Part 20 (1/2)
”Of course Now think a minute Do many of the boys from this country become sailors?”
”No'm,” from the class
”What do they beco the ”f” and flattening the ”a”
Certainly, the boys in a farht up on the farm, naturally become farmers, yet in the interio to school How absurdly easy the task of the school--to deterressive, enthusiastic, up-to-date farirls, too, marry farmers, keep farmers' ho that they are prepared to do these things well!
The task of the city school is complex because of the vast number of businesses, professions, industrial occupations and trades which children enter In co What are the ingredients of successful farmers and farmers' wives? What proportion of physical education, of riculture, of suggestions for practical far, enter into the irls ill live up to the traditions of the American farm? To what extent must the school be a center for social activity and social enthusiasm? How shall the schoolplaces for the men and women of to-morrow?
The duty of the country school is simple and clear It must fit country children for country life First it must knohat are the needs of the country; then,has prepared them to appreciate country probleht to be in directing the thoughts and lives of the community
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 22: An extensive reference to this school will be found in ”Country Life and the Country School,” Mabel Carney, Row, Peterson & Coo, 1912]
[Footnote 23: Supra, pp 180-181]
CHAPTER X
OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES AND SUCKLINGS
I Miss Belle
The sun shone h it was still late January, while the wind, which occasionally rustled the dry leaves about the fence corners, had scarcely a suggestion of winter in its soft touch Across the white pike, and away on either side over the rolling blue grass meadows, the Kentucky landscape unfolded itself, lined with brown and white fences, and dotted with venerable trees A buggy, drawn by a carefully-stepping bay horse, ca itself naturally into the beautiful landscape Surely, that must be Joe and Miss Belle; it was so like her, since she always see herself a natural part of her surroundings Another er any doubt It was Miss Belle with three youngsters crowded into her lap and beside her in the narrow buggy seat, while a dangling leg in the rear suggested an occupant of the axle
”Well, well,” cried Miss Belle, cordially, as Joe stopped, glad of any excuse not to go, ”where are you bound for? You didn't come all the way over to ride back with hed back, ”no one ever expects to ride with you so near the school-house I'll walk along ahead until you begin to unload”
”Go along, now you're casting reflections on Joe's speed Come, Joe, we'll show him” Joe, who did not leave his accustoentle blow from the whip and broke into a trot
”Le froy So we journeyed for half a , while the spring rider and I trotted side by side over the well-made pike Then Miss Belle drew rein in front of a so,” she exclai coht, up you get,” and in a y for a half hour's ride behind Joe
”You see those two little girls who got off there,” said Miss Belle, pointing to the house we had just left, ”well, they are two of a faer than those Their mother died last winter, so naturally I take an interest in the task for a man to handle alone”
The last child was unloaded by this ti herself back comfortably, chatted about her work in a one-room country school in the Blue Grass belt of Kentucky
II Going to Work Through the Children
”Maybe there are thirty-five faan ”Six years ago when I took this school sos they didn't know about cohborhood for life They wore stockings till they dropped off Soirls put on sweaters in October, wore the You never saw such utterly wretched hohborhood, nor a curtain either It wasn't that the women didn't care--they simply didn't know