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Rural School Leaflet 



Presence. — When boys and girls are ready to go out into the world, a 

 large part of their future success depends on personal appearance and 

 manners. By commending boys and girls who come to school clean, with 

 hair neatly combed and finger nails cared for, who walk instead of shamble, 

 who are able to "stand on two feet and look you straight in the eye," 

 the teacher will soon find the more careless children making effort to 

 receive such commendation. Children should be taught some of the 

 essentials of good manners — conduct in school, in the home, in the 

 presence of older persons, at table, and in all public places. 



The school grounds. — Everything that a child sees during the day leaves 

 some kind of impress. All constructive work stands for definite gain. 



A rural school in Herkimer County 



It is a serious thing when children day after day enter unkept school 

 grounds and look upon dilapidated, unclean outhouses. The children 

 could not do a more valuable piece of work than to help improve the school 

 grounds. Everything should be made as neat as possible about the build- 

 ing this fall, and as much enthusiasm as possible created for planting in 

 the spring. 



The schoolhouse. — No matter how unclean or unattractive the interior of 

 the school building may be, it should never seem hopelessly so to the rural 

 teacher. Such a condition may be opportunity for him to work with the 

 children to make it livable and attractive. The effort on the part of the 

 children to do this may be suggestive of many improvements that can be 

 made in their homes. Some rural teachers in New York State have called 

 mothers' meetings for the purpose of discussing the improvement of the 

 school building, and they have found the mothers ready to help in making 



