1268 Rural School Leaflet 



classics.* Those little books are jewels; the children are wild over them; 

 they are so short and instructive. I have to force the little folks out 

 of doors to play. They want to read those classics. We have obtained 

 a traveling library. It is a fine collection, as I received just the books 

 that I desired. The district gives $5, which the State duplicates, each 

 year for library books. 



" We often have picnics to the woods, which are a great treat. Last 

 year the parents gave me a great surprise by opening one of the large 

 farmhouses where I was invited and found about two hundred friends 

 to greet me. A fine supper was served and I was presented with a piece 

 of silver. 



" This year the hope is to have a union picnic of the town schools; this 

 may pave the way for a union school, which our school is advocating. 

 Our school sent three students to high school this term. One of our 

 boys made all of his preliminaries at twelve years old. My boys and girls 

 have a great desire to attend high school. 



" We have recently organized a ' Junior Improvement League.' It has 

 had fine results thus far. The parents are interested, as usual, in all 

 that we undertake. I have just ordered two hundred packages of seeds 

 for home and school. We have a contest for the largest and best flowers. 

 We are to enter a corn-growing contest for a five-dollar prize. 



" I secure the cooperation of the parents in everything I undertake. 

 My patrons cannot do enough for us when w r e ask their aid in socials 

 and entertainments. 



" There are two sides of teaching — the schoolroom side and the com- 

 munity side. We cannot teach school successfully if we are not masters 

 of the first, but we cannot make the best success if we are indifferent to 

 the second. We must meet and mingle with the people and bring them 

 to our schoolroom, showing them indirectly our work and needs. 



" We should teach right living and high thinking, and the power of 

 education in the development and progress of our Empire State should 

 be ever in mind. We must create a public sentiment for good schools 

 and education in the community, which will bear fruit for generations." 



2. From a letter written by Mrs. M. Alice Taft, East Cutchogue, Suffolk 

 county: 



Editor's Note. — We are interested in the effort that many rural teachers 

 are making to give boys and girls an opportunity to know the view- 

 point of successful men and women in their community. The following 

 letter presents some valuable information along this line: 



" In response to your request for information concerning the inno- 

 vation made in our Friday afternoon program, I respectfully submit the 

 following : 



" The thought was first suggested by a casual remark of our highly 

 esteemed, progressive, helpful District Superintendent, Mr. Charles H. 

 Howell, who has served continuously as School Commissioner and District 

 Superintendent since January 1, 1888, and has, therefore, given the 

 State longer service in that capacity than any other man. 



"It was augmented by the great interest and hearty cooperation of 

 our trustees, and further strengthened by an earnest desire to bring the 



♦Published by the H. A. Owen Publishing Company, Dansville, New York. 



