Show A The a 00 55 Tow J I R in WASHINGTON t. t By Walter Wolter Shead nf Washington Bureau ISIS 1616 Ey Eye St. St N. N N W W. The Little Red Schoolhouse Is Out of Step With the Times Celebration of the first anniversary anniversary anniversary sary of the White House conference I Ion on rural education in October served to bring into focus again the shortcomings and problems of rural education in the country schools Moreover it has h s brought to the fore once again the standing long-standing debate over the merits of the room one-room teacher one-teacher school versus the con con- consolidated country school There is however one fact that proponents of both the room one-room school and the consolidated school can agree on and that is the rural youth of the nation is not getting an even break with his city cousin in the matter of education With this in mind a point 24 pro pro- program program gram for tor improvement of rural edu education education cation has been drawn up for a long long- range fight for adoption by federal federa state and local school authorities This is an effort to bring rural education edu education cation up to a higher level to give the boys and girls of rural communities ties the type of education they need nee and the most education the rural public of the na tion Dr Howard A. A Dawson of Arkan Arkansas Bas sas director of the rural services ol of the National Education association at a recent press conference here hen announced that shortly after the first of the year nine regional conference on rural life and education will be held in various sections of the coun coup try Representatives of farmers business labor and educationS groups will participate in an effort effon to stimulate greater interest in the thi program Country Schools School Need Help Here are some vital statistics and an facts which become problems before befort any gathering of rural school au authorities Farmers have 31 per cent of the children and Only 10 to per cent of the national income so there Is h ha Isa Isa a need for greater state and federal federa financing as aids to local adminis adminis- administration administration of rural schools Rural school teachers teach rs average ap approximately approximately approximately proximately per year in salad saladas as compared to an average of for tor city teachers so city schools are an anable able to obtain better teachers There are school teachers teacher now working under emergency certificates cera certificates who are not qualified t to tf teach and two-thirds two of them are it is rural schools Rural school districts are to toe small and should be enlarged to provide pro provide provide vide increased resources and to de de- decrease decrease decrease crease administrative costs Of the rural school buildings build buildings ings are of the one teacher variety and one recommendation ol of the White House conference is that thai schools should be consolidated where when ever distances topography and the best interests of the children and o oj community life permit which bj the way is a manner of straddling the question of whether the one roon one or the consolidated school is for the thi best interest of the children Enrollment in teachers' teachers colleges the source from which school teach teachers ers are obtained has dropped 50 per pei percent cent during these war years As a result of the nations nation's teachers are new to their jobs and whereas city schools have been able to maintain staffs because of high er salaries paid country countr schools are bearing the brunt of the shortage Bigger Better High Schools It is pointed out that the curriculum curriculum lum established by the state board boards of education in many states varies little in the city and country schools It is a matter of common sense there is a vast difference in the edu educational rational nerds needs ne s of country children and those who live in cities So one am of the problems is for a n course of study particularly fitted to the needs of the rural youth and a staff sta of teachers who have the kind ant an and quality of education which will qualify y them to teach ii lr rural schools as contrasted to cit schools The NEA believes also that there ther can be no adequate high school edu education education education cation in any rural high school where enrollment is less than pupils There can be no adequately formu formulated formulated formulated high school program which wil give the student a well rounder education where there are only i s few students there can be no morale or spirit nor can interest a a- athe athe athe the student in the teen ages bi be maintained through four years a l high school work in small higl big schools educators believe Qualified Superintendents Furthermore one of the planks ii it the point 24 program calls for care careful careful careful ful selection of superintendents o. o rural schools on on a basis of professional qualifications and on non nonpolitical nonpolitical nonpolitical political considerations Therefore e popular elections of county superintendents superintendents should be abandoned There are some student enrolled in rural schools which con constitute constitute 48 per cent of all public schools In to the nation The Thc rural teachers comprise 52 per cen J of the nations nation's total |