts but later she purchased an auto
mobile in which she made her trips,
thus bringing her schools much closer
together
Returns to University.
After having served as county SUI
pervisor of domestic science for two
years. Miss King resigned to take I'D
work with Purdue university. Miss
Nina Short was elected to fill the va
cancy existed during part of the year,
1919.
The teachers again found them.
selves wandering and unable to do
very much home economics work as
required by the state course of study
The county board of education again
came to the rescue in October, 1919
and elected Miss Stella A. Hartman. q
former teacher of home economics
and former home demonstration
agent in Indiana, as the county su
pervisor of domestic science
For the first two years of Miss Har
mans work in Wayne county the
books by Kline and Cooley on Cloth
ing and Health" and THE Home anC
the Family" were used alternately fol
class reference work. Such pieces as
would involve the fundamental stitch
es in hand sewing. few decorative
stitches, and beginning garment max
ing, with the use of the machine. were
given as class problems.
In the study of "The Home and the
Family" the children found some yer,
interesting work in planning the home
in furnishing the various rooms, in the
wood finishings, floor coverings. wal
paper designs, hangings, cost ant
styles of furniture the care of tn,
family, etc.
This included considerable not,
book work and charts illustrated will
pictures cut from magazines and ad
Vertising material Before KNOWING
the reasons for selecting furnishing!
1t was not unusual TO find that som,
girls had furnished their bedrooms
with rugs of the many-colored bi!
flower design and kitchens with tn,
big scallop large design lace curtains
II is the plan to make the work o