126 The Transformation of the Rural School 



experience in industrial training and the changed 

 point of view which only the agricultural college 

 can give. So if the board of trustees in any rural 

 district really wishes to unite in supporting an effec- 

 tive back-to-the-farm movement, let them offer to 

 some country-reared graduate of the agricultural 

 college a salary of about twice or three times the 

 amount usually paid. After a few terms of school 

 taught by such a person, the good effects on the 

 rural uplift will most certainly reveal themselves. 

 But so long as school trustees continue to try to 

 drive a sharp bargain in the employment of teachers 

 securing the one with the passable county cer- 

 tificate who will teach for the least wages the 

 boys will continue to run off to town for "jobs'* 

 and the parents will continue to "move to town to 

 educate their children." 



There is some hope of a new ideal in relation to 

 the country school teacher; namely, that he shall 

 be a man in every sense, worthy of a salary large 

 enough to support himself and his family the year 

 round as residents of the community. Then we 

 shall have a profession of teaching in the rural 

 school work. 



REFERENCES 



Annual Report Page County (Iowa) Schools. Miss Jessie Field, Superin- 

 tendent (Clarinda). 



The reader who is especially interested in this chapter is urged to be- 

 come acquainted with the splendid work accomplished for the district 



