to thrir district not only as regards educational aflairs, but all interests 

 of the community. It is only when in possession of such knowledge 

 that it is possible for the supervisors to so direct the schools and their 

 work that they would fill more nearly the place which the country schools 

 should occupy in their communities. 



The Course of Study 



The curriculum of the schools of Montgomery County includes little 

 but the common branches which have been taught in country and city 

 schools for the past decade. A readjustment is desirable so that the 

 studies pursued would he more closely correlated with the life and in- 

 terests of the community. More time and attention should be given 

 to instruction in elementary agriculture, domestic science, manual 

 training, music and drawing, and the common branches should be taught 

 in terms of these subjects. It is realized, of course, that the ordinary 

 country teacher herself can not do much to bring about this readjustment 

 on account of lack of training and lack of information relative to how the 

 readjustment may be effected. The county superintendent alone, with 

 the manifold duties thrust upon him, can do but little. Such read- 

 justment and redirection of the work of the schools can be accomplished 

 satisfactorily only by a county superintendent assisted by several super- 

 vising officers working under his authority and direction who can direct 

 and aid the teachers in the introduction of work in these newer subjects 

 and in establishing the proper balance and relationship between them 

 and the older subjects. The problem is greater than the mere addition 

 of new studies to the curriculum. Under present conditions the average 

 teacher in the one-teacher country school conducts about 26 recitations 

 per day of approximately 12 minutes in length. There is_no time for 

 additional classes. The newer subjects must be taught by means of and 

 through other subjects already in the curriculum in place of useless 

 portions now included. Such being the case, the necessity of expert 

 supervision is made all the greater. 



Number of Schools 



The number of schools contained in the county from the standpoint 

 of efficiency and economy is too great. There are 69 elementary schools 

 for white children or one for every 7}4 square miles of territory. This 

 means that if the schools were symmetrically distributed no part of the 

 county would be more than 2 miles from a school, 90% of the territory 

 would be within 1}4 miles and 42% within 1 mile. If the number of 

 schools for white children should be decreased to 35, there would be one 

 school for every 15 square miles. If the schools should be located at the 

 centre of squares 15 square miles in area, or less than 4 miles on a side, 



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