EDUCATIONAL
.EDITION
STATE, THE TOlOlT.
A. P.JOHNSON, BDITOB ANDMANAQKB
VOL. XLIII.
SUBSCRIPTION tl.00 PEB
NUMBB&24
The Moat Important Problem.
BY r. r. CLAXTOS
; _ Commissioner Bureau of Education,
j The most important problem of
statesmanship in America today is the
education of the children who live in
the open country and in villages and
small towns. The better education of
these children must come through the
improvement of the rural schools. For
their improvement several things are
necessary
First, there must be longer terms. In
North Carolina until now the average
length of term of the rural schools is
less than 100 day*. The new law will
raise the minimum t<5 1J? days and the
average to a soinflwtelt.highei;
The minimum should be not teie'-fhjm
lift days. In most or tbe clUee of the
United States the cahoot tepp is 180
days or more. I know of'lto reason why
country children should not have aa
many days at school '*? city children.
In nearly all countries of western Eu
rope the country, schools continue 200
daya or lqa]ppr^'VSM told today by a
teacher from New South Wales in Aus
tralia that the country aehoola In Aus
tralia are in session fott|4flve weeks in
the year and that there are 210 to 216
school days after all holidays have been
counted out. American country chil
dren need and should have as much ed
ucation &> the country children of Eu
rope and Australia. - t
Second, The country schools must
have better teachers. It is much more
important that the country teacher
should be well educated, well trained,
and skilled than that the city teacher
hrfve - these qualifications. The city
teacher works in a system in which
her duties are quite definitely prescrib
ed. She has superintendents, supervise
ors. and principals to help her. For
the children she teaches there are
churches, Sunday schools, libraries,
lectures, and other organized agencies
of education. The country teacher is
her own superintendent, supervisor,
principal, and school board, and must
herself determine to a very large ex
tent the course and . character of hei
work. For the children she teaches
there are few organized agencies of ed
ucation other than the school. The
country teacher is the exnonent of and
the leader in education in the commun
ity.
Third, the work of the country school
must be better adapted to the needs of
country life. Country men and women
must be human beings and citizens no
less than the men and women who live
in the city. Therefore the things per
taining to humanity and citizenship
should have a place in the country no
less than in the city school. But in
their occupations and environment coun
try people and city people differ widely.
In as far as education relates to occu
pations and environment it should be
adapted to varying conditions. There is
great need for courses of study in the
country schools based broadly and in
telligently on a careful study of what
country men and women need to know.
Until such a study has been made there
is not much hope for a rational adapta
tion of school work. The National Bu
reau of Education is just now trying to
make a comprehensive investigation of
this kind.
AH these things mean more money.
But North Carolina is no longer poor
and North Carolina people have Ions:
since learned that money expended for
education is invested not only for divi
dends in life and citizenship and culture,
but also in material wealth.
I have only to. suggest further that
in most North Carolina counties the
schools should be consolidated. Que
school for each twelve or fourteen
square miles is enough in a suit*: with
an open climate like that of North Car
olina. When the sctopjs have been
thus consolidated, teacher's home
should be built near every school, and
wjgi school and home should go as
part of their equip en eoi.fr o? twenty to
lorty acres of land. The principal of
the school should be requited to live
In the borne and to cultivate the land
as a model farm with garden and or
chard, poultry yard, and small dairy.
The use of both home ?ad farm should
be given the principal as part ot his
salary. Any man who ought to be per
mitted to serve as principal of a coun
try school can make each a home and
Ifcrm worth to him annnally from two
to Ave times as much M the salary now
paid eountry teacher* la North Oaro
lioa. Home and farm thua provided,
the teacher should be required to prove
hi* fitness and then a contraot should
be mad* with him for life or daring
good behavior. Good country sohoola
can never be made by tramp teachers.
Homes and lands could be provided as
here suggested without cost in North
Carolina. Bonds c<&U be issued to pay
for them and by the time the tioads be
came due the increase in the value of
. the land would pay for the whole.
School Attendance.
O 32
Schools.
2
a
I
& y ? &
Pearce (Dunn) 130 72 ?202.4l 132
Social Plains- 23 18 ^
Pine Ridge 86 62 28.13 ! '80
Pi'ot 98 57 13KW aju
Bunn 145 94 214.00 S2B
Math Bock J0^18
Royal -*"55 28 18.4$ i
N?W Hope 84 37 82.40
R*ck Springs 61 81 12-15- 84
Rlleys 09 43 87.50
Prospect 34 20 87.00 100
Garner 34 18
Oak Level 34 22
Tbarrington 41 17 6.00 95
Flat Rock 48 24 18.75
Popes 43 30 11.08 62
lit. Olivet 31
Hitehiner 34 10 88
KatwviUe 32 25
Winn v 64 SO 10.00
Whgykar 24 14
Laurel 27 11 20.00 81
Moulton 58 23 37.38 121
lngledside 114 62 59:05 114
Kearneys 30 22 20.00 56
Mountain 57 37 20.75 67
Alston . 41 31
Wood 07 ^3 30.00 70
Centerville 55 37 20.00 85
Sandy Creek 81 51 29.00 97
Pearce (G. M.) -31 21
Wilder 32 29 24.10
Gay 28 19
Justice 93 77 157.25 171
Cedar Rocd 105 65 18.35 109
Red Bud 32 25
White Level 138 82 23.26 54
.Seven Paths 108 56 32.00 113
Mapleville 101 40 60.72 156
Hickory Rock 93 56 65.85 75
Hayes 40 31 22.00
Balance Rock 18 11
2567 11448.52 2675
ENR OI/.MENT BY GRADES? 1912-1913.
Number Average Age
First 806 7
Second 270 9
Third 353 - 10
Fourth 434 IS
Fifth 257 14
Sixth '202 15
Seventh 159 16
Eighth 58 16
Ninth 18 17
Tenth 10 16
Total 2567
One or two schools and joint schools
with other counties which have not re
ported the enrollment by grades show
an additional enrollment of 171 whicV
makes the total enrollment of white
children in the rural schools 2738.
The noticeable facts shown by the
above figures is the large proportion in
the first grade, 806, tad the large num
ber in the first four grades, 1863, which
is about three fourths of 2507, the num
ber reporting by grades .
Another thing is that the average age
of children in the grades from two to
seyen is too much. It means they have
lost the finest period of life for learn
ing and as well the years when parents
can best spare them from farm work to
go tQ school.
The (treat problem of rural education
lies in getting in school all the time
children between the years of seven
and twelve.
Thinsrs Desired For Next Year.
We will haye a decent length of term.
We are pretty well equipped with
.bodies. The big need left is for teach
ers prepared and trained to teach, to
gether with larger and more regular
attendance
The responsibility for attaining these
lies largely with the committees, the
superintendent and supervisor, and
with the people.
Sohool committees should be zealous
to search oat the piocure good teachers.
Froib those available, the one best flu
ted Should be chosen without regard
to fear, favor, or kinship. Even If
?4oally competent, it is often danger
ous to employ a teacher closely related
to ant member ol the committee. Some
people will inspect favoritism that sus
pictoun will beget a doubt as to ability.
Criticism of work will be more ready,
and the ground is laid for a fuss.
Preference should be steadfastly giv
en to teachers who make efforts to pre
pare themselves. One who has taken
advantage of a teacher training course
at some good summer school will be
worth more and deserves more.
If possible flnd'out the record for the
year before. Did she attend the in
stitute, the teachers meetings, etc., 7
Did she do anjrthing out of the school
room for the betterment of the school
and Its atteadsniv T
And above all else, don't think that
anybody will do <o teach the little fel- j
lowi. Of coon* all of ua know the
things that are to be taught beginners,
' but the teacher who really knowa bow
to teach them la the rareat and moat
valuable teacher of all. In a achool ot
more than on* teacher, certain execu
tive abllitiee are required of tbe princi
pal and these coat money. But so far
aa teaching ia coneerned. a capable pri
mary teacher is of more Importance
than any other.
In tbe auperviaion of acboola, the big
job is to develop, encourage, and make
practically uaeful the abllitiee of the
teachers employed by the committees.
We hope to get the work better sys
tematized, especially in the. primary
grades. If the same teacher was going
to baye tbe same school all tbe time,
it would not make so much difference.
But efaangea every year are numerous.
A new teacher who doea things in dif
ferent way confuses tbe child. Valuable
time is loet getting him used to tbe
new waya. It does not make ao much
difference in the advanced grades but
it does upaet things with the beginner.
The teachers meetings will be val
uable helps in bringing these things
about. The district meetings will be
kept up and even more largely will be
used the circular letter with plana for
work aa aent out by Miaa Arlington
last year. Schools should open as
nearly at the same time as possible.
Then there will be some uniformity in
the work being done in the various
schools at any given time. All of the
six month schools will be expected
to open on the same day .
More is going to be required of the
teachers. Salaries are setting in the
neighborhood of respectability. Even
rural teachers should begin to look on
their work as a profession and not
a pastime. It should call forth the best,
both of energy and of heart. The teach
er who is afraid of doing something
out of school or not laid down in the
school law is not wanted in Franklin
County. Regardless of how much any
one knows, unless he appreciates the
responsibility of his opportunity and
baa a real deaire to be of service lo hu
manity, he ia not worthy to teach. A
child often carriea away more of value
from the influence of character than
r from all the books.
More is expected of the people. It
ia their children who are to be educat
ed. Promptness and regularity of at
tendance will add immeasurably to the
value of the school term. A little fore
thoughtedness at home, maybe a little
of trouble and sacrifice, can make tbe
attendance what it ought to be.
All this is a pretty big banket of
wishes for the next year but It is ao
n>ore than Franklin County deserves.
We ought to have them. We can gel
them. Then, why not?
The Best Thing of the Year.
BY R. B. WHITE
There has been an increase of over
two hundred in the enrollment in the
rural sAools during the past year. We
all know from the census that there
has been no increase in the school pop
ulation. Therefore the conclusion fol
lows that the s?hools must be doing
better work.
But this increase is almost entirely
confined to one grade. The number of
children in the first grade in 1912 was
594. In 1013 however that number has
been increased to 806. The first grade
pupils are those who have never been
to school before.
So, it is reasonably certain that last
year two hundred more children started
to school than would have have done
so under former conditions.
Why?
Simply because the methods of pri
mary work have been improved, the in
teiest of teachers increased, the impor
tance better recognized.
The emphasis of the past two years
has been placed on the work in the pri
mary grades. Three fourths of all the
pupils are in these grades. Its impor
tance is manifest and overwhelming.
Also the other grades cannot increase
until these do.
We counted on improvement. We
have had knowledge of better work and
greater interest. But we did not. ex
pect so early and emphatic proof of the
value.
It Is peculiarly gratifying to me and*
I can afford to brag about it for I had
little to do with it.
- t
It la a fine tribute to the work and
the spirit ot Miss Airlngton and the
primary teaebers. O^tbapart of the
teacher has been an segaium to learn
and to work; on hers, an aamaat desire
to servo and to help. Wo begin to see
what it means to the i lnliliW'af -the
county. Anil I know of aoti|(a? totter
for them to take aloag into their vaea
children in Franklin' tounty were in
lohool last year who but for them would
(11*11 probability have not started.
.
The Teachers Library.
tf. H Mills
Teaching as a profession haa a litera
ture peculiarly its own. Thia is juit ai
true o' thia profession as of law or med
icine, but the teacher, unlike tbe doctor
or lawyer; will often try to fret alone
with no professional library. In a
lante measure teachers are not to blame
for seaming to neglect thia Important
part of their equipment. The enum
eration offered is in most cases too
small to admit of much expenditure for
professional books. In an effort to
overcome this difficulty the Franklin
County Teacher s Library waa organ
ized.
At the first meeting of the Teacher's
Association in the fall of 1906, a coop
erative plan was presented to the
teachers. Each teacher waa aaked to
contribute one dollar, and the County
Board agreed to give an equal snm.
This plan tneth with a ready reepone on
the pert of the teachers and $95.00 Was
pledged In few minutes. With this and
tttuOOfroa the County Board, (70.00
was In hand to make the first purchase
of the kind in thf county and probably
in the state.
The selection of (be books to be
bought waa no small taak. The field
was large, and the amount to be ex
pended was small. In the main two
idea were kept in mind. First, to se
lect books that would, in aa far as pos
sible, awaken and stimulate real pro
fessional spirit among the teachers.
Second, to select books that offered as
many practicable and usable sugges
tions as possible on the management of
the school and on methods of teaching.
Helpful lists were prepared by the pro
fessors of education in several cf the
colleges of the state. Suggestions were
made by various teachers. Finally a
list of about 70 titles was agreed upon
and the books were bought. Franklin
county thus took a pioneer step in the
uplift of the teaching force of the
state.
It is impossible to say just what this
library has accomplished. But it is safe
to say that it has been no small factor
in the professional growth of manv
teachers. Of course, it has not bene
fitted some of ' the teachers to any great
exteqk This is to be regretted, but as
teaching becomes more genuinely a
profession, and as the people come more
snd more to demand teachers with pro
fessional training, tlje library will find
much work to do.
The Years Between Seven and
Twelve.
Usually the foundation, framing, and
outside of an education are acquired be
fore the child is twelve years old. With
that much he can move in and begin to
live there. .?Vhe interior finish and dec
oration can be added later on and even
while he works.
Again, as a rule, nobody ever gets
far in the educational line uuless he has
an early and good start. From figures
published in this paper it appears that
the average age of pupils in the 10th
and highest grade is less than that of
pupils io the 9th and the same as ip" the
7th. The 10th grade pupils had'a good
start and it has been easy teeep it up.
But in rural schools tharf is an even
better reason. Most nlmdreo are need
ed on the farm ag soon as they are
large enough'to'work. With a growing
scarcity of labor, this need will become
more pressing- If by twelve years of
age tjxy have not acquired the ability
to -pick uo knowledge for themselves,
the chances are heavily against them.
A long school term is more needed in
the country than in the town and more
in the primary grades than*. in the high
school.
The greatest work before the school
forces of Franklin county right now is
to get the children In school early, keep
them there regularly while small, and
furnish them teachers trained to do
primarv work with intelligent thorough
ness. That achieved, other things will
take care of themselves.
A doctor looks at your tongue and
feels your pulse to learn how you are
getting on. The wise man watches the
primary grades to know the real vigor
and usefulness of a school system.
Next year, every school will run as
much as aiz months, many a longer
time. Children under twelve can be
spared from work and to the school.
The average child started promptly and
kept regularly in school under a well
trained teacher until be is twelve
should have about finished the regular
public school course of seven grades.
It is up to parents to realise the im
mediate nature of the opportunity. No
time is to be low in a child's life. Let
him start as early as his sge and growth
justify and then see to It with religious
bare that be goes every day possible.
M These twn things stand oat as the
important ones:
1. Provide tbe beet posslbl? primary
teachers.
2. Get the little fellows In school and
keep them there. . ? , .
The Country School!.
BT MARY ARBlNeTON.
A close study of the schools of Frank
lin county for a period of two years and
observations covering, this year alone,
tne work of more than 2000 school chil
dren and their teachers leaves with me
two big questions in strong relief.
1. How may the rate of progress
through the (trades be increased ?
There are 1883 children in tfle first,
second, third and fourth grades between
the average ages of 7 and 12 years. The
ages of children of these grades should
run from 7 to 10 years. What would it
mean to 1883 country boys and girls to
save two years of school life T
2. How may the learning power of
the pupils be increased f
As they progress through the grades
there seems to be an ever-increasing
burden of difficulties. Their learning
power is below par. The teachers
know it and that's what sends them to
summer schools.
It takes no prophet to tell us that we
are to have better teaching in the coun
try schools, for we already see the signs.
The outlook Is hopeful. That gives me
courage to invite you to examine with
me the case of the schools. If we
would be helpful we must be frank.
THS SYMPTOMS.
1. Of the 818 young people in the
fifth, sixth and seventh grades, too
many of them cannot write a legible
hand.
2. Their written work shows lack of
knowledge of punctuatio.n and simple
sentence structure; the words spelled
incorrectly are frequently those; cor
rectly spelled in "cutting up and down"
classes.
3. In arithmetic the native intelli
gence and daily experiences of country
children place them on a plane more or
less independent of school and teacher.
Yet of the pupils ohseryed many
showed the handicap of weak powers of
visualization and lack of speed and ac
curacy in the fundamental -processes of
adding, subtranctig, multiplying, di
viding.
4. With few exceptions they cannot
attack intelligently an assigned lesson
in history, geography, or grasp the
conditions of a difficult problem in arith
metic because of their inability to read.
Catling off the text glibly (and some
there are who have not even' this facili
ty of pronunciation) without the thought
association is a futile search after
knowledge.
THE DIAGNOSIS.
What's the matter ? Starvation in
the primary grades, indigestion in $he
grammar grades.
THE RKMEDY-*.^ /
1. The mechanical process1 of learn
ing to write is more easily acquired be
tween the ages of six- and eight than at
any later period. /Teach writing at the
proper time.
2. Spelling is a matter for eye and
hand as Well as ear and mouth. See
that children learn to write words cor
rectly as well as "shine" in spelling
matches, and that right early.
3. Successful written work must rest
on an oral foundation. Make the tran
sition from correctly formulated sen
tences in oral exercises lead naturally
to the written form.
4. Drill in rapid number combina
tions and concrete illustration in the
primary grades will reduce a tremend
ous waste- of time and energy.
5. Teaching beginners to read has
been more satisfactorily worked out
than any other subject in the elemen
tary school. The successful operation
of this method would reduce the time
the averfge child in our country schools
now takes to learn the mechanics of
reading bjr about one half. 4 Employ
teachers who can do this.
Teach the reading lessons in all
the grades, so that the pupils will get
the full meanings of words, sentences,
paragraphs as well as a means ot get
ting the thought of the selection.
THE TREATMENT.
But who is to apply this remedy of
thoroughness ?
The primary teacher for the health
of the entire system depends upon the
soundness of her work. What of the
upper grade teacher ? She cannot cure
the diteaae of ineffectual elementary
training, for that is a matter of lost
time and bad habits of study. Her
immediate task, however, is to arrest
Its progress and to make ready for bet
ter prepared classes from the primary
department, for they are on the way.
Some Things That Have Hap
pened in Franklin County.
1901-1013.
The yaar 1900 tu the year of. the
suffrage amendment. It marked the
beginoU* of a general educational In
tereat in Sprth Carolina. In a way it
wjl? the cloae of an old order.
Today w? itand on the threihhold of
new things. With 1913 1914 something
like an adequate school term bMn.
Hereafter will be a minimum mihool
term of six months. In a way it H the
beginning of a new order. The empha
sis is going to change. The predomi
nant call of the last twelve years has
been for inoney with which to improve
and run the schools. The insistent de
mand of the next years is going to be
for greater efficiency' of work in the
bouse* we have built and during the
term we have provided.
It is a good time to stop and take
stock of how far we have gone. For
that reason is given below a table of
comparative figures between the yean,
1900-190l_when we began to sit up and
take notice, and 1812-1913 as we face
the great forward step of a six months
term.
1901 1913
Number of polls listed 3716 3852
Receipts from poll tax 4099 4431
Assessed tax yalue of
all property 2,781,284 9,802,836
Paid to white teachers,
town and country 6,256
Town schools
Rural schools
Enrolled in white
schools 2,814
Town
Rural
Average attendance 1,279
Value of houses for whites,
town and country 2,930
Town
Country
Average salary of teach
ers per month 24.00
Average length of term
in days , 80
Number of white teach- ?
ers employed , 54
Before 1905 there was not a graded
-school in the county. All figures prior
to that time include both the tovfn
schools and the strictly rural schools.
The Teacher's Association
The past year has been decfdly the
best school year known in Franklin
County.
1. There has been the largest en
rollment. y
2. The average attendance was
greater. T
3. The average length of term lias
never been so great.
4. A keener and more noticeable in
terest has been shown by the people.
5. P6r the betterment of houses, and
grounds more than twice as much Mon
ey was given by patrons than ever be
fore.
8. And to those who saw the inqjfie,
it was realized that better planned -and
better done work was going on.
Back of these things lie the moii?hly
meetings of the teachers. Sixty Vight
country school teachers, most of them
women, and nearly every one a regular
attendant.
franklin does not pay as much as
many counties and its teachers average
less experience but their spirit and will
ingness are as fine as anybody's.
From those meetings came profes
sional spirit and stjidy, knowledge of
better methods, and the enthusiasm
which went back home to better school
surroundings and out in the wayside to
bring into the school those who need
ed it.
It became a point of honor with many
that every child in their districts should
be in school' if possible. And they were
very largely- We have a compulsory
law next year but one is tempted to be
lieve almost that it is not much needed
in this county.
The association is not only a clearing
house for idess but it is a power house
for energy. Through it the relation-*
ship between teachers and supervisors
was made close and cordial. It was the
point of contact needed to make super
vision efficient and leadership real.
One wonders sometimes if the people
in general have any clear idea of the
things which are really giving force
and value to the schoolroom in Franklin
County.
Looking back over the year, it should
be said that whatever our relative rank
in many things, in the matter of loyal
ty, of willingness to learn and the wish
to serve on the part of its teachers,
Franklin County is at ^the top of the
first division.
19.8U
8,450
13,864
4,450
1,609
2,741
2,207
V M
67,400
40.000
27,400
mf
?!7.0O ?
107.
.v..i
A Circulating: Library
BT MART ARRINCTOH.
Plana are being formulated for
establishment of a eirculatlng
for the schools of the county. It
in no wise arrest the growth of
rural libraries such as we already
but iU function will be to snp^l
and render more ell&ctive those
Ushed and to stimuli those i_.
without libraries to git them. Wi
say the circulating library, at
the nucleus of it, already exist,
(Continued an 4th page.)