The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1922-05-04
MORE COMPETENT TEACHERS
FOR ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL


Some of the best rural schools il
America are found in the mountains
in fact. the Farragut School, - mile
below Knoxville. has been pronoun
ced the very best consolidated schoo
in the United States. Its course OF
study is made to meet the needs of
the people who patronize it. and it,
teachers have not been spoiled with
long years Of systematized and con-
ventionalzed teachers courses. When
they look at their job they don't see
"A cut and dried system To perpetuate.
but they see a lot Of real live farm
boys and girls who are to be trained
to make a good living, build up a
better neighborhood and be happy
and contented on the farm.
And those who have travelled wide
~ over the mountains know that all
sorts of schools are found from the
best down to the poorest. And all
sorts of teachers are found from the
highly efficient down to those who arc
dangerously near ignorant
There are something like 10000
elementary schools in the region.
enough to train every child il only
all the 10000 were manned by ca
pable teachers. Such teachers are
not available for all schools because
there are not enough training schools
for teachers. And the number is fur
ther diminished because some Of nor
NAL schools-there are nearly 20 in
the mountain-ars woefully slow in
giving teachers the kind Of training
that will enable them to teach the
kind of school the neighborhood
needs
Hundreds and hundreds of schools
do not attract children because they
have nothing TO give. And a lot of
them don't have anything worth
while because they didn't get the
right sort of training in the training
schools.
There are a few things that every
student in a normal school in the
mountains ought to get.
l. He ought to have course in
woodwork. Any teacher who goes
out to teach a country school with
out the ability to use common tools
is only half prepared
2. Weaving and needlework I'm
less every young woman who gradu-
ates knows how to weave and sew
she is badly handicapped for the
best work.
3. Fruit culture and elementary
agriculture. This should include the
methods of preserving fruits and
vegetables for winter use.
4. Care of children. When nursing
courses are put into all normal
schools and all students are required
to take them the ills Of childhood
will begin TO grow fewer and less
serious.
3. Recreation for the open country.
No student should ever be PERMITTED
to graduate from a normal school
who has not had thorough training
and practice in playground work.
6. History Of the Anglo.Saxon
peoples. The people Of the noun
tains have a great heritage, and they
should know what their forefathers
and kinsmen have done for the world.
z Courses in practical problems
of citizenship.
IL matters not whether these
things are or are not required by
state law; the normal school that
gives it's students such training will
render the largest service to the peo.
pie.
About 60 percent Of parents IN the
open country in the mountains have
had no training beyond the 5th grade.
Teachers and educators are response
BILE for this. Only about 6 percent
of parents have had any training be-
yond the 9Th grade. This condition
will not change materially until a
lot Of reconstructing Is done in the
teacher-training business Of the
mountains
John F. Smith