makers, the rural school finds one of its greatest opportunities.

The rural school and public health

For many reasons the country is more healthful than the city. Yet it is doubtful whether the greater part of our rural population live under better hygienic conditions than industrial workers of equal financial status in towns and cities. Certain it is, at least, that farmers and their wives age early, that insanity is at least as prevalent in rural dis¬ tricts as in the city, and that many preventable diseases show a higher mortality in the country than in towns. With all its natural advantages over the city, statistics show almost as high an aggregate death rate for the country as for the crowded rushing cities.

Statistics show that about 400,000 of our rural population are killed each year by infectious diseases, the result of poison by bacteria. By far the larger part of this sickness and death could be prevented by following simple and easily taught rules for hygienic living. It is one of the great functions of the rural schools to teach and show the necessity for following these rules. The old course in physiology such as would be suited to the knowledge of the surgeon or the doctor is not what is needed, but the simple scientific facts that have to do with preventing disease, and maintaining the highest degree of physical health and efficiency.

An illustration will show the practical trend that one phase of hygiene may take in the rural school. Careful studies of the water supply on many farms in the United States have shown that approximately sixty per

Teaching of hygiene in rural schools

cent. of the farm wells are polluted by house and barnyard drainage, thus endangering the health of the family

through ignorance or carelessness. Though farm children are close to the source of milk supply, thousands of tests have shown that milk is constantly being used from tubercular cows, thus exposing the children of the family -the greatest milk users-to the danger of this dread infection at the age when they are most susceptible to its ravages. Human and animal waste is on most farms improperly disposed of, and supplies a breeding place for flies, which transfer filth and microbes to the food eaten by the family. The air breathed in farm homes during the winter months is commonly more impure than that in city homes, because of more inadequate ventilation. Cellars are frequently damp and improperly drained, and the common drinking cup is very generally in use.

The result of these easily remedied unhygienic conditions is measured in the annual loss of more than eighty thousand of our rural population through the ravages of tuberculosis; of nearly sixty thousand through intestinal troubles other than typhoid; of fifty-five thousand through various forms of colds; of fifty thousand through pneumonia; of sixteen thousand through typhoid; and so in lesser numbers through diphtheria, scarlet fever and other such diseases. Here, then, is one of the greatest lines of service open to the rural schoolto teach the rules of better living, so that life may be longer, health and happiness greater, and physical efficiency more perfect.

A third measure of a school's efficiency is its hold upon the loyalty of its constituency. Do the people believe in Loyalty a measure the school, and feel a personal interof efficiency est and pride in its welfare? Have they a sense of ownership in the school? Do they look

upon it as a paying investment for the community, or as a forced drain on its resources?

On the attitude of the patrons toward the rural school will depend much of the success of the reforms now under way. For neither compulsory education acts, nor laws governing the type of school buildings or course of study, nor any other legal compulsion can finally result in efficient schools. These may all be necessary, and serve a good purpose. But not until the rural school is fully and enthusiastically adopted as the community's best ally and friend, will it attain full efficiency.

The efficient rural school is, then, the one that wins its way into the confidence of its patrons. And out of this confidence will arise a practical loyalty and support which, in turn, will mean new and greater efficiency for the school.

Efficiency can therefore be measured by the extent to which the school is able to fit itself helpfully into the conditions of the community and serve its needs. Nor does this mean merely the intellectual needs of the children, but all phases of community life and activity. To illustrate:

A rural school in Indiana was not long ago half grudgingly equipped with a small outfit for manual training. Concrete cases of The boys of the school had been service rendered studying in their course in agriculture the best type of chicken coop for the mother hen and her brood. For manual-training lessons, the boys were set at work making these coops. The coops

were taken home and tried. They proved serviceable and were soon in great demand around the neighborhood. Indeed the demand was greater than could be supplied. The school, in a few weeks, sold coops

Chart by states showing the rank of each state in ten educational fea

tures.

enough not only to pay for the manual-training outfit, but also greatly to increase it. But best of all was the new interest aroused in the school throughout the community. Here was something tangible, a very definite link between the work of the school and the interests of the farm. The result has been a fully equipped school, with a broader and better curriculum, and loyal support on the part of an increased patronage. And this greater efficiency, which all originated with a hen coop, has extended until it has included a finer school spirit, and better work in all the studies.

Support ready when returns are assured

it.

The experience of a young teacher in a Minnesota rural school illustrates the same point. When he entered on his duties he found the school poorly equipped, the interest of the pupils at a low ebb, and an almost total lack of educational spirit in the community. The district was situated in the midst of a dairying region. The young man struck an idea. He prevailed on a local creamery to give the school a cream tester. Then he taught both the boys and the girls how to use Samples of cream were brought from all the homes. Reports of the tests were sent back with the children. Farmers awoke to the fact that there is a great difference in the cream producing qualities of cows. They were astonished to find that they were keeping certain cows at an actual loss. On the strength of the school tests one man disposed of ten out of his herd. The farmers all grew interested, and conducted tests for themselves, the result being greatly increased earnings on many farms. But more marked than all was the changed attitude toward the school. Loyalty took the place of indifference, the tone of the work improved and finally a new and modern building