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The educational recommendations approve strongly of the county system of organization, since "under no other form of organization such rapid development has taken place in rural school advance," with the exception of efficient township organization in certain thickly settled sections of the county. The weakness of the system is most apparent in the amount of supervision of the teachers, which is left entirely to the county superintendent. The employment of three assistant .superintendents for this work is definitely recommended. The course of study is found to be conservative in its traditional use of the common branches. It therefore needs a readjustment so that it "will be more closely correlated with the life and interests of the community." Especial attention is called to the need of instruction in elementary agriculture, domestic science, manual training, music, and drawing. The entire curriculum should be taught in terms of these subjects. The number of schools is found to be too great, and, in the interest of efficiency and economy, consolidation of schools is recommended on the ratio of one school for every 15 square miles. In certain sections this area might be increased to 25 square miles. This plan of consolidation would reduce the overabundance of small elementary schools. The schools for negro children "are relatively inefficient, as compared with the white schools, * and are poorly housed, equipped, and supported." Tables 18-24, inclusive, in the appendix give the enrollment of the white and colored schools by grades; the teaching of special subjects; the distribution of school expenditures; and the sources of school money.1

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VERMONT: SECONDARY EDUCATION.

Soon after the establishment in 1908 of a department of pedagogy at Middlebury College, Vermont, the college recognized

the necessity of a more intimate knowledge of conditions in the high schools and academies of Vermont, their special needs and problems, in order to a clearer understanding of its mission in helping these schools to be more efficient means in serving their constituents.

1 Mention may be made of seven other "rural" or "rural life" surveys made by the department of church and country life of the board of home missions of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, Dr. Warren H. Wilson, superintendent, and Miss Anna B. Taft, secretary:

a. A Rural Survey in Missouri (Adair, Sullivan, and Knox Counties), E. F. Eastman and A. T. Boisen, (no date);

b. A Rural Survey in Tennessee (Gibson County), A. T. Boisen, 1911;

c. A Rural Survey in Arkansas (Benton County), J. O. Ashenhurst, 1912-13;

d. Ohio Rural Life Surveys: (1) Northwestern Ohio (Seneca, Hancock, Allen, and Defiance Counties), R. A. Felton, field director, 1912, 1913; (2) Southeastern Ohio (Washington, Morgan, Athens, Vinton, Lawrence, and Adams Counties), R. A. Felton, 1912, 1913; (3) Southwestern Ohio (Darke, Montgomery, Preble, and Butler Counties), Dr. Paul L. Vogt, professor of sociology, Miami University, April, 1913; (4) Greene and Clermont Counties, Dr. Paul L. Vogt, March, 1914.

These surveys follow in general the scheme detailed in the Montgomery County, Md., report, in which rural school conditions are one of the several economic and social phases of life surveyed. The four Ohio surveys were made in part during the Ohio State survey, and the data were treated accordingly.

Accordingly, Prof. R. McFarland, professor of secondary education, conducted an inquiry through a personal visitation extending over a period of four months, from October 1, 1911, to February 1, 1912. In making the visitation and inspection, the inquirer followed the form used by the inspector of high schools in the State of Maine. The scope of the inquiry included 54 high schools, 16 academies, 2 normal schools, the industrial school, and the State agricultural school. This represented 88 per cent of the teaching staff and 77 per cent of the secondary school system of the State. The classroom work of 209 teachers in 296 recitations was observed.

The chief topics of inquiry included physical conditions, such as building, grounds, heating, lighting, sanitation, janitor work, ventilation, equipment in library and laboratory, teaching staff, the amount of education and professional training, experience in teaching, subjects taught and salaries, the observation of recitations, the organization of the high schools, the attendance of students, the courses of study, and a group of miscellaneous items including working spirit of school, management, discipline, spirit of community, and deficiencies in preparation of the entering class. The report (43 pp.) was published by the college in May, 1912.

The chief discovery of this inquiry into the conditions of high schools and academies in Vermont was "the need of complete reorganization of the system." To this end the following suggestions were made:

1. That the work of the State department of education be extended more completely into the field of secondary education.

2. That the State require inspection of high schools and a satisfactory conformation of approved schools to a minimum standard.

3. That a more detailed system of records and reports for schools be developed, that a cumulative record of every pupil be kept in every school and that approved schools take inventories of library equipment, laboratory supplies, and other school property annually, and furnish duplicate copies of the same to the department of education.

4. That approved schools possess a minimum laboratory equipment for each of the major and one of the minor sciences offered in its course.

5. That approved schools possess standard lists of books for each course offered in history.

6. That syllabi and manuals for the teacher's guidance be furnished to the high schools by the department of education.

7. That certification of teachers entering secondary school service be based on higher academic and professional attainments.

8. That enriched courses of study be provided for both the regular four-year high school and prospective six-year high schools.

9. That the school year be increased to 40 weeks for approved high schools and to 36 weeks for eight years for elementary schools. In the latter case it would result in the saving of a year of the pupil's time over the present practice of having nine years of 32 weeks each.

10. That six-year high schools be established wherever practicable, these schools to continue the work of six-year elementary schools that have 36 weeks in the school year.

11. That more careful provision be made for the inspection of the heating, lighting, sanitation, and ventilation of school buildings.

12. That the high schools in the smaller communities which show a spirit of liberal support of schools be encouraged by special State appropriations.

SYRACUSE, N. Y.

In May, 1912, a report on the public schools, made by Horace L. Brittain, of the training school for public service conducted by the Bureau of Municipal Research in New York City, was submitted to the associated charities of Syracuse. The report presented 19 "significant facts disclosed by the school survey," and detailed 22 “ constructive suggestions for correcting the defects noted in the preceding significant facts." Seven schools were visited and the office arrangements observed. Among the findings, emphasis was placed upon school grounds, sanitary, hygienic, and aesthetic conditions of school buildings and rooms, overcrowding, nonattendance, nonpromotion, low salaries, and inadequate records for gathering over-age elimination and physical and mental defects. In eight particulars Syracuse is credited with having "the germs of several advanced movements." The printed statement of the report lists four things which have been done relating to systems of records, over-age accounting, dry sweeping, and playgrounds.

GREENWICH, CONN.

At the town meeting of Greenwich, Conn., on December 9, 1911, the joint report of the special committee and the town school committee, as to the needs of the town in the matter of school accommodations, was adopted. Owing to "an increase during the previous seven years of more than 50 per cent of the number of enumerated children of school age," the problem of school accommodation had become very acute. The situation was one calling for relief, and the investigation was devoted to a study of this particular problem. In June, 1912, an educational exhibit was held, in which were presented the results of the school investigation which had been conducted by the committee in cooperation with Dr. Leonard P. Ayres, of the Russell Sage Foundation. A report of this investigation is found in The Book of the Educational Exhibit of Greenwich, Conn., and in the address on "Greenwich schools from an outside standpoint," by Dr. Ayres, delivered June 15, at the closing session of the exhibit. The report is a brief, but striking, presentation of the conditions which were found. By the use of pictures, diagrams, and charts, the peculiar state of affairs in this town was convincingly presented. It was found, first, that there was no real school system, that only "a school conglomeration" existed; second, that Greenwich is the second richest town in America; third, that it had been maintaining a "penurious policy toward its public schools *

that is little short of appalling." The main points include the inadequate and bad conditions of the school plant, school sites, overcrowding and air space, fire protection, cellars, lighting, vermin, and toilets. The school needs that were pointed out include:

I. A bigger, better school budget, based on a generous bond issue and designed to care for future growth as well as present necessities.

II. A modern and adequate school plant, providing a seat for every pupil.

III. A permanent school policy and an intelligent public sentiment that shall demand, as the inalienable right of each child, pure air, sufficient warmth for comfort, uncontaminated water, lighting that does not ruin eyesight, protection from the perils of fire, school locations not dangerous to health, and decent toilets.

IV. Consolidation of rural schools with transportation of pupils to the more efficient and less expensive graded schools.

V. A truly democratic aim in Greenwich education, an aim that shall reach every child and the whole of every child, an aim that shall be as much concerned about the progress of every child as it is about its presence, and as much concerned about its health as it is about its head.

WISCONSIN RURAL SCHOOLS.

In August, 1912, the training school for public service of the New York Bureau of Municipal Research made its "Preliminary report on conditions and needs of rural schools in Wisconsin," containing the results of field study reported through the Wisconsin State board of public affairs, which conducted the study. The scope of the inquiry included

a general examination of conditions in 27 counties in widely separated portions of the State, and a more detailed investigation of conditions in 131 schools in 13 counties.

The investigators were S. G. Lindholm, A. N. Farmer, and H. L. Brittain. F. S. Staley, field agent of the State board of public affairs, gathered most of the facts about rural-school accounting.

The report (92 pp.) is divided into the following seven parts: Factors which make for progress in rural schools; lax methods of controlling school expenditures; sanitary and educational conditions of rural schools; some serious defects of county supervision; some serious defects of State supervision; contrast between State supervision of State graded schools and State supervision of rural schools; suggested administrative and legislative remedies. The method of exposition used in the report details specific statements in such a way that it is difficult to summarize them. In presenting the material, 66 rubrics under special headings were used. It appears that emphasis was placed upon the primitive conditions of the rural schools and certain aspects of maladministration which were disclosed. The 15 specific recommendations included the following:

1. The election of county boards of education at the general school election. 2. Specific conditions under which State aid should be given to county boards of education to assist in the proper maintenance of the office of county superintendent. 73226°— -ED 1914-VOL 1-34

3. The appointment of inspectors to insure the proper teaching of agriculture and domestic economics.

4. The encouragement of the introduction of contests in these two subjects, and the promotion by free scholarships of the training of teachers of agriculture and domestic economics.

5. The addition of farm accounting, medical inspection, more agriculture, and methods of keeping records and accounts in the curriculum of the county training schools.

6. Raising the qualifications for obtaining the teacher's certificate.

7. A revision of the State Manual.

8. Increasing the staff of school inspectors.

9. A closer cooperation between the schools and circulating libraries.

10. The readjustment of school-district laws so as to insure the education of all children of school age.

11. Wider publicity of school facts.

12. A supervision of the use of school money.

13. An increase in State aid and State supervision of rural schools which should be classified in four groups for the purposes of subvention and inspection.

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N. Y.

An interesting instance of the manifestation of the survey spirit is to be found in "a study of local school conditions" by Prof. Alexander J. Inglis, of Rutgers College, on the school reports in Westchester County, which was made during the summer of 1912, under the auspices of the Westchester County research bureau. School conditions were not studied, since the work was conducted chiefly during the vacation time.

It was hoped, however, that by an examination of the previous records of the various schools and superintendency districts, there should be shown the efficiency of the schools in respect to the following particulars:

1. As to how far the compulsory attendance laws of New York State are carried out.

2. As to how rapidly or how slowly progress is made through the grades by those who attend the schools.

3. As to how capable the schools are in the matter of carrying all the students all the way through the scheduled courses of study

4. As to the total cost, to the taxpayer, of the school system, and the comparative cost per pupil in the various districts.

The report (23 pp., appendix 6 pp.) emphasizes the importance of school reports and proper publicity being given to them for the benefit of taxpayers. Detailed rubrics presenting "the elements of efficiency which should be reported" center upon attendance, continuation, curriculum, and economy. The accessible records of the entire county were examined so as to show the rules and procedure by which the rich material in school registers may be collected and treated so

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