Third.--Are the houses, including the schoolhouses, well ventilated and
well located as far as distance from standing water or other
mosquito-breeding places is concerned? Is the floor of the schoolhouse
swept every night, and are foot scrapers and doormats provided? Does the
teacher inspect the outhouses, and are they built according to
specifications from the Department of Sanitation?
A union of all the patrons of the district is necessary if any movement
is to be carried out with telling effect, and the teacher should find
out if there is or has been any organization of the men, women, girls,
or boys in the district of a social or civic type; has the school done
anything up to the present time to improve the social life in the
district, and has it ever encouraged local fairs or exhibits of school
or agricultural products, and has it founded boys' or girls'
agricultural or home economics clubs?
How does the religious condition affect the community, and what is the
attitude of the community toward these matters and toward social
affairs? How do the young men and young women spend their leisure time?
Has the school any magazines or farm papers in its library, and how many
homes in the district have any library, or any musical instruments?
What has been the attitude of the previous teachers in the district
toward the affairs of the community; how long has each remained in the
district? Are changes in the position of the teachers frequent, and if
so, what is the reason? Have previous teachers actually resided in the
community or have they lived in the nearest town? Have the previous
teachers been professionally trained, and have they taken any interest
in the affairs of the community outside of their regular school duties?
When the school has succeeded in getting together the information noted
in the above paragraphs, it will then be in a position to determine what
lines of social activity will be best for the particular community.
The organization of men's clubs and women's clubs for the discussion of
topics of general interest and for the purpose of arousing a feeling of
community interest should be undertaken as soon as possible, the teacher
always remembering that the management of these organizations should be
in the hands of the members who compose them, and that the teacher
should act only as an adviser in case advice may be necessary. The
people should feel that on them rests the responsibility of developing
the civic and social life of the community, and the teacher should not
allow them to shift this responsibility. The organization of boys' clubs
and girls' clubs will present no difficulties to the teacher who has
made a study of the situation and who is prepared for his work. The boys
and girls are in the most easily influenced period of their lives, and
whether or not they will develop a sense of civic and social
responsibility, depends very largely upon the attitude which their
teachers take in regard to these matters.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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