ISG7 Lo8 Angeles State Normal School Magazine AprU, 1917 THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES ■auisouaauoiAVd t i'x V^ Los Angeles State Normal School Magazine APRIL, 1917 Subscription Price 50 cents per Annum Single copies 15 cents Volume II, Number 1 ARTHUR AMSDEN MACURDA. Editor CALIFORNIA STATE PRINTING OFFICE SACRAMENTO "SC^^O L V THE RURAL SCHOOL Its Needs and a Few Suggestions for Its Improvement ELIZABETH E. KEPPIE Los Angeles State Normal School THE RURAL SCHOOL AND ITS NEEDS The problem Much has been said and written during the past decade on rural schools, their deficiencies, and the much needed improvement. Such slogans as "Back to the Land." "Stay on the Farm." "The Country School of Today for the Country Boy of Tomorrow" are familiar to. all readers of the daily papers. The little red schoolhouse, the pride of the pioneers, served its purpose well and because it met a necessitj', continued to exist. But the box car type of school of pioneer days no longer meets the demands of the day. "Tradition dies hard," and it is difficult for some people to realize that the sacred little red schoolhouse with its hallowed carved desks and moss-covered water bucket must go. The changed social and economic conditions of farm life today demand a new type of .school that will train the youth of our rural communities to meet efficiently the great industrial opportunities and the social needs of rural' life in the new century. The reports of the United States Bureau of Education reveal to us that improvement is going on all over the coxmtry. The movement for more effective home and school cooperation is nation-wide. Yet, judging from letters received from recent graduates of our normal scliools, from complaints made by teachers, old and young, at our annual institutes, from reports from rural workers, and from talks with investigators and S'ducators in the rural field, we are forced to conclude that in many cases the rural school lacks intelligent and economical management, adequate supervision, and efficient teachers. The enthusiastic Maj^ dream of the day when an ideal teacher ("if there be such an animal") may be placed in every rural school ; but something more than an ideal teacher is needed. .Every agency connected with the rural school and its community must awaken to tlie fact that it is responsible for its share in helping to solve the problem. The normal school, the county superintendent, the rural supervisor, the trustees or school boards, the country people, and the voters at large, as well as the teacher, have each their part to perform. After hearing students of tjic normal school give as some of their reasons for not wishing to teach in the country the following: "Buildings poorly heated and ventilated" ; "j^ards small, treeless, and lacking equipment" ; "no janitor service" ; "too many grades" ; "unsatisfactory boarding places" ; "no opportunity to attend lectures, concerts, church, or entertainment of any sort"; "too lone- some" ; "salary too small" ; "no chance to get to town" ; one can not wonder why some of our best graduates never find their way into a country school ; or if they do, why their stay is brief. Purpose of visit With some of the above ideas in mind, wishing to direct my enthusiasm into practical channels, and desiring to prove to my personal satisfaction that things had improved since I taught in a rural school. T obtained from the Normal School of Los Angeles, in January, 1916. a three months' leave of absence in order to visit and study a few of the rural schools of southern California. During this period I visited schools and observed rural school conditions in nine counties; in four of them my study was rather intensive. My original plan was to spend a week in each school ; but subsequently I found I could get a 2—3001.:; (5) more coniprclu'iisivc view nf tlu- firld In (li\ ilie>' 1 followed whenever roads and weather i)ermitted. Ik-fore starting on my trip I was fortuiiale in seenrins- the cooperation of four county superintendents. ]\ly ])art was to study the schools and conditions and to help the schools by giving suggestions and, if advisable, by teaching. They agreed to bespeak for me a boarding place near the school, and to indicate for my study schools with as great type variations as their counties afforded. The superintendents fulfilled their part of the bargain punctiliously, for, during the three months, I ran the complete gamut of communities, buildings, pupils, and teachers. r?efore going into a di.scussion of the remedies for some of the defects in rural schools, by way of evidence that in this day of model dairies, model farms, and model kitchens, we people of southern California have not overmuch to l)oast of as regards model schools, let nie venture to submit the results of a brief survey of my trip. Teachers W'itli one exception, the schools I visited were taught by graduates of normal schools and colleges. One teacher was teaching on a county certificate obtained by examination. With three exceptions the teachers were in their hrst or second year of teaching. Their .salaries ranged from $75 to $133 a month for an eight or nine months school year. Equipment Five schools were affiliated with the county library. The rest had libraries of their own, but in many ca.ses the selection of books was bad. Old sets of books, far beyond the comprehension of the children, and covered with dust, were in evidence in many schools. The equipment, aside from the state textbooks, a few maps, writing and blackboard material, was very meager. Eight schools had sanitary towels and two had sand tables. Two had work benches. One had a stove for cooking hot lunches, or for demonstration purposes, as well as a good supply of materials for occupational work. Four schools had no school flag out of doors. Pupils The children were for the most part of American birth and parentage. One school had only Italians and Danes. One school had only Italians and three Americans. Two schools had only Mexicans. One school had a majority of Italians and Portuguese. Buildings .Seven schools were modern and in good repair. One school met in the front room of the home of the clerk of the trustees. One school had no dressing room, entry, or closet. Two schools were in bad repair. Nine schools were of the little box car type with entry for clothes, lunch l)oxes, and drinking equipment. Lighting Eight were correctly lighted. Two had light from the rear and left. Three had light from the rear and right. Six had light from the left and right. One had light from dormer windows s£t more than fifteen feet from the floor on the riglvt and left sides and from a small window in the rear. ( ( ; I Heating One was heated l>.v a furnace. (Jne had a jacketed stove. I'our had a zinc screen on two sides of the strive. Fourteen had unjacketed stoves. Ventilation One scliool had a venlihiting s.vsteni. Three schools had transoms. The others had neither window l)oards nor other devices to prevent a direct draught l)lowing U])on those seated near the windows. Drinking equipment Two schools were using i)ails and a community cup. Eight schools had each a faucet and a community cup. Three schools had pumps and community cups. Three had faucets and individual cups. Four scliools had l)uhl)Ie fountains. Playgrounds Twelve yards had trees and shrubs. Four yards had school gardens. Four had neither tree nor shrub, generally due to lack of water. Five had no play equipment, not even bats and balls. The rest had an equipment which ranged from one piece, the giant stride, a swing, a chinning l)ar, or a teeter, to an equipment of four or five pieces. As a rule the playground was too small, ranging from a quarter of an acre to one acre. One .school had four acres with orchard shade trees and two lunch pavilions. Outbuildings Four outbuildings were in good condition. Four outbuildings had flushing systems. One outbuilding had no door. Xine had unscreened entrances. Two needed cleaning and repairing. Community interests None of the schools had community centers or parent-teacher organizations. Church services were held in four of the schools. Farm advisors' meetings were held in one school which had a hall with platform and curtain on wire. Socials and parties were held in six schools. Many teachers were not enthusiastic about trying to foster community interests. Some were anxious, but needed assistance in stimulating interest in the neighborhood. One school had a well established community spirit but no organization, and in this .school the young teacher was indifferent to the interests of the patrons of the school. In one school an annual picnic of the pupils and their parents was held ; in another a clean-up day, when the men of the community plowed up the ground for a school garden and did any repair work the school needed, while the women and children cleaned the school and yard and prepared the picnic lunch. If the above report is a fair indication of the condition of the material equipment and facilities of rural schools in southern California, we have little to "boost" or boast about and nuich to do. Agencies whose cooperation is needed If. as is generally ackmiwletlged, the country boys and girls are the nation's greatest asset, how can we help make this potential asset more valuable to its community? The answer is obvious: by improving the social and educational advantages of the country child ; by educating the people of the rural community. (7) by rcndcrin,^' the county superintendent more assistance in the work of super- vision, and by preparing teachers especially to meet the rural problems. Let us consider the agencies concerned in this campaign for rural school improvement. Since the work of tlie normal school is to prepare teachers, perhaps it stands first. Normal school presidents, and other leaders in education, see clearly the need of specialized preparation for rural teaching. Many schools have a special department of rural education, consisting of courses in : Rural School Sociology, Rural School Management, Rural School Methods, Rural School Observation, and Rural School Practice. Some are ofifering two or three of these courses ; and a few, none at all. THE NORMAL SCHOOL AND COLLEGE Preparation of the teacher Of the needs of the rural scliool, the preparation of teachers is the most important. Let us here consider the college or normal school graduate only. How is a young man or woman, trained only for city school work, to handle successfully the rural school? Many a young teacher has never been inside a rural school until the day she enters upon her duties as teacher in some country school of eight grades. The normal schools and colleges in general are preparing their graduates for grade school positions. Only a few normal schools and colleges have access to rural schools for demonstration and practice teaching. Is it reasonable, then, to expect a novice in the profession to become an efficient rural teacher in her first year? ,We expect of her the inipossilile and wonder at her first failure. Is it not possible for our county and normal school boards to work out a plan, whereby the student teacher may be trained to cope successfully with the rural school problems without exploiting the country child? After my study of teachers during their first two years of work in the rural school, my conclusion is, that every normal school and college "should have its course so arranged as to give its students opportunity to observe teaching and obtain practice in rural schools. Only by so doing can they adequately prepare their graduates to teach in the rural schools of California. Student teachers usually do cadet teaching in city schools. Naturally they feel capable of filling grade positions. No wonder, then, that the majority try first to locate them- selves in the city, and only after failing in this, do they apply for a country school. With their eyes and minds still on the city "job," thej^ at the earliest opportunity, accept a mediocre city position in preference to a remunerative country position with its endless possibilities. As their training has led them to think in terms of the graded school in the city they are blind to their oppor- tunities in the rural district. Some plan should be formulated whereb.v student-teachers may practice in a rural school. Why is it not possible for a sufficient number of one and two-room rural schools to be used for demonstration purposes ? Iowa State Teachers College has nine such schools, many other eastern institutions have one or more, the Fresno Normal School has one fine model rural school, while Los Angeles Normal School, during the past year, has secured six schools in Los Angeles County for observation and practice work. Can v.'e in California afiford to lag behind in the preparation of our teachers? Let the county superintendents have their strongest rural schools used by the normal school as schools for practice. It might be arranged that the normal school pay part of the teacher's salary. (S) After the student has taken the rural teacher's course in the normal school, she might work for a month in one of the demonstration schools as assistant to the regular teacher. Tims would the county school receive help and inspira- tion from the normal school; ihe best methods of teaching rural schools could be worked out by the normal school faculty; and the student-teacher would learn rural problems through actual experience. If the feeling that the country child will be best educated if taught in terms of country life be true, surely the teacher who 'is going to instruct that child should also be trained in terms of country life. Every student in a normal school if he is planning to work in the country, should be given first, a broad course covering the various phases of rural problems — industrial, social, educational ; second, special application of these subjects through practice teaching in a good rural school ; third, a chance to sec model teaching under standard conditions in a rural school in charge of an expert teacher. The work of the normal school is not finished, so far as it concerns the rural school teacher, when it hands him his diploma. L. H. Jones in his "Education as Growth" says, "I know through long experi- ence in teaching and supervision of schools, that these young teachers who at first do well by native grace, lose their power after a while unless they grow interested in a more scientific study of their work. The supply of native or inherited tact is soon exhausted, and their interest, at first stimulated by novelty, begins to wane unless a careful study of human nature and needs supplies a more perma- nent set of motives. Without such study a teacher who started oflf as a wise, tactful, successful worker frequently grows into a routine follower of form and ends in being a mediocre, commonplace, dissatisfied drudge." The graduate who goes into city or village school work has supervision by a superintendent and special subject supervisors. The rural school teacher still needs the supervision of the normal school. The normal school should have, at least, one member of its faculty in the field, guiding and inspiring its recent graduates, instructing the older ones in the best methods of teaching, and influencing those who have gotten into a rut to attend summer school. Through this work the normal school would keep in touch with the conditions under which its graduates were teaching, devise the best ways of preparing its students to meet community problems, and be more capable of filling vacancies with graduates especially suited for particular localities. Another sort of follow-up work is carried on by means of correspondence courses. These courses should be. designed to assist those holding county certifi- cates to secure a normal school training through the work which they outline and direct and through summer school work, as well as to help the young teacher by further professional study. This plan is being used by the state university and a few normal schools, and might well be copied by all. Such extension work gives vision and awakens hope in hundreds of teachers, and thus the life of the rural school itself is quickened. A third means of helping the teacher in the country is being used in Ohio and Illinois. Special instructors from the normal school devote all their time to extension teaching. These instructors form centers to which the teachers come once a week and receive instruction in the Principles of Teaching, Agri- culture, and Methods. Lessons are assigned and prepared, and recitations conducted as at the normal school. Much success has attended these courses, and many teachers have been induced to continue professional study, as a result. (9) Supervision So much lias liccii written and said upon tliis subject, thai it is an old story. Nevertheless rural supervision in California is still in the future tense. Every one must acknowledge that the rural teacher needs encouragement and practical help as much, at least, as the city teacher. The latter has one grade; the rural teacher has all grades. The city teacher has associate teachers, supervisors, a principal, and superintendent to guide her; the rural teacher has a superintendent who makes an annual or semi-annual visit, which may embarrass more than help her, if she is new at the business. Of course, we hear much said about its being good for the novice in teaching, to be flung upon her own resources and allowed to work out her own salvation. But do any of you who have worked with young teachers, in their first schools, really believe it? Until more assistance and support are vouchsafed the county superintendent in his task of visiting and instructing young teachers, we may look for little progress in the schools under his control. This already overworked official can not, with the great field he has to cover, give his teachers the assistance they need, and which he would gladly furnish. The county superintendent requires assistance, and the county schools and teachers are indeed "shouting" for it. Many a failure during the first year of teaching could be prevented by a little supervision of the right kind. The pride of the girl and her reputation as a teacher could be saved if some big-hearted, broad-minded supervisor happened along at the p.sychological moment and helped the teacher to turn seeming defeat into victory. How many city teachers look back upon their country school experience as a horrible nightmare and say, "Never would I want my worst enemy to go through that trial. Through ignorance of rural conditions, T didn't know what to do, and I was afraid to ask the trustees for fear they would think me incapable. Then the superintendent never got around to see tne until Christmas." The rural schools in certain counties of North Carolina, Oregon, Indiana, Mississippi, Tennes.see, Vermont, West Virginia, Minnesota, Texas, and Louisiana, and many other states have special supervi.sors of various special, as well as general, subjects. How many special rural supervisors have we in California? The work of these supervisors is to visit, demonstrate, and instruct teachers in methods of teaching and to hold frequent teachers' meetings. By this special supervision the young, weak, inexperienced teacher is being improved, and the work of the country school standardized to meet the rural needs. Frequent teachers' meetings and chances for the teachers to visit good rural schools are made possible through the work of supervisors in rural schools. A model school centrally located for a dozen or less teachers may be selected. Here the supervisor might have a specially selected teacher, one who seems better adapted for the work than some of the others. To her might be given special supervision, in order that she might demonstrate what a rural school should be. Each teacher within a certain radius should then be required to spend one day each term in this school, observing on her first, and doing some teaching, under the direction of this model teacher, on her second visit. Another plan provides for a number of teachers to visit such a model school, spend the morning in observation and the afternoon in discussion of the methods employed with the supervisor. Such a plan might take the place of institute attendance with niucli better results for rural teachers. The work demanded of county school superintendents often makes it impossible for them to give more than one visit a year. A bill was before the state legislature two years ago, asking for the appropriation lo meet the need of salaries for rural (10) school supcrvisfjrs. It was defeated. This year it is to be again presented, slightly changed. Will it receive consideration, or will its fate be the same as before, while again the secondary school requests are granted? If such should be the case, then surely the people of California should have their eyes and hearts opened to the needs of the elementary rural schools of the state. Consolidation -Another means for insuring needed improvement is consolidation. To this we nuist educate the country trustee and the parents. Facts regarding the advantages of consolidation must be disseminated among the country people. A law which would make.it impossible for a one-room school to have more than four grades might help. It look O. J. Kern eleven years to persuade the people in two com- munities to erect two consolidated schools. Does consolidation move as slowly in California? The trustees It is unfortunate tliat the impression has prevailed among country people that anyone can teach a rural school. The teacher in the one-room school must be skilled in handling all the subjects in all the grades; she must, without aid from outside, govern successfully. In many places she is regarded as the intellectual leader in the neighborhood; she must, therefore, try to make herself familiar witli the interests of the community. Since all these are most essential to success, her responsibility is much greater than that of the city teacher, and she should be a person of superior powers. If boards of trustees realized the demands made upon the rural teacher would they be ready and willing to hire a teacher from her photograph and her letter of application? The trustees need educating in the manner of securing their teachers. The appointment secretaries of the normal schools and the county superintendents in the annual trustees' meeting are trying to do this. But not until we have the best men and women in the district willing to serve as trustees, study the particular problems of their school, and then cooperate with the normal school in securing the most capable man or woman to till vacancies in rural schools, can we ever succeed in sending the skillful teacher to the place which more than any other needs her services. There is no reason for any school boards hiring an inefficient, untrained teacher. The salaries offered are equal, or better, than those offered in many city and town schools. Among the graduates from our normal schools, many of the most proficient are without schools, while many of the less capable tlnd schools through written application. If all the trustees would lay the problem of filling their schools, before the appointment secretary of the nearest normal school, not so many misfits would be made and less moving al)out of teachers would result. If trustees' meetings could be held in model, or standard, rural schools, on a normal school campus, or in a consolidated school building it is probable that the intimate association, even for one day annually, with the better architectural and other advantages to be observed, might result in improvements in their own scliools. upon their return home. The teacher's problems Many teachers start out witii enthusiasm, ability, confidence, and deternunation to meet and assist in solving the problems of the one-room school, but soon become discouraged and are glad to seek a new position for less money rather than return. So let us see what are some of their troubles. (11) Occupational work and the playground First and foremost stands occupational work — how to keep the different classes functionally employed hctwccn recitations. In the majority of schools visited, the number of classes "to be heard" in one day seemed to weaken the teacher's energies in other directions. In general, very little or no real occupational work had been planned and many teachers felt compelled to remain indoors, during part, or all, of the recess disciplining children, correcting papers, or putting work on the blackboard. During the periods between the recitations, the best work of the rural school is accomplished. It is during this period that the pupils learn habits of inhibition, concentration, and industrj^, or those of divided attention and listless dawdling. Let us consider, first, the handling of the period between the recitations. The solution of the problems here presented lies in providing the children with pur- posive, occupational work. By purposive, occupational work is meant that which engages the efforts of head, hearty and hand in the realization of some clearly defined end. This work should follow every recitation. It should corroborate and prove its discoveries ; it should elaborate the recitation by assisting the class better to organize the material it has acquired during the time spent with the teacher and it should give the pupil another means of expression. Occupational work becomes "idiot's delight" only when the head is left out of the process ; when it is simply something to keep the pupil busy ; when it is not planned to meet the individual requirement ; when it has no particular bearing on any work or subject studied. Occupational work should be measured l^y the child's ability and sliould be worthy of his best eflforts. When completed, the teacher's endorsement and suggestions for improvement should always be given. What is the use of doing things that nobody looks at or cares about? Every problem should tax the undivided attention and ingenuity of the worker. To diminish dawdling, success- ful completion of work in as short a time as is possible, should be encouraged. When a child has fmished the assigned task, he should be allowed to choose his next piece of work, from some closet or shelf where extra problems are kept; and be required to return it to its accustomed place when he has iinished with it. By studying each child's choice, the teacher grows to appreciate his individual bent, and is thus enabled to provide for his best development. Occupational work need not be limited to what can be done at seats and desks. Material, similar to that of the kindergarten or Montessori school, may be used on the floor. Some work needs the use of the table, while the sand pile and the blackboard, with their multitude of possibilities, should be at the disposal of the children for community problems. No rural teacher need become a drudge in the prepapartion of this work. Of course it takes time, but why not enlist the help of the larger pupils? • Wliere the teacher and pupils are pulling together, I have never seen a scarcity of volunteers. Besides, the sharing of the responsibility by the children makes for school spirit, and increases the efficiency of the workers. Many a listless pupil has been fired by the spirit of service by being allowed this privilege, and has thus become a self-reliant leader for good. But what the rural school needs is material for occupational work and teachers who know how to use it. If every rural teacher would enter on her requisition sheets, for the next few years, nothing but material for hand work, it is probable that they would be supplied with the necessities, at least. Of course, we know that if one has no material at all, she can not get everything in one year. But the wise teacher will find out the amount of money available and will order at first the most needed articles. Then gradually she will (12) add lo these as the funds permit. The progressive, tactful teacher will get what she needs, if slie has learned how to go about it. Let me enumerate materials for handwork, besides paper, pencils and ink, in the order of their necessity : Sand pile and table, clay or other plastic material, crayolas, scissors, bogus paper, paste, hectograph, rubber stamping outfit, card- board; tapestry needles, coarse thread or yarn; bench, hammers, saws, and nails; lumber, raffia, outline maps, watercolors and a Babcock milk-tester. The above must be purchased, unless the pupils bring them from home ; but the following may be collected or contributed by children : Acorn or eucalyptus cups, shells, pebbles, squash seeds, old magazines and newspapers, grasses, pine needles, rags for weaving, sewing materials, rakes, spades and garden seeds, and pro- visions- for hot lunches. Playgrounds and play Many rural schools have little or no playground apparatus. So much the more, then, should the teacher be on the playground. The majority of the schools, however, have balls and bats and plenty of playground. So with these at her command the teacher can make the recess time the happiest and not the least valuable period of the day. A rural teacher has no excuse for remaining indoors during the recess. Her place is on the school grounds organizing, coaching, and playing games with the pupils. Onl}^ in schools where the teacher would not, or could not, play with the children, did I find the moral tone low and the indoor discipline the dominant deficiency. Of all places the rural school is not the appropriate one for the woman who can not play and does not want to learn. If there is a teacher anywhere engaged in such work who has been delinquent along this line, but who wants to improve, my advice to her is : Go to some summer school where playground work is taught. The teacher who can play rises in the estimation of her pupils. Her ability to organize play and games gives her a prestige that nothing can dislodge. She gains a place in the hearts of her pupils that tides her over many difficulties, for she is their umpire in all disputes, and having become such, her word is law. This spirit is carried over into the school, and a new basis of friendship and cooperation is established. The sportsmanlike spirit of fair play and honest effort becomes the dominant quality of the classroom ; and the necessitj' for artificial control by the teacher is minimized. Only by supervised play can the moral tone of the school be kept pure and sweet. All hanging around is prohibited, for the game is on, and all must get into it. "We like poetry as we know it" may be applied to the game as well. A game must be well explained, initiated, and played to make it go. Since there is no other director of plaj'', the teacher is the only one in the rural school who can do this. She must be the moving spirit, so she must be fired by enthusiasm for the game, and must keep it going until the players also catch the same enthusiasm. Once the players catch the spirit the game motivates itself. Soon leaders develop, and they, in turn, become initiators of other games. But never should the teacher allow her interest to lag or her presence to be wanting on the playground. These two problems and their solution spell success or failure for the rural teacher. It is the wise use of a neglected margin that prepares the pupils to meet the emergencies of life, and grapple with them successfully. In the rural school this margin is the time behvcen classes, and the play periods. Let us, as teachers in these schools, give the "use of the margin" our very best planning. Plan for the study time not less than for the recitation for the one will include the other. When the teacher regards the occupational time more important than the (13) lecitation. and the play time more valual)le than correcting cliildren or papers, there will he no misfits in the schools, for each child, thron.t'h guided self- development, will become self-reliant and work out his own salvation. It is during the recess period, too, that the moral tone of the school and the spirit of honesty, fair-play, comradesliip and cooperation are established. Can any teacher who wants to be a success in the rural school afford to neglect the opportunities of these two periods? Course of study and the program Besides providing an abundance of occupational work and caring for liie recess and play periods, the necessity for covering the course of study, and for making a program which gives sufficient time to the ever-present fundamentals, and includes nature study and agriculture, domestic art, music and drawing, is the great prol)lem which the rural teacher has to solve. The course of study should be flexible enough to permit of combination and alteration. One year the fifth and fourth grades may all take geography planned for the fourth grade, and the next year they may take the fifth grade work. Reading and literature in the sixth and seventh grades may be combined. Spelling and language in the lower grades may, in a like manner, be taught together. In as many subjects as possible the individual system of instruction should pre- \ail. One child should never be held back until the other, or others, in his class catches up. Let each child go ahead as fast or as slowly as his special ability permits, and give the pupil individual instruction as he meets each new problem. This is accomplished by having a period for a subject long enough to cover all grades at once, and by letting each child during that time ask for assistance when it is needed. A premium should be put on all new problems the pupil .solves without aid from anyone. Individual instruction in arithmetic is found to work very well. In planning the daily program have all the spelling dictated at the same time, and have all the arithmetic drills together. Plan for the hardest subjects when the children are freshest. Never have a written exercise immediately following a play or vigorous exercise period. During the opening exercises have talks on manners and morals, hygiene, nature study, observations, and current events. One day read to the school from some piece of literature either poetry or prose. Friday afternoons might be devoted to art and music, with sewing for the girls, gardening for the little ones, and woodworking for the boys. If a stove can be procured, instead of sewing on Friday afternoon, the older girls might be given instruction in how to prepare one hot dish as an addition to the cold lunch. The cooking of cocoa, or a milk soup, is not difficult to learn and might prove the entering wedge for community cooperation and interest. School credits for home work Many .schools in cities, and a few in the country have adopted plans whereby children are given credits, or points, for work performed at home. This doesn't necessarily mean home study; it really means manual work done at home. It includes personal cleanliness, assisting in the home or on the ranch, and correlating lessons in sewing, cooking, gardening and bench work with similar work done at home. This is an especially helpful piece of extension work where equipment for cooking is lacking for demonstration or practice ])urposes, where only the barest bench equipment is possible, or where the conditions of soil and scarcity of water make the school garden an impossibility. This step, of course, entails a thorough understanding between parent and teacher, and the parents' cooperation in fostering the movement by giving the children opportunities for work, and encouragement in its systematic performance. A closer union and a cooperative effort is thus (14) establisliod hetwcL'ii lionic and school which is conducive to tlie child's best growth and may mean the planting of the first seeds of community consolidation. Equipment "Mark Hopkins at nnv cud nf a \i>'^ and a student at the other" is equipment enough. But since we can't all he a Mark Hopkins, materials are necessary to make good for some of our deficiencies. Ideal equipment does not mean everything that can be thought of, either in variety or amount. What one really needs is all any one should demand. It is not necessary to have all subjects taught objectively. Pupils should have a chance to use their reason and imagination. "Teacherages " The prol)lem of housing the teacher is becoming each day more serious. Many states are trying to meet this problem by providing teachers' cottages. In the old world the teacher's cottage is not a new departure, as it is with us. Washington boasts of one hundred and eight "teacherages" ; California has less than a dozen. Where the teacherage is provided, the teacher and his family become a part of the community and greater permanency of residence and service is assured. The danger of too long tenure of service and of getting into ruts by remaining too long in the same locality is far less than that of leaving too soon. So long as rural teachers are peripatetics, the best results for rural school and community can not l)e hoped for. With a teacher's cottage and the rural plant reconstructed tf) answer present needs as to sanitation and attractiveness, more teachers will be induced to spend tlieir l)est years in the country. Community organizations The problem of gaining tlic support and sympathy of the conmumity is a very important one. With these advantages a teacher may secure a better equipment for the school, assistance in teaching cooking and sewing by the women of the neighborhood as well as help in solving some of the problems in discipline. In California, the Parent-Teacher Association, with its wonderful organization and many activities, is so strong and comprehensive in its scope of work that no rural school teacher should be ignorant of its willingness to assist her. Any teacher interested in the parent-teacher movement and desiring to know how it may help her solve lier special community problems would do well to write to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction at Sacramento for all available printed matter on this subject. With the formation of parent-teacher associations and community centers, the people of the organization can secure the services of good speakers on subjects relating to care of the children's health. Nurses and teachers of home economics will be induced to speak on diets for the children and on scientific home manage- ment. As is true in case of consolidation of schools, the formation of Rural Life Clubs requires education of the farmer as to the needs of the community and the benefits to be derived. Nurses and medical inspection The majority of city scii(>t>ls of totlay have school nurses and medical inspectors, and the State Board of Healtli is endeavoring to work with the county boards of health in meeting this great need of rural schools. -X number of counties have asked for nurses and some have secured them. We hope the day is not far distant when every rural school will l)e visiunl and its cases requiring medical advice cared for I)y rural school nurses. The awakening of community spirit which is making itself apparent in conununity gatherings tends to consolidate do) community interests and to create a demand for school consolidation for social and economic reasons. In addition to educational benefits, school consolidation will lead to the emplo.vmcnt of nursi"^ and will make rural school medical inspection a reality. Cooperation "No man lives to himself alone" has application to the rural school in its relation to the life of the city. So many of our greatest Americans received all their elementary training in a rural school that the nation owes it and its faith- ful workers a debt of gratitude. If we are to support the demand of "Back to the Farm," let us work to make life on the farm more attractive to the rising generation. In this work the cities must have a share. Certainly a rural-minded teacher, well jircpared in interest and education to meet the needs of the country and aided by proper equipment and the support of intelligent trustees, can contribute much to make the country more attractive, more wholesome, more valuable, educationally as well as financially, as a place of residence. She will realize that teaching is not simply a hearing of recitations from different books. She will correlate her teaching with things of life, giving recognition to farm utilities and interests of every kind in the farm home. This type of teacher will strive to assist in making the schoolhouse a social center, and by exalting country ideals will develop rural interests and see the possibilities and privileges of life in the country. Thus can she help the rural school to serve the real every-day needs of the countryside, but she can not accomplish all this alone. She needs you. Are you "pulling" for the bigger, better country life and "boosting, not knocking," all the agencies which are working for the centralization of that life in the improved rural school? (16) BIBLIOGRAPHY Books for Rural School Pupils and Teachers PREPARED BY ELIZABETH E. KEPPIE TEACHERS' BOOKS The books included in the following li.st.s are those which have l)een helpful to nian\- teachers. Each teacher should try to get them from her county librarian, and add one to her own librarv each vear. READING AND LITERATURE Aiitlior Title Publisher Price Hailov For the Story Teller— Suggestions ami stories for the teaeher . Milton Bradley ... Milton Bradley ... Hinds Row-Peterson Co... Houghton Doubleilay Putnam i'l.-VI Hailey & Lewi? The Children's Hour.. 1.50 IJarbe .. Faniou.s Poems Explained— Thirty poems, with circumstanre.s and eauses for writing Reading in the Public Schools— Some chap- ters especially helpful .. Rriggs & Coffman l.«K) 1 .•2.-) Brvaiit How to Tell Stories to Children- Great helji to story tellers ].:•> Burt Poems Every Child Should Know — Arranged according to age . . .90 Chisholm ... ... .. (^olfieii Staircase .. . .. 1.(• L.')!) Hunt, C. W. What Shall We Read to the Children— A book every teacher should read . .. 1.00 -Taofaon - Ramona .. ... __ ... ... 1..50 Jenkins Primary Reading— The latest and best methods of teaching primary reading. Fullv discussed ... Houghton .tiO Just So Stories— Stories every child should know . .. ... ... . . Doubleday Appleton .. -- l.2n Teaching Children to Read— Best help for practical teaching of reading LV) Kveryilay Peilagogy— A most practical book on the fundamentals . Ginn & Co. Harpers 1.00 Maekay, C. Plays of the Pioneers— Fine little plays for eighth grade . l.OII Mr-Murray, I.. & G... >fpMurry, Cha,«. A. . Songs of the lYee Top and Meadow Special Method of Teaching Reading Goo- Poisllson, F.iDilie In the Child's World l.(i(> Salisbury & Bwkwith Inde.x to Short Stories .50 Seudder .... .. Children's Book— Poetry, legends, fables 2.50 WcLsh Stories Children Love— Stories for all grades, colored illustrations The Storv Hour — A tine collection L2.1 Wiggin & Smith Hougtaton 1.1)0 Ainiletons New Kncydoiwdia — Webster's New International Dictionary (Latest Edition) 18.00 Merriain 10.80 ( I'.M ARITHMETIC Title Brown & ron'man--.| How to Teach Arithmetic— A manual for teachers Farm Arithmetic—Arithmetic in terms of agriculture with over 200 illastrations Principles and Methods of Arithmetic Teaching Burkett & Swartzcl Chriswcll Field I Farm Arithmetic Harris & Waldo ] First Journeys in Numberland — Very helpful Everyday Arithmetic (3 books)— New, prac- tical Arithmetic Without a Pencil— Should be used every day by every teacher Teaching Arithmetic (Paper) Work and Play With Numbers— Excellent.. - Hoyt & Peet — Joy Smith, D. E- Wentworth & Smith Row-Peterson Orange Judd Co... Chriswcll Potsdam, N. T Field Seed Co., Shenandoah, la.. Scott Houghton Heath Teachers' College.. Ginn $1.2i> l.OO .35 ea. .40 .40 .75 .30 .35 BOOKS FOR HELPING FOREIGNERS TO LEARN ENGLISH Field & Ooveney , Engli.«h for New Americans— Large print, I well graded. Half of book is vocabulary, j (Nine languages) i Silver Mintz First Reader for New American Citizens Macmillan O'Brien, Sara English for Foreigners, Book I Houghton, Mifflin Co. Roberts, P. Knglish for Coming Americans Y. M. C. A. Press, N. y. Stewart Country Life Readers (3 vols.)— Designed for use in evening rural schools for adults Johnson $(1.60 .50 SPELLING Cook & O'Shea. Fernald Suzzalo The Child and His Spelling Bobbs-Mcrrill , , ?1.00 Spelling Bulletin L. A. State Normal .15 Teaching of Spelling Houghton-Mifflin... .60 Bailey Bailey, L. H. Burkett Field, Jessie Finley, W. L. Gonig Uatcli & Hasclwood. Hodge Keelcr, Harriet Keffer McGovern McKeever Parsons «& Buck- Read, Harvey .. NATURE STUDY AND AGRICULTURE Handbook of Birds of Western tJ. S. The Nature Study Idea Agriculture for Beginners— Elementary and well illustrated Corn Lady— Interesting story of rural school life . American Birds . Our Field and Forest Trees Elementary Agriculture with PracticalArith- metic : How to Make School Gardens— Explicit directions for young people Nature study and life Our Native Trees and How to Identify Them Natuic Study on the Farm— Intended to stimulate observation and investigation.. Ty|ic Lessons in Nature Study. _ Farm Boys and GirLs— A book of valual)ie suggestions Wild Flowers of California Western Bird Guide— Birds of Rockies and west to Pacific Houghton ..^-.— . Doubleday, Page & Co., N. Y Ginn Flanagan Charles Scribn r's Sons McClurg -* Row-Peterson Co.. Doubleday .. Ginn & Co.. Scribner A. B. C.:.-. Flanagan & Flan- agan Macmillan , Cunningham Curtis, Welch Co., S. F..i Doublcday-Page .. $3.50 l.OO .?5 .50 1.50 1.50 .00 1.00 1.50 2.00 .10 1.05 1.50 2.00 1.00 (20) GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY AlU'i) Bliss Carppntor ('(1111. of Kiglit I>avis Oopi), Kjitlirrinr .. Diiltoii Dynes Finloy X- -Tolitison. (ionly, W. F .IllIllPS .Iiiilson Kpinp I.nnimis McCnity McMiiiry . Mill Norton (it'ogriiiiliical and linliistrial Stiiilics History in Klenientary Grades— Fine help to all teachers Geograiihieal Readers— Knrope Asia North America Study of History in Klementary (iratles — Fine references and outlines for work Ancient History— Outline of history of the Roiiiaii Kiiipire .._. Place of Tiidustries in Klementary Educa- tion Little Stories of (icriiiaiiy Socializing the Clilld- Primary history in (! 2..T0 l..'>0 Ginn & Co Gordv L-2.-. LIHI Thompson & Brown Macniillan Co. Appleton l*ul). Co.. McClurg l.SO GAMES AND DANCES Bancroft lUirchenal Crainpton Crawford- Hofer .-_ Kaull ._-. Games for Playground, Home, etc. — All the well, and not so well known games ex- plained .„ Maemillan Folk dances and singing games Schirmer Folk dance book Barnes Folk dances - \ A. S. Barnes & Co. Children's Singing Games— Old singing ' games well explained Physical ICducation Complete for School and Playground— Games, folk dances, first-aid liel|is— very complete ,_ A. Flanaf Kaull, sacto, CaL. ART AND MUSIC l..")(> l.-'xi L(i<) L.tO 2.0() Coiigdon Dow -.-. Dow ..-. (iiddings Parker Music Headers, Books 1, 2, and 3— Fine books, for beginning classes Coiiiposition— Suggestions for teaching art by explanations, exercises and illustrations Theory and Practice of Teaching Art- Modern and most advanceil methods of art teaching, illustrated by students' work School Music Teaching Progressive Music Series (Teachers' Man- ual)— Most helpful book in teaching music in first, second and third grades Congdon Country Life Press. Garden City, X. V. Teachers' Col., N. Y. Congdon. Chicago. Silver, Bunlett & l.i*) cjn HAND WORK Bolton & Rollins ('hicajJTo Ktttu. Col... Robhs Loilyanl & Breeken- fcld Mc'Gravv Ridi Sage & Cooley White Williams & Fisher (191C ed.) Woolnian Worst Industrial Work for Public Schools— Oecu- pational work for first four grades ex- plained Organized Handwork for Public Schools Primary Handwork Primary Manual Work Oonstruftivc Work for Rural Schools When Mother Lets Us Make Paper Box Furniture ()cfui)ations for Little Fingers — Work in clay, paper and other mediums explained and illustrated How to Make Baskets— Explicit and well illustrated Cookery — Well arranged and illustrated A Sewing Course Constructive Work— Related to number, literature and history Rand Harrison .. Macmillan Bradley Payne, Dayton, O Moffat Scribner ■Doubleday Macmillan Fernald Mumford f().90 .50 .75 1.20 .60 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 •Dxa 'saoHxaw 'xNawaovNvwi aooHDS Bailey, L H H. Country Life Movement in U. S.— The rural life problem by advocate of country life - . ^.2') Tlic Training of Farmens — Discusses the necessity of improvement in conditions of C ntury Heath T... .. 1.00 Bailev, H School Sanitation and Decoration— Valuable 1.50 Berle — - The School in the Home— A book every teacher and parent should know Country Life and the Country School— A MotTat Yard Co.... Row-Peterson Co.-_ 1.25 1.25 Curtis E The Work of the Rural Schools 1.00 Conunvmity Civics— Interesting and instruc- 1.25 Gesell ... The Normal Child and Primary Education- School problems in their relation to the child _ -- - . Ginn 1.2.J (lulick, L Emergencies - Ginn Davis . .40 Holmes . School Organization and the Individual Child— A great help to progressive teach- ers who believe in the individual rights of 2.00 Among Country Schools— What can be done in a rural community. Fully illus- Ginn Oooley Oooley l.iiO Kinnie & Sheltcr and CSothing— Raw materials, their origin and destination— well handled and l.OO Kinnie & Clothing and health— Good textbook for teacher and cla.ss Everyday Pedagogy— A most helpful prac- tical book on fundamentals (already entered un0 Saint Nicholas ' Century Co. j yr. 3.00 Something to Do— Bennett Pub. Co., Boston, i Mass. — — yr. 1.00 Youths Companion -— Perry-Mason Co., Boston, Mass. yr. 2.00 (23) BULLETINS The United Slates .^overnnunt is a great puhlislier oi helpful literature, not for profit, hut for ])uhHc eonvenienee. Some documents are free, while for others, the price ranges from 5 cents to $1.00. Postage is i)aid on all. Price lists are sent uixni request to Superintendent of nocuments, Washington, D. C. The following lists .are suggested ;is lieing especi.illy helpful to rural school teachers. These lists are free. No. 11— Auicrican Food.-; iinil Cooking. No, 10— Fariiifrs" Hiillctiiis and \('ar liook-s. No. 21— Fislaw of United Statos. No. 22— Inilian.-* of North America. No. 3-j — Gcograiiliy and K.xiiloratioiis. No. 3S— Animal Indii.xtrie.s. .NO. 41 — Insect pest.-- anil How tt) Fi^lit Them. No. 42— AKiiculliual K.\iioiinients. No. 43— Forest .Service. No. 44— Plant Life. No. 45 — Soils and Fertilizer.-. No. 51— Health, Disease and Sanitation. No. 58 — Mines and Mining. No. (il— Panama Canal. No. (12— Commerce and .Manufactuifs. Livery teacher should get from the Piurean of .Agriculture in Washington. D. C, its monthlv list of publications, ^lanv of the bulletins are free. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. (Washington. D. C.) ,\ few of the bulletins are : No. 28— Weecl.s and How to Kill Them. No. 94— The Vegetable Garden. No. 9*— Insect Knemies of Shade IVees. No. 134— Tree Planting <,n Rural School Grounds. No. 173— A Primer of Forestry. No. 185— Beautifying the School Orounils. No. 11I.3— Simple K.xereises in Chemistry of Agriculture. No. 218— The School Garden. No. 2.55 — The Home Vegetable Garden. No. 447— Bees. No. 4.59 — Houseflic.*. No. 478— How to Prevent Typhoid Fever. No. 407- Some Common Birds and Their Re- lation to Man. No. .52.5 — Raising Guinea Pigs. No. 540— The Stable Fly. No. .';(j2— The Organization of Boys' and Girls" Poultry Clubs. No. 566— Boys' Pig Chibs. No. .593— How to Use Farm Credit. No. 594— Shijiping Kgg.s by Parcel Post. No. {)(I9— Bird Houses and How to Build Them. No. 017- School Lessons on Corn. No. 62S— Game Laws for 1914. No. 0311- Common Birds Useful to the Farmer. No. 653 — Honey and Its Use.s in the Home. No. 688— Culture of Rice in California. No. 660— Weeds and How to Control Them. No. 672— The Agricultural Outlook. BULLETINS FROM THE EXPERIMENTAL STATION. (Washington, D. C.) No. 160— School Gardens. No. 186— Exercise.s in Elementary Agriculture. FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, (Washington, D. C.) .A few of the more recent free bulletins are: 1914 No. 12— Rural School Houses and Grounds. No. 25 — Imi)ortant Features in Rural School Iniprovenicnt. No. 30— Consolidation of Rural Schools. No. 37— Education for the Home, Part II. No. 44 — Coimty-Unit Organization for Administration of Rinal Schools. FROM MISCELLANEOUS SOURCES Loekstep Schooling ' Dr. Burk, Stat? Normal School, S. F...; So.lo Diseases and Pests of Fruit, Trees, Vines and j Plants Cal. Rex Siiray Co., I',enicia, Cal Good Lunches for Rural Schools Richards, Whitcomh & Barrow .10 Social and Civic Work in Country Communities j Supt. of Instruction, Madison, Wis Guide to fSetter Schools Dukes, Supt. of Instruction, Oklahoma.- Teaching Music in Rural Elementary Schools... i Deiit. of Education, Sacramento ' .Morals and Manners ! Dei>t. of Education, Sacramento 1 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY Los Angeles This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. ! THE LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF C\TJ7?ORm>!^ LOS ANGELE8 UCLA.Young Research Z^ LB1567 .K44 L 009 548 209