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In spite of the limitations of the office of county superintendent, however, it must not be thought that this office has played an unimportant part in our educational development. It has exerted a marked influence in the upbuilding of our schools, and accomplished this under the most unfavorable and discouraging circumstances. Among its occupants have been some of the most able and efficient men and women engaged in our school system. But the time has come in our educational advancement when the rural schools should have better supervision than they are now getting or can get under the present system.

The first step in improving the supervision, as in improving so many other features of the rural schools, is the reorganization of the system through consolidation, and the consequent reduction in the number of schools to be supervised. The next step is to remove the supervising office as far as possible from "practical" politics by making it appointive by a non-partisan county board, who will be at liberty to go anywhere for a superintendent, who will be glad to pay a good salary, and who will seek to retain a superintendent in office as long as he is rendering acceptable service to the county. The third step is to raise the standard of fitness for the office so that the incumbent may be a true intellectual leader among the teachers and people of his county. Nor can this preparation be of the scholastic type alone, but must be of such character as to adapt its possessor to the spirit and ideals of an agricultural people.

A wholly efficient system of supervision of rural teaching, then, would be possible only in a system of consolidated schools, each under the immediate direction of a principal, himself thoroughly educated and especially qualified to carry on the work of a school adapted to rural needs. Over these schools would be the supervision of the county superintendent, who will stand in the same relation to the principals as that of the city superintendent to his ward or high school principals. The county superintendent will serve to unify and correlate the work of the different consolidated schools, and to relate all to the life and work of the farm.

If it is said that systems of superintendence for rural schools could be devised more effective than the county superintendency, this may be granted as a matter of theory; but as a practical working program, there is no doubt that the office of county superintendent is a permanent part of our rural school system, unless the system itself is very radically changed. All the States, except the New England group, Ohio, and Nevada, now have the office of county superintendent. It is likely, therefore, that the plan of district superintendence permissive under the laws of certain States will hardly secure wide acceptance. The county as the unit of school administration is growing in favor, and will probably ultimately come to characterize the rural school system. The most natural step lying next ahead would, therefore, seem to be to make the conditions surrounding the office of county superintendent as favorable as possible, and then give the superintendent a sufficient number of deputies to make the supervision effective. These deputies should be selected, of course, with reference to their fitness for supervising particular lines of teaching, such as primary, home economics, agriculture, etc. A beginning has already been made in the latter line by the employment in some counties, with the aid of the Federal Government, of an agricultural expert who not only instructs the farmers in their fields, but also correlates his work with the rural schools. This principle is capable of almost indefinite extension in our school system.

OUTLINE

I. THE RURAL SCHOOL AND ITS PROBLEM

The General Problem of the Rural School

1. The general problem of the rural school identical with that of all schools1

2. The newer concept measures education by efficiency2

3. This efficiency involves (1) knowledge,(2) attitude, (3) technique, or skill3

4. The purpose of the school is to make sure of these factors of efficiency4

The Special Problem of the Rural School

1. Each type of school has its special problem5

2. The rural school problem originates in the nature of the rural community5

3. Characteristics of the rural community6

4. Its industrial homogeneity6

5. Its social homogeneity7

6. Fundamental intelligence of the rural population8

7. Economic status and standards of living10

8. Rural isolation and its social effects10

9. Rural life and physical efficiency11

10. Lack of recreations and amusement12

11. Recent tendencies toward progress in agricultural pursuits12

12. The loss of rural population to the cities13

The Adjustment of the Rural School to its Problem

1. Failure in adjustment of the rural school to its problem17

2. The rudimentary education received by rural children17

3. Failure of the rural school to participate in recent educational progress18

4. The rural school inadequate in its scope19

5. Need of better organization in the rural school20

6. Inadequacy of rural school buildings and equipment21

7. The financial support of the rural school22

8. Summary and suggestions23

II. THE SOCIAL ORGANIZATION OF THE RURAL SCHOOL

The Rural School and the Community

1. The fundamental relations of school and community25

2. Low community standards of education25

3. The rural community's need of a social center26

4. Its social isolation a serious drawback27

5. Grave moral dangers arising from social isolation28

6. Rural environment more dangerous to youth than city environment29

7. Effects of monotony on adults30

8. The rural school as a social center30

9. The ideal rural school building and equipment32

10. Social activities centering in the school33

11. Reorganization needed to make the rural school effective as a social and intellectual center34

The Consolidation of Rural Schools

1. Consolidation the first step toward rural school efficiency35

2. Irrationality of present district system36

3. Obstacles in the way of consolidation37

4. The present movement toward consolidation38

5. Effects of consolidation40

6. On attendance41

7. On expense41

8. On efficiency42

9. The one-room school yet needed as a part of the rural system42

Financial Support of the Rural School

1. Lack of adequate financial support of rural schools43

2. Difference in city and rural basis for taxation44

3. Low school tax characteristic of rural communities45

4. State aid for rural schools46

5. Safeguards required where the principle of state aid is supplied47

6. Summary and conclusion48

The Rural School and its Pupils

1. The spirit of the pupils as a test of the school50

2. The negative attitude of rural pupils toward their school51

3. Causes of this defection to be sought in the school51

4. The problem of poor rural school attendance52

5. The consolidated school as a cure for indifferent attitude and poor attendance53

III. THE CURRICULUM OF THE RURAL SCHOOL

The Scope of the Rural School Curriculum

1. The modern demand for a broader education57

2. The meagerness of the rural school curriculum58

3. The rural child requires full elementary and high school course60

4. Disadvantages of sending rural child to town school60

5. Necessary reorganization in rural school offering broadened curriculum62

6. General nature of the new curriculum62

The Rural Elementary School Curriculum

1. Relation of the curriculum to social standards and ideals64

2. The mother tongue65

3. Necessity for its mastery65

4. Learning the mechanics of the language66

5. Developing the art of expression, oral and written67

6. Creation of love for reading67

7. Formal grammar out of place in the elementary school 68

8. Number69

9. The prominent place occupied by arithmetic69

10. Importance of development of the number concept69

11. An undue proportion of time devoted to arithmetic70

12. Desirable changes in the teaching of arithmetic71

13. History and civics71

14. The right and duty of every person to know the history and government of his country72

2. History not to deal chiefly with war and politics, but to emphasize the

social and industrial side72

3. The library of historical books73

4. Functional versus analytical civics73

5. Geography and nature study74

6. Advantage of the rural school in this field74

7. The social basis of geography75

8. Application of geography and nature study to the farm75

9. Hygiene and health76

10. Criticism of older concept of physiology for the elementary school76

11. Content of practical course in hygiene77

12. Application of hygiene to the child's health and growth77

13. Agriculture78

14. Adaptability to the rural elementary school78

15. Content of the elementary course in agriculture79

16. Relation to farm life79

17. Domestic science and manual training79

18. Place in elementary rural school80

19. What can be taught80

20. Its practical application80

21. Music and art81

22. Necessity in a well-balanced curriculum81

23. Appreciation rather than criticism the aim81

24. Physical training81

25. Need of physical training of rural children82

26. Rural school athletics82

The Rural High School Curriculum

1. Rural high schools not yet common83

2. The functions of the rural high school84

3. English in the rural high school84

4. Its aim85

5. Points of difference from present high school course86

6. Social science to have an applied trend86

7. The material sciences as related to the problems of the farm87

8. Manual training and domestic science89

9. A modified course in high school mathematics89

10. Foreign language not to occupy an important place90

11. The high school course to include music and art90

IV. THE TEACHING OF THE RURAL SCHOOL

The Importance of Teaching

1. Teaching the fundamental purpose of the school92

2. The child and the subject-matter92

3. The teacher as an intermediary between child and subject-matter93

4. Hence the teacher must know the nature of the child94

5. The teacher must know the subject-matter of education95

6. Failure to measure up to this requirement97

Teaching in the Rural School

1. The degree of training of rural teachers in the subject-matter98

2. Present lack of professional training100

3. The effects of inexperience101

4. Short tenure of service in rural schools102

5. Level of teaching efficiency low103

6. Improvement through consolidated schools104

The Training of Rural Teachers

1. Inexperienced and untrained teachers begin in the rural schools105

2. Normal schools supply few teachers to rural schools106

3. A reasonable demand for training of rural teachers107

4. Rural teacher training in normal high schools107

5. The rural teacher's training must be adapted to spirit of rural school108

Salaries of Rural Teachers

1. Salary as a measure of efficiency109

2. Salaries of rural teachers compared with town and city teachers110

3. Necessity of increased salaries111

4. Increase in salary and in efficiency must go together111

5. Salaries in consolidated schools112

Supervision of Rural Teaching

1. Impossibility of giving district schools efficient supervision112

2. Obstacle in number of schools and frequent change of teachers113

3. Comparison of work of county superintendent with city superintendent114

4. Political handicaps on county superintendent115

5. The necessity of better educational standards and better salary for the county superintendent116

6. Women as county superintendents116

7. Efficient supervision possible only under a consolidated system117

RIVERSIDE EDUCATIONAL MONOGRAPHS

GENERAL EDUCATIONAL THEORY

Dewey's MORAL PRINCIPLES IN EDUCATION.35

Eliot's EDUCATION FOR EFFICIENCY.35

Eliot's TENDENCY TO THE CONCRETE AND PRACTICAL IN MODERN

EDUCATION.35

Emerson's EDUCATION.35

Fiske's THE MEANING OF INFANCY.35

Hyde's THE TEACHER'S PHILOSOPHY.35

Palmer's THE IDEAL TEACHER.35

Prosser's THE TEACHER AND OLD AGE.60

Terman's THE TEACHER'S HEALTH.60

Thorndike's INDIVIDUALITY.35

ADMINISTRATION AND SUPERVISION OF SCHOOLS

Betts's NEW IDEALS IN RURAL SCHOOLS.60

Bloomfield's VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE OF YOUTH.60

Cabot's VOLUNTEER HELP TO THE SCHOOLS.60

Cole's INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.35

Cubberley's CHANGING CONCEPTIONS OF EDUCATION.35

Cubberley's THE IMPROVEMENT OF RURAL SCHOOLS.35

Lewis's DEMOCRACY'S HIGH SCHOOL.60

Perry's STATUS OF THE TEACHER.35

Snedden's THE PROBLEM OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION.35

Trowbridge's THE HOME SCHOOL.60

Weeks's THE PEOPLE'S SCHOOL.60

METHODS OF TEACHING

Bailey's ART EDUCATION.60

Betts's THE RECITATION.60

Campagnac's THE TEACHING OF COMPOSITION.35

Cooley's LANGUAGE TEACHING IN THE GRADES.35

Dewey's INTEREST AND EFFORT IN EDUCATION.60

Earhart's TEACHING CHILDREN TO STUDY.60

Evans's TEACHING OF HIGH SCHOOL MATHEMATICS.35

Fairchild's THE TEACHING OF POETRY IN THE HIGH SCHOOL

Haliburton and Smith's TEACHING POETRY IN THE GRADES.60

Hartwell's THE TEACHING OF HISTORY.35

Haynes's ECONOMICS IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOL.60

Kilpatrick's THE MONTESSORI SYSTEM EXAMINED.35

Palmer's ETHICAL AND MORAL INSTRUCTION IN THE SCHOOLS.35

Palmer's SELF-CULTIVATION IN ENGLISH.35

Suzzallo's THE TEACHING OF PRIMARY ARITHMETIC.60

Suzzallo's THE TEACHING OF SPELLING.60

RIVERSIDE TEXTBOOKS IN EDUCATION

Edited by Ellwood P. Cubberley, Head of theDepartment of Education, Leland Stanford, Jr., University

The editor and the publishers have most carefully planned this series to meet the needs of students of education in colleges and universities, in normal schools, and in teachers' training courses in high schools. The books will also be equally well adapted to teachers' reading circles and to the wide-awake, professionally ambitious superintendent and teacher. Each book presented in the series will embody the results of the latest research, and will be at the same time both scientifically accurate, and simple, clear, and interesting in style.

The Riverside Textbooks in Education will eventually contain books on the following subjects:—

1. History of Education.—2. Public Education in America.—3. Theory of Education.—4. Principles of Teaching.—5. School and Class Management.—6. School Hygiene.—7. School Administration.—8. Secondary Education.—9. Educational Psychology.—10. Educational Sociology.—11. The Curriculum.—12. Special Methods.

Now Ready

*RURAL LIFE AND EDUCATION.By Ellwood P. Cubberley. $1.50 net. Postpaid. Illustrated.

*THE HYGIENE OF THE SCHOOL CHILD.By Lewis M. Terman, Associate Professor of Education, Leland Stanford Junior University. $1.65 net. Postpaid. Illustrated.

*THE EVOLUTION OF THE EDUCATIONAL IDEAL.By Mabel Irene Emerson, First Assistant in Charge, George Bancroft School, Boston. $1.00 net. Postpaid.

*HEALTH WORK IN THE SCHOOLS.By Ernest B. Hoag, Medical Director, Long Beach City Schools, California, and LEWIS M. TERMAN. Illustrated. $1.60 net.

Postpaid.

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANYBOSTONNEW YORKCHICAGO

The HOUGHTON MIFFLIN PROFESSIONAL LIBRARY

For Teachers and Students of EducationTHEORY AND PRINCIPLES OF EDUCATION

AMERICAN EDUCATIONBy Andrew S. Draper, Commissioner of Education of the State of New

York. With an Introduction by Nicholas Murray Butler, President of

Columbia University. $2.00, net. Postpaid.

GROWTH AND EDUCATIONBy John M. Tyler, Professor of Biology in Amherst College. $1.50,

net. Postpaid.

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATIONBy M. Vincent O'Shea, Professor of Education in the University of Wisconsin. $2.00, net. Postpaid.

THE PRINCIPLES OF EDUCATIONBy William C. Ruediger, Ph. D., Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology in the Teachers College of the George Washington University. $1.25, net. Postpaid.

THE INDIVIDUAL IN THE MAKINGBy Edwin A. Kirkpatrick, Teacher of Psychology, Child Study and School Laws, State Normal School, Fitchburg, Mass. $1.25, net.

Postpaid.

A THEORY OF MOTIVES, IDEALS, AND VALUES IN EDUCATIONBy William E. Chancellor, Superintendent of Schools, Norwalk, Conn.

$1.75, net. Postpaid.

EDUCATION AND THE LARGER LIFEBy C. Hanford Henderson. $1.30, net. Postage 13 cents.

HOW TO STUDY AND TEACHING HOW TO STUDYBy Frank McMurry, Professor of Elementary Education in Teachers College, Columbia University. $1.25, net. Postpaid.

The HOUGHTON MIFFLIN PROFESSIONAL LIBRARY

For Teachers and Students of Education

BEGINNINGS IN INDUSTRIAL EDUCATIONBy Paul H. Hanus, Professor of the History and Art of Teaching in Harvard University. $1.00, net. Postpaid.

PRACTICAL ASPECTS AND PROBLEMS

ETHICS FOR CHILDREN. A Guide for Teachers and ParentsBy Ella Lyman Cabot, Member of the Massachusetts Board of Education. $1.25, net. Postpaid.

CHARACTER BUILDING IN SCHOOLBy Jane Brownlee, formerly Principal of Lagrange School, Toledo, Ohio. 16mo. $1.00, net. Postpaid.

HOW TO TELL STORIES TO CHILDRENBy Sara Cone Bryant. $1.00, net. Postpaid.

TALKS ON TEACHING LITERATUREBy Arlo Bates, Professor of English Literature in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Professor Bates is also the author of "Talks on the Study of Literature," "Talks on Writing English," etc. $1.30, net. Postpaid.

LITERATURE AND LIFE IN SCHOOLBy J. Rose Colby, Professor of Literature in the Illinois State Normal University. $1.25, net. Postpaid.

THE KINDERGARTENBy Susan Blow, Patty Hill, and Elizabeth Harrison, assisted by other members of the Committee of Nineteen of the International Kindergarten Union. With a Preface by Lucy Wheelock and an Introduction by Annie Laws, Chairman of the Committee. 16mo. $1.25

net. Postpaid.

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANYBOSTONNEW YORKCHICAGO

1

See "Consolidated Rural Schools," Bulletin 232, U. S. Department of Agriculture.

2

Bulletin 232, U. S. Department of Agriculture, p. 38.

3

Bulletin 232, U. S. Department of Agriculture, p. 51.

4

Social Principles of Education, p. 264.

5

See Coffman, The Social Composition of the Teaching Force.

6

The Social Composition of the Teaching Population.

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