XVz .^/ ' [5637 '^ '^BULLETIN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN Serial No. 677; General Series No. 487 What One School Did and How It Did It GRACE WYMAN LEARNING BY DOING Even with liiiiiteil eiiuiiJiiient the teacher is able to aid the mothers in teach- ing their daughters to cook. IXCLnjJiNG A PAPER GIVEN AT THE FOURTH WISCONSIN COUNTRY LIFE . - CONFERENCE, C. J. GALPIN, SECRETARY. Published By THE COLLEGE OF AGRICLTURE MADISON 1914 Monognpb THE OPPORTUNITY OF THE RURAL SCHOOL From time to time there springs almost mngicnlly into prominence some obscure, isolated country school. Hainng done something exceed- ingly tvell, the school is discovered, and then analyzed, advertised and canonized. We ascertain hoio it accomplished what it has done, and with its methods construct a new dogma — a new system of teaching. We hear Dr. Montessori lecture upon her splendid work, buy the para- phernalia that she uses, and feverishly adopt her system, and then dis- coven- that in most cases something is lacking. Of course it is Dr.. Mon- tessori. It does not occur to many of us that teaching, in the best sense, is neither a profession nor a business in xvhich every certificate-holder, ivith a sta7idard modern equipment, can achieve a loorthy success. Teaching is an art for tvhich a feio men and a few women have a born passion. To this small class belong the great teachers. And greatness in this realm is often, if not commonly, independent of intellectual eminence on the part of the teacher. In fact, that teaching which has degenerated into a cold, inelastic science is heartless and useless. In relation to children, teaching is essefitially an expression of maternal love; it is the process whereby the teacher, moved to selfless generosi- ties by that r-uUng passion, extends an awakening, inspiring, contagious personality. In the ivarmth, sympathy, comprehension and gloio of it, the little buds of childhood open and bloom like dandelions in the sunny grass. Neither time nor place has much to do with this outcome; it is the result of a unique, great-hearted personal service given icith glad- ness and joy by a teacher who loves children as individualities, and so in motherly, personal loays stirs within them the latent power to see more clearly, to feel more ucutely and, with brain and muscle to func- tion more accurately and harmoniously. A country school building, with its grounds and interior furnishings, is a physical instrument of suggestive value with which a teacher, capable of using it as a vehicle of self-expression, can evoke the emo- tional and mental appreciation of children. It ought as a structure to please the eye; its surroundings ought to be a kind of continuation of the indoor atmosphere ; besides books and blackboards there ought to be pictures, flowers, music and mechanical objects like those employed in the Montessori system. If the infinite doors behind ichich lies the ivon- drous resource of a child's life are to be opened there must be in the home as well as in the school pleasant things to see, hear, feel and smell. The opportunity, then, of the rural school is physically to fit itself for a broad appeal to all the senses of normal children, so that it may con- fer its wealth of environmental heredity, and call to the teacher's chair a looman (no masculine m,an is qualified to teach other men's children) who is motherly wise, young in spirit, open-minded, and in love with her work. With the cooperation of parents, and sufficient time in ichich to find herself, she may prove to be a great teacher — or, what is equally important, a foundation-builder for the teacher "who, tvith the outer bearings and sensuous forms of truth", as Dr. John Bascom observes, "leaves a vital sense of the way in tohich things, events, spiritual processes floiv into one another, and together build up a universe of marvelous scope, inextinguishable activity, absolute unit}/, and growing intellectual light." De Witt C. Wing JCnteied as second class matter at the Postoffiee at Madison, Wisconsin, under the act of June fi, 1900. V What One School Did and How It Did It GRACE WYMAN WHAT THE VISITOR SEES* The school near Mendota Beach, Dane County, Wisconsin, ex- emplifies, in a practical way, what many have dreamed of but few even have dared hope to realize. While school men philoso- phized this typical rural community performed ; while the one talked the other worked ; Aviiile the former debated the latter put its ideas into effective action. The i-esults are new and wider uses for an old institution of limited scope l)ut of unlimited pos- sibilities. And it has all come about through the community becoming conscious of itself. It has had constructive leadership and this has led to conuuunity activity centered in the rural school. Just how it liappened is sufficiently outlined in the story which follows to need no explanation here. Scnor.ARS Do Many Things Well Tlie visitor at the Mendota Beach school is impressed with the large oppoi"tunit.y for individual self-expression. ]\Iany things are going on at the same time yet all in perfect order. Near the front of the room sits one pupil busy with the typewriter. Near by is a girl working at the sewing table. Another is stitching on the machine. At the rear of the room one of the older girls is conducting a primary reading class. One boy is writing a language lesson on the black board ; another is sweeping the hall. The teacher herself is hearing a recitation, and yet there is no confusion, no disorder; everj^body is at work — everybody attending to his or her own task. *By K. L. Hatch, Professor of Agricultural Ediication, The Uni- versity of Wisconsin. 4 BULLETIN OP THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN The hands on the clock move past a certain mark. The girl gets up from the typewriter, picks up her paper and pencil and replaces the cover. The one at the sewing machine carefully puts away her work ; the classes pass to their seats ; immediately otlior pupils take their places and the work goes on with the pre- cision and regularity of a grain binder tying its bands and throw- ing out its bundles. The usual program of studies is carried out and in addition each girl has time to sew, to cook and to run the typewriter, and every boy has his hour for typewriting and manual training. The addition of these vocational studies occasions no loss to the other branches. The typewriter is used for writing the language and spelling lessons; the manual training and domestic science les- sons are drawn from the home life of the children and based upon their own special interests. Parents Interested in School The home is asked to reinforce the instruction of the school by reporting to the teacher on the home work assigned to each individual pupil, for it is at home that the projects in manual training and domestic science are worked out. This interests the parents in the work of the school and enormously enhances its value. The visitors' register reveals the names of practically all of the mothers in the district as well as the names of their relatives and friends. Unusual Apparatus to be Seen in This School The unusual apparatus to be found in this school at once at- tracts the visitor's attention. In the rear of the room stands a combined kitchen table and cabinet well stocked with kitchen utensils. Nearby is a small kerosene stove with portable oven, a water cooler and a case for the individual drinking cups. It is appropriate to add that this case was made by the boys as a part of their manual training work. Then there is a screen to conceal any unfinished work, a reading table well stocked with current literature, contributed by the homes in the neighbor- hood, a ''wardrobe cupboard" in which are stored the materials used in sewing, a magic lantern used at evening meetings, a typewriter rented from a dealer in second hand machines and a piano furnished by a Madison music house. fi WHAT ONE SCHOOL DID AND HOW IT DID IT 5 The basement is the boys' headquarters and is eciuipi)ed with two manual training benches and a goodly supply of carpenters' tools. The Program The overcrowded program is no bogy to this teacher. Each pupil has a program of his own which he follows independently of everyone else. That it takes an exceptional teacher to carry out such a complex program without confusion goes without say- ing, but this teacher has "turned the trick" and she insists that because she has the assistance of every pupil in the school it is easier to do than to follow out a formal program. The "coer- cion of the group" comes into play because the one who dis- turbs this program disturbs every individual pupil ir +be school. ''■''' Limitations While the success of the Mendota Beach school is its own com- mendation, there are limitations to the possibility of duplicating its work in any considerable number of schools. It is only fair to indicate some of these here: 1. Few teachers possess the necessary initiative and informa- tion to undertake the work on so comprehensive a scale. Con- siderable maturity, experience and general information as well as versatility are necessary to its success. 2. An accurate sense of proportion is essential to success. With a less capable teacher, there would be constant temptation to magnify the industrial work at the expense of the other in- struction. Tliis tendency must be carefully guarded against. 3. System and order are the keynotes of this school's success. Not every teacher, even with a much smaller number of classes, is able to so arrange her work as to eliminate confusion. The large freedom given to the individual, under less Systematic or- ganization, might produce disastrous results. 4. It is well known that children learn readily from each other, but it is also true that information thus obtained may or may not be desirable. Improper forms, incorrect pronuncia- tions and the like are as easily acquired as correct ones. The pupil-teacher system in vogue in this school is one of consider- able hazard. b BULLETIN OP THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN 5. The itinerant character of the teaching profession will act as a check on the rapid extension of this work. Until rural teachers remain more than a year in one school and two or three years in the profession, its extensive development can hardly be looked for. •mO'S What Has Been Done Can be Done Again Notwithstanding its limitations, the success of this school in meeting and solving the rural school problem is suggestive of the large opportunity of othei* rural schools under properly fa- vorable conditions. What has been done at Mendota Beach can be done in any other one-teacher district school of twenty pupils if the same methods are followed. This community received no stimulus from the outside and the same potential possibilities are to be found in every community. We do not need a new type of rural school nearly so much as we need a more complete use of the schools we already have. The Mendota Beach school has set a new standard in this respect which may be achieved by any other school fully conscious of its own possibilities. Let us hope that the Mendota Beach ex- periment marks the beginning of a new era in rural education, that its methods may be widely copied and that its achievements may be duplicated in thousands of other rural communities. THE STORY OF THE SCHOOL Around a little school house resting among sturdy oak trees on the top of a hill, facing a vista of Lake Mendota, centers the history of a unique bit of educational progress. A satisfied feeling that the school was good enough had be- come rooted in the hearts of many of the parents of the district. The school house was old, the walls dingy with no hallway for hanging of wraps or for placing of lunches; the heating sys- tem, — a stove in one corner at the front, occupying considerable space, gave the poorest possible satisfaction. The basement, rather a cellar, or merely a hole in the ground, — was dark and damp. A social-center spirit, however, had been and was alive in the eommunity and many interesting Sunday gatherings were held \\i the school house, where questions of social and community WHAT ONE SCHOOL DID AND HOW IT DID IT 7 interest were discussed, with speakers of educational reputation and civic renown. Thus passed the first term of school. Music and draw- ing with water-color work had been added to the curriculum; but school was keeping in much the same spirit and way as in the preceding years. FIGURE 1. THE SCHOOL AS A NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER The children had the use of the huihlinir during siMiooI hours, but the resi- dents of the district — young and old alilie— held many interesting gatherings in the school house on week day evenings and helpful but uon-denomiuational meetings on Sunday afternoons. Parents Not Interested in School The children, as normal boys and girls always are, were will- ing to work, always ready to try somethiiiff new. But how could the parents be interested in the kind of work their children were doing? This was the question that had to be answered. After intimate talks with the children from each home, as to the little chores which they had to do, their desires for doing certain things which tliey could not do, their grievances, and the like, I came to the conclusion that we must set some certain day, several months in the future, and arrange for an exhil)ition, — • not only of work we were doing, but of work we were anxious to do, and could do if we had the equipment. It was a cold, bitter day in January. The stove smoked and sulked. The children were sitting on their feet. I looked down 8 BULLETIN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN the aisles of uncomfortable little bodies and twenty-six unhappy faces. Feeling sure of their confidence I laid aside my book. The geography recitation was concluded. The children were asked to come up around the stove, for I had a secret plan which I could no longer keep and I must tell them. Plan for a New School I then told them of my plan for an exhibition,— an entertain- ment in which we would boost for a new school house. In spite of a daily program of thirty-three classes, we began our task with a vim. Nearly every morning the school opened with some new plan for the eventful day. Enthusiasm grew; the children were told to talk it at home, everywhere, but not to tell of what in the way of exhibits the day's pleasure would consist. Each child was asked to prepare an original piece of work which should be grouped in the "Original Corner." This should be some special line of work which each one would like to do in school the com- ing year. The programs were printed and the covers hand-painted with apple-blossoms. They were indeed elaborate, and a copy was sent to each home in the district. We planned our program out of doors in nature's tabernacle of trees and sunshine, stretching a canvas from one end of the building to a tree to break the wind so all might hear. It was a hot spring day in May, and the blustering buzz of the first venturesome flies was lost in the chattering voices of the assembled neighborhood. One boy gave a parody on the Old Oaken Bucket, using to clever advantage the worn out old school house. One of the girls gave a prophecy of the school house ten years hence, keeping the question of the school house well before the gathering. Hold a District Exhibition The guests were ushered into the schoolroom where an ex- hibit of work actually done in the school was shown, all of which spoke for itself, that much time, thought, and patience had been spent in preparation. The "Original Corner" brought forth just the suggestion of work in the home that we had hoped to obtain. The children joyfully brought their surprises in boxes wrapped in papers WHAT ONE SCHOOL DTD AND TTOW IT DID IT 9 which were placed on a table. One boy brought a hand-made Dutch wind-mill standing in a box of earth, — all his own idea from having seen a picture. Another boy had made with his jack-knife a rule, properly marked off in the scale of inches. The ler I 1 School Room 3 uj r =7 ^ 1 Ashes Coal COMMUniTY Room »CALE Dark Room I gfT Plam of Groumd Floor pLAh OF BASEMEni FIGURE 2. THE ARCHITECT'S PLANS FOR REMODELING THE SCHOOL HOUSE The Iniildinc: conipletoly rcmoclellecl at a cost of .$900, provided a well lighted and well ventilated seliool room and a commodious and otLerwise suitable community room. girls brought, almost entirely, domestic articles. There was a cake perfectly baked and frosted ; a loaf of bread the delicate color of which at once suggested hunger and a longing to pick it up and eat it. Others brought needle-work of various kinds, such as embroidery, belts and bags made of Indian beads. One of the progressive ladies of the neighborhood prevoiusly had appointed a committee to work up an evening meeting for 10 BULLETIN OP THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN the benefit more particularly of the men who were busy with their spring work in the day. All preparations went ahead for a rousing meeting, a short musical program of local talent be- ing given and a free, open discussion of the school house fol- lowing. An outline of many things needed for the school in the way of remodeling and equipment was l)rought before the meet- ing. A committee of three was appointed to draw up an esti- mate of the approximate cost of making the suggested altera- tions, and was asked to report at the annual school meeting in July. The evening ended with a feeling that it was necessary to keep in line with the outside world. And so closed the school year. I had planned, that if at the annual meeting it was voted to remodel the school house, I would remain and teach the school another year and I would work out a plan whereby I could teach it myself with no loss of school time and no extra expense to the district for an instructor in the newly added branches. All Out for School Meeting The annual meeting came; every voter in the district was reminded of its importance by the committee; the whole neigh- borhood was assembled and the old school house was full. A rather warm discussion on each suggestion of the com- mittee followed, but with the exception of one item, viz., a cis- tern, the carefully estimated plans were adopted, the vote to borrow the money was cast, and improvements to the extent of nine hundred dollars were authorized. Plain was my duty now to serve the neighborhood and school more efficiently, and immediately I began collecting all the in- formation possible from every means offered by books. Greatly inspired was I for my task when I read an article on Kansas schools, stating that Domestic Science would be installed in every rural school at the approximate cost of ten dollars per equip- ment, and that a text-book especially adapted for rural schools would soon be completed for their use. This settled in my mind that it was a possibility, and upon writing for information - relative to the plans for Kansas schools, I found them very courteous indeed, and glad to share their solved problem with us in our attempt. Several weeks elapsed and after writing a second letter asking for the promised information and receiving no answer, I felt the responsibility falling directly upon me. WHAT ONE SCHOOL DID AND HOW IT DID IT 11 Visit Homes to get Better Acquainted Weighing the matter carefully in my mind, I set about to make my own text-book. How could I know just what the chil- dren ill the homes most needed; how could I know the mother's ambition for lier girls and boys?* Naturally there was but one answer to this seemingly difficult problem. I must visit each home in the district; I must see how the people live; I must share the problem of the overworked and perplexed mother in home duties, and awaken an interest in her to have her girls taught to cook, sweep, iron, sew and do these tasks just as well as their writing, reading, and arithmetic. Many were my ex- periences in these visits. In some homes it meant the making of a dress for the approaching school term; in other homes, in- asmuch as it was the fruit season, it meant helping in pickling, and preserving; — and such an opportunity it was, when a mother would turn over this job to me, of exhibiting special care in cleanliness, while having a heart to heart talk about her domestic troubles. In other homes they were found threshing, and I always "just happened to be wishing I knew them better, and I thought I'd drop in." Thus every home was visited and in every home my plan for the new line of work was disclosed and most cordially indorsed. So half the battle Avas won. Cooperation with the mothers had been gained, the text-book was completed, the approximate cost was estimated, the city of Madison had been searched for a suitable stove and oven, all plans complete, save one — the consent of the school-board to pur- chase my equipment. Upon laying my plan before the clerk of the school-beard, it was met sympathetically and approved; but the consent of the other two members had to be secured. We decided to take them to Madison to inspect the domestic science kitchens of the schools, and incidentally the manual training equipment — although I had little hope of any support to include this in our new work. To the city we went, and having previously arranged with some of the high school teachers to show us around, the afternoon was spent most pleasantly. Words cannot express my great joy in having my plans ac- cepted, even to the manual training for the boys. 12 BULLETIN OF THE UNIVERSITY OP WISCONSIN And thus school began in a new and modern school house, and there was introduced into the daily program the new and long anticipated domestic science and manual training. The next step was to arrange a schedule whereby both teacher and pupil could do the outlined work to the greatest advantage. Adding to a Crowded Program Like all rural schools of any size, the number of classes al- most equalled the number of children in attendance, and how FIGURE 3. THE SCHOOL KOO^I SEATED FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING Much has been done to make the seliool room convenieut and attractive. It is even homelilve in appearance. could I add still more to my curriculum! I finally decided to coach my oldest girl to teach the three youngest primary read- ing, number and language classes. This worked out with per- fect satisfaction. These classes recited in the rear of the room, occasionally being allowed to go to the basement to recite. By this method the primary grade made such rapid progress that one reading class was advanced to the next higher and two num- ber classes were promoted to the advanced primary, thereby do- ing away with three classes a day. This indeed was a wealth of time which I might utilize in carrying out my new work. WHAT ONE SCHOOL DID AND HOW IT DID IT 13 amix a a t.i.2 as Ho 2S ta. ^£0 • • 14 BULLETIN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN Equipment for the Cooking Classes 111 buying equiiJment for our work in domestic science we were careful to secure only the utensils wliicli were really needed. In this way we were able to avoid unnecessary expense and to please the mothers of the girls, who, practical folk that they were, would not have excused any extravagance or needless pur- chases. Following is a list of our equipment : Dish pan $0.10 Egg beater 05 Bread baking pan 10 Tray 10 Stew kettle and cover 20 Sugar jar 10 Flour jar 10 Fork 05 Table knife 05 Teaspoon 05 Table spoon 05 Measuring cup 10 2 plates 10 Platter 10 Rolling pin 10 Colander 10 Sieve 05 Scrub brush .05 Kerosene stove, one burner and oven 3.50 Total $5.15 FIGURE .5. THE KITCHEN TABLE This piece of furniture was made so as to comhino every possible couvenienre witli attractive appearauee. The table was four feet long and two feet Avide and w^as equipped with a drawer in which all utensils are kept. It stands in one corner of the room little suggesting the many use- ful utensils it holds and the many purposes it senses. It is made of pine. At one end is a sliding bread board. WHAT ONE SCHOOL DID AND HOW IT DID IT 15 Cooking day comes on Friday of each weclv and so eager is the school to carry out the daily program without interruption that on Friday the afternoon session begins at 12 :W, with no after- noon recess. x\ll but the cooking class are dismissed at three o'clock. This gives us ample time to prepare our food, wash the dishes and be dismissed by or soon after four o'clock. How THE School Helps Homes The girls are taught how to prepare the food and are given the recipes which they keep in note-books. They arc able then to go to their homes, make up the same dish for their own table. When each week's work is completed, the -mothers report to me on "Household Arts Eeport Card" provided for that purpose. The weekly expense for supplies with which to demonstrate is almost too slight to consider, as the girls are always anxious to bring from their home farm a little milk, vegetables, eggs, etc. They serve what is cooked at school to themselves, some- times inviting the manual training class to dine with them and a little social time follows. The dishes are washed and carefully put away, each having a certain place. On the fourth Friday of each month the domestic science girls invite all the mothers of the district to meet with us. This day is looked forward to with great anticipation as the girls manage the afternoon, ushering, caring for wraps, preparing and serving light refreshments to their mothers in a quiet, systematic and proper manner. This we practiced by ourselves many times before venturing. The girls range in age from nine to fourteen years. Our first mothers' meeting was well at- tended, and a full explanation of the work was given and a gen- eral social time was enjoyed. At our second meeting there was a demonstration of a fireless cooker and a lecture by a univer- sity graduate on "Domestic Value of Silk, Cotton, Wool, etc." The meeting was most instructive to mothers, and they are now testing silk, wool, and other fabrics before purchasing. Our third mothers' day preceded Thanksgiving, the lecture being given on the "Cooking of Meats" and a practical menu was pre- sented for a "Good Dinner Within the Reach of Every Pocket- book." The meeting was distinctly in keeping with Thanksgiv- ing, and a short program was given by the pupils. The fourth meeting was combined with the neighl)orhood in a Christmas 16 BULLETIN OF THE UNR^ERSITY OF WISCONSIN evening service. There was a Christmas tree, music in keeping with the season, and a most pleasing lantern slide talk on ' ' See- ing Germany." So many were present that there was not seat- ing room. Again the domestic science girls sold candy, the pro- ceeds of which are to be applied on the lantern fund. Our fifth mothers' meeting was held during the latter part of Janu- ary, the subject being ''Proper Care of the Sick," and was di- vided into two sections. One lady demonstrated upon the ''Care of the Sick" having a bed made in linen, one of the girls acting as patient; the other, "Delicacies for the Sick," demon- strating how to prepare the right kind of foods for a patient. This proved to be one of the most pleasing and beneficial meet- ings of the entire season. All formality was dropped and the speakers turned the meeting into a conference. About thirty ladies were present, some of whom having never before attended expressed their regrets for not having realized sooner the value of such meetings. Learning to Sew With the exception of darning stockings while the food was being baked, but little in the way of sewing was undertaken the first two months. However, each girl pledged herself to darn her own stockings for a month. The thought of not doing more in our sewing weighed upon my mind sufficiently to prompt me to seek the use of a sewing machine for the remainder of the year. Through a friend of mine one of the latest improved sew- ing machines, fully equipped, was procured free of charge for the school. Once more it was necessary to plan some way of utilizing time more economically so as to keep the sewing machine busy. Each girl has two stated hours per week, one hour every other day, in which she may sew. A sewing table is at the left of the machine where she can cut out a garment and with but a few steps seat herself at the machine and stitch. To the right of the machine is a cabinet in which an alloted space is marked off and identi- fied with the name of each girl, where she keeps her materials neatly and in order. A paper pattern is cut first, and then each girl cuts out her own garment, and is directed how to baste, stitch and sew. The sewing schedule, just as with the other classes, is followed as punctually as the ticking of the clock, and there is no confu- ' WHAT ONE SCHOOL DID AND HOW IT DID IT 17 sion whatever. As sewing by hand, basting, etc., is taught al- most entirely by demonstration, it is not infrequent that a little girl's puzzled faec; may be seen before the machine, then by a lift of my eyebrows she understands, rises, brings her work to me and Avithout a word, I show her just how to turn the- hem evenly on the corner and baste it down so that it can't slip and without interfering with the class in grammar or reading that may be reciting. Thus far each girl has made herself an apron, a sewing bag and a dusting cap. Each girl will be expected to make for her- self a gingham dress before the close of the school year. Occa- sionally each girl is asked to bring some sewing to school which her mother niost wislies done and is willing to trust us to do. This pleases the mother, and if not too often solicited will not dis- courage the girl, as it is usually hemming of dish towels and the like that is sent. The Manual Training Equipment Our work bench was made by carpenters and is equipped with two drawers, one of which contains the tools and the other sup- plies, such as nails, screws, etc. The tools kept Avithin drawer: . Two hammers Two saws (one small and one large) One square One screw driver Two planes (one small and one large) One brace with three bits Two chisels (one large and one small) One pound of six penny nails One scroll saw (given by one of the boys) One draw knife (given by one of the boys) The tools, not including the scroll saw and draw knife, cost approximately, $12.75, Tuesday afternoon of each week is set apart for the boys from three until four o'clock. All of the afternoon classes in which these boys are enrolled are heard before recess on this day. The middle and primary classes recite to the oldest girls. Thus no lessons are lost, and I go to the basement with the boys where we work and i)Ian out our designs. 18 BULLETIN OP THE UNIVERSITY OP WISCONSIN Has No Bad Boy Problem The two oldest boys, 13 and 14 years old, are the foremen, each of whom has two younger boys under his supervision. These foremen are expected to become so familiar with the work to be accomplished, that they can work, without direct super- vision from me, other periods of the week with one of their as- sisUuits. Thus each of the six boys has two stated days during the week on which he may go with his respective foreman and work with the tools. These periods as with the sewing are sched- FKU'UE (1. THE r.OYS WOKK I'.ENCH The l)asciiicnt is oiniipped as a carpenter shop and here tlie boys spend several hours each \Yeek learning to handle tools. uled, and each knows his privilege without any further arrange- ment with me. A design of each piece of work is placed on an inexpensive movable blackboard in the basement, and the boys are taught to follow these directions carefully. The boys are held responsible for the care of the tools, being taught to properly oil and replace them in their particular place in the drawer each time after using them. The "bad boy" problem is entirely taken care of, when such a boy can put his surplus energy into "making things." Thus far a fly-trap, flower box, drinking cup cabinet, fireless cooker, two book rests, checker board, bean bag board, and a see- saw for the playground have been made, and a number of odd jobs about the school house have been satisfactorily attended to by the boys. All of these, with the exception of the see-saw, have been made out of lumber left over in the building of the school house. Thus the monthly expense has been but a trifle. The next work is a bird-house and the boys are already planning it and it is proving of special interest to several who are fond of birds and animals. WHAT ONE SCHOOL DID AND HOW IT DID IT 19 The One-Day-a-Week Kindergarten On Wednesday of each week all of the children under school age who can be are enrolled in a kindergarten which is conducted in the basement where it is warm, light and comfortable. Here we have a little red table with little red chairs, and plenty of room. This is conducted under my supervision, and in charge of one of the young lad,ies of our neighborhood, having for her. assist- ant one of my older girls. This girl, who ever she may be, pre- pares her day's work ahead of time and hands it to me for cor- rection. For, this work there is a charge of 25 cents per month to each mother, which meets the expense of supplies. This work was begun early in January with a roll of nine children. The following week there were eight, the youngest being under three years old. Again the mothers become interested in all the school work- ings, and, occasionally come after their childi'en a little early and visit the school, which is much to be sought for. What a Typewriter Meant In managing so many kinds of operations, a great deal of clerical work, such as notices of mothers' day meetings, bills for kindergarten, copies of supplementary work for classes, etc., is necessary. This must be taken care of by the teacher and, if successful, must be done systematically. Several of the boys had suggested that they would like to at- tempt ''running a typewriter." How I had longed to be able to give over some of this clerical work to some one, but had no means of doing so! Upon consulting the students I found sev- eral others wishing a "try," and in several weeks' time a type- writer was being used not only ])y the children but by myself, saving many minutes which I could put to better use. As with the sewing and manual training, the typewritiiig pe- riod for each pupil is scheduled ; if the pupil has not prepared his work so he can take his turn, he forfeits it and the machine stands idle. The schedule for all the work is followed carefully and each pupil knows his privilege and takes it. The expense for each pupil is seven cents a month, and some of the children are becoming quite proficient. Now, many of my 20 • BULLETIN OP THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN FIGURE 7. WHY BOYS AND GIRLS ARE GLAD TO GO TO SCHOOL The boys learn to use their hands. The little tots get kindergarten methods. Sewing and typewriting and school do not conflict and the girls enjoy both. WHAT ONE SCHOOL DID AND HOW IT DID IT 21 letters, bills, notices, etc., are run off by my pupils while I do the more impor.ant work of the sehool. Pupils Take Turns at Work In addition to the liclp al)ove mentioned, I utilize every pcs- sible opportunity of getting the children to do voluntary tasks. Each week I assign to first one and then another the responsi- bility of keeping fresh water in the fountain ; the cleaning of the wash bowl; cleaning the black-boards and erasers, sweeping the cement steps and vestibule. Having completed the text in agriculture, practical tests are now being made of seed corn, the boys making the boxes in the carpenter shop, and making their own apparatus. In like man- ner will the milk from each farm be tested, and a special study of soil from each farm will be made. School Room Pleasing Were you a pupil seated in the rear of Mendota Beach school room, you would find the arrangement and furnishings most interesting and pleasing. To the front you would see double doors opening into a roomy hall way where there are shelves for the lunches, hooks for wraps, and on the cement floor pigeon- holes for rubbers. To your left you may go to the light, airy basement, which has a cement floor, and a furnace, in which we often roast potatoes for our lunches, with ash pit on one side and coal bin on the other. Here you will see the carpenter bench and equipment of tools. Opposite this your eyes will be at- tracted to a long home made red table with little red chairs for the kindergarten. At the right of the basement sk-ps is a cloak rack with hooks to accommodate twenty or more. Returning to the school room again you scat yourself in the rear, and a feeling that you are in a home will surely steal over you. The large eight day clock above the double doors greets you. Large double book-cases in the wall, made by the carpen- tci's, will lie found to contain a school library and a large travel- ing library. Res'^ing on top of these eases is the statue of Venus of ]\Iilo. On either side of the double doors are black-boards, usually bearing a staff of music, a drawing or two for water coloring and various supplementary work for daily use. To the right at the front stands the square piano, which is just low enough to allow seeing the blackboards nicely above it. 22 BULLETIN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN To the left you will see in the bright light which comes only from one side of the room, the east, a window box with plants and flowers; the typewriter Avith a pupil diligently writing out some of his exercises ; a little farther back perhaps a girl cutting out a dusting cap, and while using the sewing table for this purpose, still another girl finishing the stitching of her apron on the machine. In the rear of the room will be found in the do- mestic science cabinet, a wardrobe cupboard containing the partly finished garment of the other girls whose time to sew is some other day. To the right is the domestic science table, on top of which are the stove and oven, and neatly screened from the school room is the lavatory consisting of drinking cup cab- inet, wash bowl, drinking fountain and looking glass. Surely no school room could be more homelike ! Such is the story of the last year and a half of the Highlands Mendota Beach School. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 021 729 343 1 # LIBRARY OF CONGRESS A III Ill iiiii mil mil mil iiiii liili mil lllll lllllllll llll^^ 021 729 343 1