Winthrop Normal and Industrial College South Carolina Bulletin No. 2. SEPTEMBER 1910 Volume 4, Suggestions for Rural Schools Rock Hill, South Carolina luiicd Q«i«rterly by the CoUcgtt. Etiter«d as Secoad-CIs«s Matter, October 4, 1910, at the Postoffice at Rock HUt, under Act of Confess of July 6, 1894 BULLETIN OF THE Winthrop Normal and Industrial College OF South Carolina Bulletin No. 2. SEPTEMBER 1910 Volume IV. Suggestions for Rural Schools By Miss Leila Russell County Supervisor of Elementary Rural Schools THE LONDON PRINTERY. ROCK HILL, S C 6^^ ') t t INTRODUCTORY The importance of school supervision is recognized everywhere. That the best schools are found in our towns and cities is due largely to the fact that they have had close professional supervision. In urban ' communities this has been easily supplied; but the schools of our rural districts, unlike those of our towns and cities, are widely separated: in one county moveover, they number as many as one hundred or one hundred and fifty; yet the entire burden of supervision has been placed on the should- ers of the county Superintendent of education. This i3 clearly one of the weakest points in our com- mon school system; and it is a matter of much thankful- ness that it has been made possible, through the generosity of the Peabody Board and Winthrop college for York county to have a supervisor of elementary rural schools. To do the most effective work, however, it is necessary for the supervisor to have the hearty co-operation of coun- ty superintendent, trustees, teachers, and parents. This little bulletin, containing a few practical sugges- tions to those laboring in rural schools, is sent forth, therefore, with the hope that it w^ill be found helpful both directly to teachers, and also in the more important mat- ter of bringing about this co-operation. OPENING EXERCISES Opening exercises, if properly conducted, can he made ■very helpful to the pupils. The few minutes that begin the day's work may be used to create strong impressions that will tend to the formation of noble character. Truths and right principles may be so presented day after day that at last they will permeate the spiritual and moral being of the pupils and make of them better men and women. These exercises should be planned definitely for each day. Memory gems may be used that will aid in charac- ter building, and give the teacher an opportunity to im- press upon his pupils the fact that * 'A31 are architects of fate Working in these walls of time." The following quotations suggest a number of channels along which this work of character formation may be directed: The child is father of the man — Wordsivctth. No man can cheat you out of ultimate success but yourself. — Emerson. Work wields the weapon of power, wins the palm of success, and wears the crown of victory. — Pierson, Have an aim in life or all your energies will be wasted. -M. C. Peters. He who follows two hares is sure to catch neither. — Franklin, Two or three mornings spent in learning a Fsalm or telling a Bible story is one of the best ways to use this period. One morning each week could be spent profitably on picture study, reproductions of the masterpieces being selected for this purpose. These may be had for a few cents from the Perry Pictures Company, Maiden, Massa- chusetts, or the Cosmos Company of New York. Certain seasons of the year afford material for open- ing exercises. During the month of November the his- tory of Thanksgiving would occupy several mornings. It should be shown that the Jews, the Greeks, the Romans, and the English observed a harvest festival, but that America instituted the Thanksgiving as we know it. The November "Plan Book" for intermediate and grammar grades gives m.uch information on this subject. It is a good plan to spend the time once a week study- ing some great man or woman. To set aside one morning for a discussion of current events will stimulate newspaper and magazine reading. SEAT WORK Teachers often feel the need of more suitable seat- work or busy work, as some term it. It is necessary to provide such work for children who do not know how to study, not simply that they maybe occupied, but that the work of the recitation periods may be strengthened. Mere aimless employment for the sake of passing away the time must not be allowed in the school room. Any seat work that is given must have a definite purpose. Unless this work is planned to meet the needs of the chil- dren and comes as an active supplement to the work out- lined by the daily or weekly program it is mere nonsense to give it to them, and they had better be out in the open air. The moment a thing is taught, that moment the children may be given educational busy work. The following suggestions have been found helpful. 1. Have the children bring in acorns, peas, corn, nuts, spools, and broom-straw to be used in counting. Have a box of shoe pegs and tooth-picks. Children of the first and second grades may be asked to cut broom-straws into one-inch lengths, two-inch lengths, three-inch lengths, and so on to six-inch lengths. 2. Make a railroad across the desk using the six-inch straws for rails, and the two-inch straws for ties. Count the number of rails, the number of ties, the number of inches in the length of the railroad. 3. Place the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, etc., on the black- board. Let the children copy these numbers, and, using shoe pegs, place the required number of pegs by each figure. 4. Use tooth-picks and build a pig pen six, eight, or ten rails high. Count the number of picks used in the pen. 5. Place a drawing of a fence on the board and have children use broom-straws to build it on their desks. Count the posts. Count the planks. Other pictures may be drawn and used the same way. 6 6. Soak the corn and have the children string it. If you can secure a red ear, the pupils cO'uld be asked to string- two white ones and a red one, or three white ones and a red one. Write the words that the pupils have learned on pieces of Manilla tag paper and put in envelopes, one envelope for each child. Write sentences on the boai-d and let class form them from the words in the envelope. Copy the sentences. 8. Draw and color autumn leaves. Write or print the names of your pupils on large pieces of card board and let the children cover these names with shoe pegs. 10. Number combinations can be given to children, such as 2 f 3 =, and answers may be fitted, these answers to be found on slips of paper distributed at the same time the combinations were given out. 11. Give the children slips of paper on which there are a number of drawings. Have the children write the correct names by each drawing. The reverse order, giv- ing words and having drawings made, forms good seat work. 12. Write sentences, cut them into groups of words, distribute, and have the children form the sentences. HINTS FOR ORAL LANGUAGE WORK The object of all language work in our schools is to train the children in the correct usage of their mother tongue. This includes both oral and written expression, but in the primary grades there should be a predominance of oral work. These are the years when children are forming habits of speech. There are numerous errors made by pupils that can be corrected only by daily drills on the correct forms. One often hears "done" for "did", '"went" for "gone, " "taken" for "took,", etc. If chil- dren repeated day after day such sentences as; — I took the basket, Mary took the basket, You took the basket, and I have taken the basket, Mary has taken the basket. You have taken the basket, they would not continue to make the mistake of using "taken" for "took". Correct oral expressions will do much to give us correct written expressions. One English period each week spent in drilling on correct usage of words that pupils misuse will aid in the formation of correct habits of speech. The following game may be of some service as a drill: Have the children stand in two rows facing each other. Each side chooses a champion and sends him to the foot of the opposing row. Each child is given a number. The leader begins, "My book is torn. Who did it?" Then calls a number and rapidly counts "1,2, 3, 4, 5". The pupil whose number is called, responds, "I did" or "Mary did it," and asks the question as before, calling another number from the opposing row. If the answer is not given before five is counted, the child who misses goes to the foot. The side whose champion reaches the headfirst wins the game. Many incorrect forms may be corrected in a similar way. Children enjoy telling incidents that have come within their experience. It is well to suggest the character of the incident they are to relate, say, for example, an ac- count of the most amusing situation in which they have been placed, or the most alarming one, etc. An occasion- 8 al English period spent in this way is a profitable one. CDnversation lessons on some subject of interest to the pupils form valuable language exercises. Take for in- stance a conversation on pets. Each child very probably has a dog, a cat, a pony, or perhaps, a baby brother or sister to pet. The subject could be dealt with under the following heads, and others may be added: What the pet is; description of it; how cared for — its food, its bed; what it does for you; what you think of it. If the children have been to a circus, a party, or on a nutting trip, this experience would furnish material for a conversation lesson. The story is a basis for a large part of oral language work. Telling a story well is an accomplishment that all teachers of primary grades must cultivate. The season, the work in geography, or history will often suggest the story to be used. While studying the corn, for example, one very naturally recalls the story of the gift of the corn as given in "Hiawatha's Fasting." First, second, third and even fourth year classes will be interested in this. The story of Ceres suggests itself also as winter approaches, as does that of The Sleeping Beauty. At the time of Hallowe'en the Brownies and fairies come into one's mind. SUGGESTIONS FOR ORAL GEOGRAPHY As this is the harvest season, a study of cotton could be made. The following are suggestive outlines: COTTON Material: Cotton stalks having green and open bolls, if possible. Specimens of cotton seed, cotton seed meal, cotton seed oil, and cotton seed hulls, thread and cloth. Description of the plant: Stem — woody — brown Leaves--short, broad and pointed. Roots— taps. Blossoms and Squares. ( Lint Bolls - ( Seed Cultivation: Preparation of soil— Planting the seed. Plowing and hoeing. When and how harvested. Price paid for picking. Amount a rnan can pick in a day. How much he can make. Amount of cotton produced en an acre. Where grown: Countries — Climate. Separating seed and lint: Old way — By hand. New way — Gin. ( Bagging Baling < ( Ties Amount of seed cotton necessary for bale. Weight of bale. Weight of seed. Marketing: Price. Warshouse. i Cars Shipping < i Boat Factories. Compress — Why and where. How many bales a car will hold— a ship. 10 Uses: Cloth, 1 Lint I Thread, Products -D I Paper, i Filling for mattresses quilts, etc. 2 Stalk i Paper, Products •! f Fertilizer. 3 Seed \ Oil, Products i Meal. I Hulls. [ Fertilizer Uses of seed products: Oil — For man^for machinery. Meal and hulls— food for animals. How seed are pi' e pared: Ginning, separating hulls and kernels. Grinding kernels, cooking and crushing meal for oil. I Crude Oil- ( Refined Comparison of cotton and corn: CORN Why called Indian corn. Real Indian corn was popcorn. How changed. Where it grows: Climate Soil — upland or valleys— bottoms. When and how planted: How farrows are apart. How far seed are apart. Description of plant: Height. Stalk — pith — fiber — joints. i Furnish food for plant. Roots — fibrous— two uses-: f Serve as a prop. Leaves — sheath — blade. i Tassels— pollen. Blossoms: ■] ( Ear-silk. When and how harvested. Amount prodiiced on an acre. Uses: Stalk. Leaves. Ears. 11 ( Hopper. The mill\ Millstones. ( Sifting. Products: Kernels Meal Hominy Whiskey and beer Ensilage. Marketing: Price of products. Commerce: i Cars. Shipping - ( Boat. The change of seasons affords material for lessons in oral geography. Take for example the preparation made for winter by man, bird, beast, plants and insects. As suggested elsewhere, this oral work in geography can be used as a basis for much written work in English. THE RURAL SCHOOL EXHIBITION It is planned to have an exhibit of rural school work in each of the townships in York county next spring, then to have these exhibits sent to Winthrop College where a county exhibit will be made during the college commencement. Some prizes will be offered for the best exhibits. There is nothing that will bring more life into school work than having the pupils put their ideas into some tangible form of expression. The day of static education has passed. In the study of geography, for example, the activity of the pupils should find expression in making relief maps of paper pulp, or of flour and salt, in drawing maps showing political divisions, and making maps show- ing productions. The principle of activity, such as is in- dicated above, can be applied not only in geography, but in almost every branch of study taught in the com.mon schools. 12 The best work of the pupils should be saved for this exhibit. These exercises must be placed on paper 9x12 inches in size and then mounted on cardboard of uniform size. The dealers in Rock Hill, Yorkville, Fort Mill and Clover have been asked to keep the supplies necessary for this exhibit. It is hoped that there will be a strong variety of work represented. Correlate the work in English with that of geography. If, for example, the lessons on cot- ton and its products suggested elsewhere, are given, the English could be based on the work done on this sub- ject, compositions could be written and illustrated with drawings or pictures, and these formed into a booklet. The formation of a cotton chart, showing the plant and all its products, would be interesting. Problems in arithmetic based on the actual experiences of a neighboring farmer will not only arouse interest among the pupils, but will show the practical side of school room. work. Most of the pupils in our schools are the children of farmers. The subject of agriculture v/ill demand the at- tention of by far the greater part of them throughout their lives. Our country needs to be developed agricul- turally, and the work of the school should be such that it will stimulate agriculture. Wherever it is possible — and it is possible in most schools— Corn Clubs and Tomato Clubs should be organized among the pupils. The work in connection with these organizations will furnish ma- terial for work in English, arithmetic, etc. ^ A 13 BULLETINS AND BOOKS The following is a list of bulletins and books that will be found helpful. The bulletins may be secured free of charge from the Secretary of Agriculture, Agricultural Department, Washington, D. C. No. 28." Weeds and How to Kill them. No. 36. Cotton seed and its Products. No. 48. The Manuring of Cotton. No. 302. Sea Island Cotton: Its Culture, Improve- ment, and Diseases. No. 314. A Method of Breeding Early Cotton to Es- cape Boll-weevil Damage. No. 326. Building up a Run-down Cotton Plantation. No. 81. Corn Culture in the South. No. 99. Insect Enemies of Shade Trees. No. 110. Rice Culture in the United States. No. 134. Tree Planting on Rural School Grounds. No. 218. The School Garden. No. 185. Beautifying the Home Grounds. No. 220. Tomatoes. No. 229. The Production of Good Seed Corn. No. 253. The Germination of Seed Corn. No. 255. The Home Vegetable Garden. No. 256. Preparation of Vegetables for the Table. No. 257. Soil Fertility. No. 258. Texas or Tick Fever and its Prevention. No. 266. Management of Soils to Conserve Moisture. No. 270. Modern Conveniences for the Farm Home. No. 313. Harvesting and Storing corn. No. 324. Sweet Potatoes. No. 345. Some Common Disinfectants. No. 348. Bacteria in Milk. No. 349. The Dairy Industry in the South. No. 409. School Lessons on Corn. No. 408. School Exercises in Plant Production. No. 356. Peanuts. No. 359. Canning Vegetables in the Home. 14 No. 364. A Profitable Cotton Farm. No. 389. Bread and Bread Making. "The Plan Book— With Scissors and Paste," by Grace Goodridge, published by A. Flanagan, Chicago, 111. "Robinson Crusoe," by Lida B. McMurray, published by Public School Publishing Co., Bloomington, 111. "Stories Every Child Should Know," by Hamilton W. Mabie, published by Doubleday, Page & Co. "Asgard Stories," by Mary Foster, published by Silver, Burdett & Co. , New York. "How We are Clothed," by Chamberlain. "How We are Fed, " by Chamberlain, publishedby Mac- millan&Co., New York. Carpenter's Geographical Readers in five volumes. Champlin's Young Folks' Encyclopedia of Literature and Art. Champlin's Young Folks' Encyclopedia of Persons and Places. Champlin's Young Folks' Encyclopedia of Common Things. "Golden Hours"— A collection of poems, by Wiggins and Smith. (All these books may be ordered from The Baker and Taylor Company, New York. ) The Plan Book for Intermediate and Grammar Grades, published by A. Flanagan, Chicago, 111.