146 
Indiana University Studies 
in the case of the Smith family of the Ripple Creek School. 
Homer Smith persistently refused to send his boys to school. 
The teacher repeatedly sent him word to see that his chil- 
dren attend more regularly and notified the truant officer of 
his difficulties. When it was seen that the teacher was de- 
termined to see the matter thru, the case was investigated 
and charges were brought against both the boy and his father. 
They were brought up before the juvenile court where the 
boy was given a sentence to the Indiana Boys' School. It was 
suspended during his good behavior and since that time the 
teacher of the Ripple Creek School has had no trouble with 
irregular attendance. During the Smith trial, the father was 
asked how many children he had in school. He did not know. 
He was then asked the ages of his children, and he could 
not be sure of the order in which they were born. It could 
not be expected of this man that he take any interest in the 
educational advancement of his children. 
The teacher's conduct both in and out of the schoolroom 
is subject to the criticism of the patrons regardless of what 
she tries to do. This criticism comes for the most part from 
those who are least fitted to criticize. The patrons are not 
satisfied unless the teaching is done in the way they think it 
should be done. The teachers are always asked to go to the 
parties, and if they refuse they are said to be ''stuck up". 
If they do attend the parties, which are for the most part of 
the oscillatory order, they at once become open to the criticism 
of the school authorities and lower their own self-respect. 
Another factor which makes for the poor condition of the 
rural schools is the poor quality of the teaching material. It 
is said that in some of the townships at different times the 
teachers have had to buy their positions of the trustees. Even 
when the trustees are doing their best to obtain good teachers, 
it is almost impossible because of the low wages offered. This 
means that the rural schools can have only those teachers who 
are unable to obtain employment in the better schools. These 
inferior teachers can be divided into 3 classes: those who 
have barely completed their high school work and are teach- 
ing their first school after a twelve-weeks' normal course; a 
few old men and women who have taught all their lives and 
will continue to teach on a life license until they are physic- 
ally unable; and a number of farmers who teach and farm 
