University of Southern Mississippi - Southerner Yearbook (Hattiesburg, MS)

Page 14 text:

Uhr Glrarhrr. Uhr main Tlhing OLA DYE COPIAH COUNTY . i , A fx , jf OT the school building, not the equipment, not the curriculum or the method but the teacher, the man himself is the main thing in a-school. The teacher who meets with greatest success is born and trained but not made. And the teacher who is educated in mind and not in heart meets with little success. No matter how Well a school is provided with material things such as building equipment, and cur- riculum it will not be a good school unless the teacher of that school puts his heart and soul into the work. A teacher can help his pupils but little unless he puts his soul in touch with their souls. This is expressed by Browning as the What Is of man, that spiritual inner consciousness of the mind which is the highest and most important feature of man. By knowing and doing noble and beautiful things the teacher must appeal to the What Isi' in his pupils, and the appeal is made and answered more easily because of the development of the spiritual inner consciousness of the teacher. Christ the greatest of all teachers made his appeal to men in this way. A study of human nature teaches us that children learn largely by imitation. It then behooves the teacher to be all he teaches for by so doing he reaches the deeper consciousness of his pupils and they follow in his footsteps. Especially is this true of young children who are just forming habits and of high school pupils who are at the age of forming ideals. The teacher who does not practice what he preaches, as the old proverb says, makes no lasting impression of the thing he preaches The right teacher has such moral fitness that he sees teaching as a spiritual process, and feels it both a joy and a duty to win children's hearts and control their minds, building them up and establishing in them sound characters. He must be able to arouse the strongest enthusiasm and engage the noblest power. With these two things secured on the part of the pupils the surroundings and material things of a school will soon be converted into the best possible. But the teacher who lacks the qualities which call forth strong enthusiasm and noble power does little to improve either the minds of the pupils of the material surroundings. The teacher then is the main thing in a school because it is through him that the greatest changes take place, and the right teacher will not teach long in surroundings unfit for children to live in daily. The school is a success that has a teacher who sees teaching to be the build- ing of human minds up into, their divine possibilities with the consequent reach of beauty and blessing to the world: who sees teaching as the highest and noblest and most delicate and beautiful and grand of arts. OLA DYE

Page 13 text:

Chnnh illuahu RENIE DAUGHTRY COVINGTON COUNTY R O B A B L Y there is no one thing.that contributes more to the prosperity and happiness of a community than good roads do. From a commercial stand- point good roads give a means by which all farm products can be marketed more quickly and in greater amounts. The problem of hauling is also made less. In saving the farm wagons, buggies and horses from Wear, financially much would be saved which placed in good roads would be of lasting value, Whereas otherwise it would be lost Without any return. Here might be mentioned the saving of the man himself in contrast with the hardship and Worryings on a journey over rough roads. Good roads also contribute to social life. Surely no man can live the broad- est, best life who does not have an interest in his neighbors and the community at large. By meeting together in the capacity of Sunday School, School meetings and Church services the people learn each other better. They begin to see the good in their neighbors and have a more mutual love. But before. these conditions can in- fluentially exist the people must have good roads. How many people, especially in Winter, had rather stay at home than to attempt to drive over the bad, muddy roads? Educationally, the rural school children can not be given the advantages of the more fortunate children Who are nearer high schools until better rural schools are established. Consolidation is fast solving this question. But in many places until there are better roads over which to transport the children consolidation will not be successful. These are only some of the many general advantages of having good roads. No doubt, each community can think of more specific advantages good roads would bring to them individually. Naturally the question arises, How are We to get these good roads? The first and most essential thing is co-operation on the part of the individuals of the community. In fact, Without co-operation no community can ever reach its highest and best development. When the individuals of the community have decided to co- operate in this Work and have set good roads as one of their ideals, much of the battle is fought. Government bulletins will give many practical ideas in this Work. Then, too, those who have had experience along these lines will no doubt be glad to offer suggestions. It Will indeed be a step in the history of the country when all the com- munities realize their needs and determine to make their roads second to none. RENIE DAUGHTRY.

Page 15 text:

iixvrrinr ani! llvrrwiinn in this ' Glnuntg Svrhnnl BLISS FAIRLEY FORREST COUNTY I I HE country affords the natural playground for the child. There is plenty of room, air and freedom. But play, like other school work, needs to be learned. Rural children do not know how to play and they should be directed and guid- ed by the teacher. ' The use of play and exercise in the rural schools is vastly more important than the majority of the people realize. This phase of training is often-times neg- lected, because we assume that the desired exercise and play is taken without being planned and provided for on the school-grounds. This supposition is a great mistake, since the town and city children as a general rule take more exercise than the rural children, during the scholastic months. The former children are taught how to play, and playing apparatus is provided for them. They are also required to take a certain amount of exercise every day. Urge the students to design and make articles that can be used in the home, and you will find that once you get them started, it will serve a threefold purpose namelyg recreation, exercise, and service. The fact that hand work of students can be of some service, is a great incentive in favor of this form of training. Simple pieces of furniture, rugs, baskets, embroidery, etc., are some of the many articles that rural teachers can have made. These afford an effective means of exercise and recreation, since they are a diversion from the regular routine of work. Lectures, concerts, and libraries can also be used for their recreative value. The apparatus is a thing that should be taken into consideration. The swing is a common piece of apparatus for the play of younger children. If carefully managed, it will be of little danger. Although the see-saw does not secure much physical exercise for the child it will give him great pleasure and should not be con- demned. The horizontal bars should have a place in the equipment. Even the grown boys have a desire to show their muscular strength. A base-ball diamond should be permanently laid out on the school-ground. Basket-ball is a favorite game with both girls and boys, and the basket-ball court may well form a part of the equip- ment of the school-ground. Volley ball is another game that should have a place on the play-ground. It demands constant activity and accuracy of judgment. There are many other games that could be used in the rural schools. Such as: Have You Seen my Sheep? Drop the Handkerchief, Hide and Seek, Hawk and Chickens, gSheperdess and Wolf, Tag, Stealing Sticks, Dare Base, and Rolling the oop. Let us URGE you to investigate the matter of exercise and recreation at once, and be prepared to supervise some form of exercise, which is so essential to the welfare of the students that have been intrusted to your care. BLISS FAIRLEY.