Rural School Leaflet 



1369 



A CHAT WITH RURAL TEACHERS 



Alice G. McCloskey 



11' IS September, and the school year has begun. Here 

 and there along the countryside farmhouse doors will 

 open, and boys and girls will come out and start hope- 

 lYilly along the open road to the schoolhouse. The 

 teacher will be ready to meet them — the one who is 

 to inspire and guide these young minds toward useful 

 and happy li\dng. A little child is always a sacred 

 charge, and there is no greater opportunity than to 

 (Urect a young mind toward wholesome gro^\i;h and a 

 realization of the abundance of Hfe. 



As these young children leave their homes on the 

 first day of school, there cannot but be anxiety for 

 their future. The sturdy little lad scuffling along 

 among the falling leaves cannot know, without teaching, 

 the things that will give him a richer manhood and the 

 opportunity to do a more definite work in the days 

 of his greatest usefulness. He cannot know, unless 

 some one teaches him, that health must be his portion 

 if his life is to be joyous, and if his work is to be well 

 done ; that he must have clean teeth ; that he must be 

 controlled in his social relations; that he must strive 

 daily to have charity and tolerance; that he must form 

 habits of kindl}^ judgment; that he must daily make a contribution to 

 the welfare of the home; that he must avoid boorish manners. The little 

 lad cannot know, unless some one teaches him, that a great part of his 

 education must come from reading good books, and that his life will be 

 enriched by intimate association with the out-of-doors. 



There is also the chubby little maid coming out of the farmhouse door, 

 which, perhaps, she closes with difficulty; then trudges along among the 

 falling leaves. She does not know, unless some one teaches her, that she, 

 too, must have this preparation for life that her brother has ; that she must 

 be clean, and wholesome, and healthy; and that education must give to 

 her the great resources of literature and the out-of-doors, which will make 

 a glorious background for any life, however difficult. She cannot know, 

 unless some one teaches her, the importance of refined and gentle manners ; 

 this does not mean that she may not enter into any gladsome sport and 

 pastime that her brothers enjoy. She must learn that out-of-door exercise, 

 such as skating and skiing, helps to make for vigorous happy woman 

 hood. She, too, must learn to have charity and tolerance for all. And 

 fully as important as any other lessons, this little maid must learn the 

 dignity and the importance of household work well done. 



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