FABMERS'' INSTITUTES. 527 



wealth aud unequal opportunities under her jurisdiction. The country 

 children of our Nation constitute its most valuable element; and these 

 childi'en, who from their environments have vigorous bodies, pure morals, 

 and active, practical minds, are the ones who should receive the benefit 

 of the very best tested educational methods and the strongest teachers 

 employed to teach them. 



It is too true that many young men and young ladies are making 

 teaching a stepping-stone to what they consider higher ideals, conse- 

 quently, they have not fitted themselves for teachers further than secur- 

 ing a certificate and a position in some country school, thinking of course 

 that it would make little diffei-ence what methods were used so they 

 managed to keep school for a few months. Close supervision would often 

 eradicate cases like these. 



Whether it is true of any section of this State I do not know, but 

 there are localities where inexperienced teachers are selected because they 

 will teach for a smaller salary than the experienced ones, the trustees 

 never once thinking that the advancement of the pupils and the upbuild- 

 ing of the schools in their locality depend upon the efficiency of the 

 teachers selected to teach them. 



It may be possible for a poorly equipped teacher to make a primary 

 teacher, but they are not fit for the country schools. Let them get posi- 

 tions in the gi'aded schools, but the rural schools should have men and 

 women that are strongly constituted, with highly cultivated minds, and 

 that are full of enthusiasm and overflowing with "the milk of human 

 kindness." A true teacher can see beneath the rough exterior 'of the 

 "barefoot boy with cheek of tan" if not a statesman, something far 

 nobler, grander. They can see a true man, ready to defend the right, 

 brave and generous, loving his country and reverencing God's name. Then 

 we should demand true teachers to rightly develop the minds of these 

 childi'en. 



I think, as a usual thing, schools anywhere are as good as the com- 

 munity demands or as poor as it will tolerate. There may be one or 

 two who insist upon having the best teachers. This is not enough; there 

 must be this sentiment throughout the entire community, for the demands 

 of a few are not as effective as that of many. 



As I stated before, I think close supervision would aid very greatly 

 in securing the best teachers for the rural schools. A close supervisor 

 should have a thorough understanding of every phase of school work. 

 He should be able to detect at once on entering a schoolroom whether 

 there is good or bad management. I think the most advantageous work 

 of a Supervisor is his skiU in selecting the best teachers. He should, 

 therefore, be directly or indirectly consulted by the trustees about the 

 selection of teachers for the rural schools. As a people, simply wanting 

 what is due, you insist on very close supervision. 



