DOCUMENT RESUME ED 392 566 RC 020 435 AUTHOR Foght, Harold Waldstein TITLE The American Rural School: Its Characteristics, Its Future and Its Problems. PUB DATE 10 NOTE 420p.; Xerox copy of original book, reproduced two pages per landscape pages. This book is cited by Mary Phillips Manke in her article "The Rural Teacher in the Early 1900's" (EJ 478 228) as a classic of rural education literature; see also RC 020 215-218, 435, 451-452, 470. Photographs will not reproduce adequately. PUB TYPE Books (010) Historical Materials (060) EDRS PRICE MF01/K.17 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Agricultural Education; Consolidated Schools; *Educational Change; Educational History; *Educational Practices; Elementary Secondary Education; Futures (of Society); Higher Education; Modernization; One Teacher Schools; 'hulf. of Education; Rural Areas; Rural Education; *Rural Schools; School Administration; School Buildings; *School Role; Teacher Education; Teacher Role; Vocational Education IDENTIFIERS Gardens; Nature Study ABSTRACT Written in 1910, this book was intended to enlighten rural school teachers, superintendents, and school board members as to the changing role of schools in meeting the needs of rural society and the demands of modern life. The contention was that rural schools should not prepare students for life in town, but rather prepare studpnts for rural life. The book begins with an introduction to problems associated with rural schooling, the decline of the rural population, changes in industrial life affecting rural areas, a description of the ideal 20th-century school, and what action should be taken to improve rural schools. The remaining chapters cover the following topics:(1) organization and administration of rural schools;(2) rural school maintenance; (3) rural school supervision; (4) an overview of the rural school teachers' training;(5) salaries and tenure of rural teachers;(6) rural school buildings, their architecture and sanitation;(7) indoor furnishings and art; (8) nature study and school grounds;(9) school gardens;(10) elementary agriculture and industrial clubs;(11) manual training in one-room schools; (12) the library and rural communities;(13) hygiene and physical education; and (14) consolidation of schools. Contains an index, additional readings in each chapter, photographs, data tables, figunes, and a list of additional resources for rural school teachers.(LP) ***.i:***************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ************::**1.,************************************************ THE AMERICANITS CHARACTERISTICS,AND ITS RURAL PROBLEMS ITS SCHOOL FUTURE THEPIRW MACMILLAN YORIC BOSTON COMPANYCHICAGO HAROLD WALDSTEINBY FOGHT, A.M. THE MACMILLANMACMILLANLONDONSANMELBOURNRBOMBAY FRANCISCO CO. & CO., OFCALCUTTA CANADA,LIMITED LTD. PROFESSORSTATE NORMAL OF RURAL SCHOOL, EDUCATION KIRKSVILLE, AND SOCIOLOGY MISSOURI TORONTO flwpU S DEPARTMENTRsearch Of EDUCATION and ImINOwmonI rI`IIcA,,,e,wod1,,y TIONAL IC.range! umentnprCF RC lOONave NTFRIFRICI SOURCESnas DO,S0,, 044enRow, ,e1Roduced INFORMATION/NO.0,gar,telir^ In rnp. yrIs 4',),IStrf THErlyPlynutto op, OSar,i, MACMILLAN(04 I rporospnto1.. Eat* COMPANY BOT COPY AVAILABLE All right,1917 ',curved THE THOUSANDS OF CONSCIENTIOUSCO HARDWORKING WHOTO LABORARE CONSECRATING INTEACHERS RURAL COMMUNITIES THEIR LIVES Set up andBy electrotyped. THE MACMILLANCOPYRIGHT,PublishedIgto, COMPANY. May, igto. THE HOMEDEVOTING OF THE THEIR NORMAL BEST AMERICANENERGIES LIFE January,September, September, xgro; July, 1913; igsr April, ;February, 1917. April, September,Reprinted 1912, TWELVE MILLIONFORTO USEFUL PREPARE COUNTRY CITIZENSHIP OUR BOYS AND GIRLS IS AFFECTIONATELYBYTHIS THE BOOKAUTHOR DEDICAT8D J, S. CushingNorwood,Nortaiteb Co,04-05 Mass.,Iterwkk reur U.S.A. es Smith Ow. tendents,THIS book and schoolboardis intendedPREFACE formembers;rural school for teachers,teachers'superin-reading effectivemakeatcircles, large our normalwho by Americanmeans are school interested of rural trainingschoolslifein the classes,adaptedricher profound and and its allmovement laborthe publicmore to tivementneedsSo sense. isfar of here ruralas theused society public advisedly.andschool the demandsItis isconcerned not used oftomodern the inthe theterm changing life.destruc- move- use.lifeconduct, andIt growth.aims norIt atdoes does fundamentalOn it not therun seek contrary, counterharmonyout atoit new isestablished byconstructive basefacing for the laws school inrural itsof whereIndeed,hamperedschool theaway the schoolthe fromnew usefulness movementtheinherentlymanyof artiticirl this belongsstrives institution intereststo placein the in whichthe midstthe school past.have of lifewholesomenatural of our interests day. lives onwhere the farmitcanvii preparethe only the normal youthAmerican forsane, ruralmuchViiiBroadly life. public speaking,With attention his usualno asotherPREFACE isclearness the subject movement of is vision,now toengaging Presidentorganizeso templatedgenuinemeans placed love changes, for at the their to soil fit disposal, PREFACEthemand all to that make to goesinspire use with of them the it material withthese, IXa otherwhichexceptionRoosevelt material underlies ofsizes the question the itconservation up problem in of these greater of words:of our importanceour rural natural " With life, now resources,therethe beforesingle isno theandconversantIt teachers' manyis the similarauthor's with work. rural problems, conviction school are,history that and teachers andmust know largelyshould more beremain, aboutmore totimethefor investigate improvement.American ago appointed and people." report aThis commission its commissionOur needs, National withof experts recommendations hasExecutive just on ruralmade some life a thecommunities,itiesIf they educational and were impulses generally teachers problems manifesting couldfamiliar now cooperate with lookthemselves theing to educational toward better in other advantage solution. activ-rural andlife.ruralvoluminous revolutionary, communitiesWhile sensiblereport inthe which ar.dtheir report suggestive rightsets is livingsorelation thoroughgoing rather and to achieving thanour national drastic in itsin tendentsothersandproblems accomplish whose had come ainterests stronger betterfrom supervisionresults. lie graspin the onThe schools.ofthe sameschools; many is perplexingIftrue ifsuperin- school of all ofandcommunication,questionings organization, effort," which that all ofwe arethecooperation, may evenmachinery indeed now lookpartof to quickprevent andto see parceltravel, waste" the of ofbenefits of urban swift time ifofboardsquences thetheir general realized ofduties parsimony laity inas thethey could and administration should closefistedness but halfthe surpassingknow of in theschool school direimportance affairs;support, conse- edies.Theylife,The applied have socialThey indicated to mayphilosophers the even entire needed induce length have reforms government andoutlined breadthand suggestedfor to ofus furnish rural our task. rem-life. the theThis ifway all book ofthese rapid was were improvement penned so, many in the wouldof hope the stumblingbethat cleared earnest away.blocks teachers in ofreformai.ermaterial the all, rural must whomeans youth. mustbegin of bearreform. with the the brunt heartsBut of it theandis the change. minds rural and teachers,The hands real theandmoremethods questions school of the nor officers nature set yet forth on of might schoolanabove. eoucational find management. Itin is it not some history, a treatise help settingIt in onpartakes solving school forth To make them receptive to the con- what has already been accomplished, indicatingkJ what is yetcansystems tobe be applied and done. suggests, profitably.It points whereverPREFACE out shortcomings possible, remedies in prevailing which addingfreefield.The use authorOthers his of ownthe haverealizes experience mite been when that here andhe and before is conclusions wherenot him.the he pioneer could.He of hasall in such,madeThethis ANALYSIS OF CONTENTS booksmall shallmeasure not inhave shedding been inlight vainon if this he succeedgreatest ofin twen-some INTRODUCTIONPathetic : storyTHE of PROBLEM the ruralCHAPTER STATEDschool .All I rural schools not bad ;PACs tieth-centuryATCHISON,July, 1909. KANSAS, problems. H. W. F. countryDisintegrationallThe rural city teachersexpress a positive of notthe rural inefficientequation menace population of to lifeCauses country Changes "The of Unitedlifethesein "The industrial conditions Statescity pre-andlife theistrationidealRuraleminently schools twentieth.centuryschools agriculturalMore must money be better mustTheschool organized twentieth-centurybe Thespent complete to and provide have countryproblem betterand maintain admin- life The ills.coursesdemandedvision must of study be SchoolmoreInstructionConsolidation efficient exteriors mustA becomeof twentieth-century Schoolschools professional interiorsa panacea school forPractical existingSuper. plant ORGANIZATIONGeneral ANDstatement ADMINISTRATIONCHAFTER. II isTownshiptions superiorChange to the organization tofrom district the districtdistrict unit toSchoolsystemRespects townshipGreat district spreadinCounty whichsystem organization of organizationthe the of township districtorganization systemObjec.Nec- trainedcuringdependsessaryTI,- boardreforms" upongoodWhat of the" aninboardeducation sizetheactive countyofmembers geographicalboard ;its system canfunction accomplish.Board Theunit communitymembersWorkDifficulty