News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1922-11-29
FOR BETTER RURAL SCHOOLS

any particular SGuCOl, the size OF the
grounds and the number of pupils
must be taken into consideration.
Where the playground is large, pro-
vision can be made for the following
games: baseball, volley ball, tennis
and croquet. The smaller children
should be taught various bean bag
games, circle games, etc.
Folk games and dances will also
furnish variety to the play pro-
grams.
A sand bin makes possible a very
profitable form of play for small
children. The size Of the bin depends
on the number of children to use it..
If there are no available funds for
buying the lumber, waste boards can
often be brought from the homes of
pupils. In most cases the larger
pupils will be glad to make the bin
as service to the school.
Experience has shown that in order
to get the best results from play
there must be a competent leader in
charge of the Fairgrounds.
Anyone who is at all familiar with
the nature of school work under
stands the very great Importance of
having suitable equipment. 1t is as
absurd to try to conduct a school
without the necessary aids such as
| have mentioned as it is to try to
run farm without implements or to
build house without tools. Yet
great many schools are not supplied
with the things needed and the rea-
son frequently is that there are no
funds with which to buy material. 1t
most frequently happens, however,
that the lack of funds is due to lack
of interest on the part of the people,
especially4in rural districts in helping
to promote the school usefulness to
the community. The value of organ
lied effort is being well recognized
and the practice of forming organi-
cations of various kinds has become
quite common. Here it usually takes
the form Of parents association of
some sort. In rural districts only
beginning has been made, and few
have succeeded in forming and main
tanning parents orgaization of
some sort, while great majority of
such schools are still deprived of the
benefits that come from a we'll organ
lied systematic effort for the i'm
provement of the schools.
We have already learned that the
lack of funds is one of the chief
drawbacks to the school in many
localities. The teacher is confronted
with the problem of how to raise
funds with which to buy the equip
ment necessary to the success of the
school.
In case the school board hesitates
or refuses to provide suitable equip
ment there are many other means
which may be used. Ice cream socials
and basket suppers are among the
oldest and most widely used. Popu-
larity contests are sometimes con-
Quoted, the usual plan being to offer
a cake as prize to the most popu-
lar lady present.
Stereopticon entertainments, lee
lures and musical programs are
excellent methods of raising money
for school purposes.
The school bazaar is another
method which has given good results
in many cases. This method consists
of having a sale of articles made by
the pupils, such as aprons, handker-
chiefs, candy, etc.
A vegetable day for the collection
of products from the school garden.
Entertainments appropriate to spe-
cial days have been used success
fully.
A school play, home talent play,
an old folks spelling match, athletic
contests with other schools are
methods used for raising money.
In attempting to raise money for
the school | would suggest that the
following objects be kept in mind:
1) To equip the school for better
work.
(2) To bring the people of the
community together at the school
house for common purpose.
CD To make patrons more famil-
lar with the actual work and condi-
tions of the school.
(4) To arouse a public interest
and pride in the school.
In order to obtain a standard the
teacher must be endowed with will
to accomplish results, and a personal
ity that will cause taxpayers to have
faith in her ideals and her practical
ability.
Rural schools should be brought to
high state of efficiency. In order to
achieve such efficiency certain stipu-
lated educational and building re-
quirements must be met.
The children are not only benefited
by these, changes from a dismal
barn-like structure to an Improved
Rural School," to say nothing of the
incidental benefits received by the
community as a whole if they would
but realize it. l also believe that
higher standard will arouse interest
and ambition and that many more
pupils than formerly will be en-
couraged to go on to the high schools
of the state, and thence to colleges
and professional schools.
What has already been accom-
plished along this line is notable
step in the right direction.
AGNES NJ. SARGENT,
R. D. No. 1, Rutland, VT.
Post School