282 



These existing disadvantages must be removed before the 

 ungraded schools can stand on an equality with the graded. 



With the comparative and statistical difference it seems al- 

 most impossible to believe that 75 per cent, of all the great and 

 noted men of the present century have come from the farmers. 

 This is now a matter of history. 



With such facts before us what are the possible accomplish- 

 ments of our boys and girls if their opportunities are on an 

 equality with the pupils of the graded schools. It does seem 

 that the warm sunshine of the summer, and the cold winds of 

 winter coupled with hard toil, have given to the farm laborer 

 a strong body and a determined will, to accomplish almost 

 whatever he desires. 



With this great physical development on the one hand, and 

 the advantage of a good school on the other, we would make 

 strides in progress that no other class has ever done. It is not 

 advocated in this paper that it is essential to pay the teachers of 

 the country schools the average wages of the graded schools to 

 secure an ordinary country school education. But I do advo- 

 cate township organization by legislation. Until this is done 

 directors of the several townships should hold meetings and 

 adopt a uniform system of wages discriminating in favor of ex- 

 perienced teachers holding first grade certificates — thereby 

 securing a larger per cent, of teachers that are competent and 

 qualified to teach the sciences to the advanced pupils. 



As much of our culture, our knowledge of right and wrong> 

 of what is proper and improper, comes from our reading, it is in 

 place, and our duty, to see that our pupils in school and our 

 children at home are furnished with at least small libraries. 



The child naturally loves to read, and will spend hour after 

 hour poring over some interesting story bcok or biography. If 

 we furnish him with the right kind of books it will develop in 

 his young mind a thirst for knowledge. 



The reading of good books will not only make the children 

 wiser, but also keep them out of much evil, and make them hap- 

 pier and better throughout their whole lives. 



