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CONTENTS10

Introductory statement...-............ .....Chapter 1. Factors leading to growth in the extent of rural-school super-,vision..... _ ....... 1

Good roads and transportaton facilities-' Awakened public interest

The teacher situationChapter IL Some results secured thilough riiral-school supervision a

Provision for professional ContactsProvision for individual conferencesFormation of teachers' councilsImprovement of teachhig tehnique .....,,. 5

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A modern courie of study. .'Attention to selected groupsImproved equipment and, 8General stimulation to pup&adie community. 8Strengthening the work of the county superintendent............... 9The supervisor and prepared teachers 10General commtinity spirit

. 10Social and personal problems...... __ ..... ........_ ...... ......, 10

Chapter IlL General problems affecting success - .. 11,Professional preparation of supervisors 11Preparation of county superintendents 12Teacher-preparing institutions as a factor 12Organization problems l - 12Distance, number of teachgrs, travel expense ' 14

Chapter. IV. Agencies helpful in promoting supervision.......... - _ 1415

Teachers' reading circles.............. ......"ir ............ 15Healthagencies.................... . ... ....... _ ... . . .. 16

Educational' associations and 1nstitutions............1..., al MID. Ill ab OD II all. 1617

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SOME LESSONS LEARNED FROM A DECADE OFp.

RURAL SUPERVISION

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INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT

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Rural supervision is a comparatively new field in education. There-fore its method anti practice are not definitely formulated; and sue,pervisors at work, as well as those educators who are formulatingcourses in the subject, have learned and are learning in part thioughtheir own experience and that of others. For this reason they areeager to strengthen their work and increase its efficiency through awider knowledge of actual experience and the lemons learned from itthrough- constructive criticism 1-pd suggestion. Because of the mailcalls for.practkal aid in meeting everyday problems of rural super*vision, this bulletinlias beeix prepared with the hope that ib win behelpful in modifying and reshaping courses 'and plans of proceduri(r)toward greater efficiency and .adcomplishment.

No effort is made to set up principles. The object is to considerlesson's from exijerience of the past decade, during .which, for the firsttime, rural supervision has had a fair trial over a reasonable extenta territory ;* to suggest ways in which cooperating agencies have,stimulated rural supervision' and have in tin' been stimulated byit to help further the- cause of ibural education; to give suggestioslooking toward further improvement; and teo consider obstaçies. tòsupervision in the hope of assisting eventually to oyercoine them.Finally, it is the conclusion that supervision of rural schools, espercha,113T of small rural schools,is both nbcessary and possible, and thatthere is much hope for the improvement of rural eduCation thrdughihe extension and improvement of supervisión.

Chapter11..

1.

FACTORS LEADING T4 GROWTH IN THE EXTENT OF ittIRALSCHOÒLSUPERVISION

Growth in .theextent of ruraWchool supervision, thesuccess themoves,ment has attained, and the increasing confidence of edutators in itapoilimsibilities are largely the accomplishment of the .past, 10 years: ,litowever, this grOwth rests upon ra number orcontributing fictora dperatingduring .and .these years, .some . of ,. must have Stdned

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LESSONS FROM .i DECADE, OF RURAL SUPERVISION1

real strength before -su'pervision could hope to recommend its'elf toèciunty superintendents and rural people generally. Among thesefactors the following seem 7orthy of sPecial mention.

Good roads and. trams poriation facilities.American inventions arethe' forehinners of progress in things of the spirit. This is illustratedin the dependence otrursi suOervision upon improVed highway. con-structioh, the latter in itself both a cause and a resu4 of the p-opularityof the aVomobile .am.ong farmers. While the automobile is amongthe most important factors in enlarging .the horizons of rural peopleand the teachers of their children, the giowth of suburban trolley serv-ice and the' 'multiplication of .bus lines 'have been factors greatlyenhancing the ease of rural travel in favored localities. The relation'of good roads, automobiles, trolley lines, and bAsses to rural supervi-sion is significapit. Rural supeivision could not be successfully accommplished until supervisors were able to reach many schools s'eatteredover a large extent of territory and find satisfactory living ac4ommo-dations at the end .of the ddy.

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Influence of an awakened interest in elementary 8upervn.:47-Dur.ing the decade there has been a geneial movement in cities an4 largittowns iw fav9r of elementary-school supervis¡on. In small s¡oteitsin. which supervisoty principals were .formerly able to supervi4 ele-mentary 89110019, the rapid growth of better ideals in Adminiskativeprattice and supervision; the grciwth Of high schools, and simile.* hie-,. tors in piogress now consume much ,of the principarp Or gupetintend-ent's time. The rval principal looks toward the cities, where suOessm improving genteritary work through employment of *super-Visorshas beet marked, and aims to avail himself and his system of si*ilar,'advantages. Thus the movement has naturally crept from the iiitiesio the smaller towns and into the country.

.A large number of State and county educational siirveys anad hives-tigations have recently been made. These point out the compar4tivefailure of rural schools to live up toi standards set by CiOes andi call4ftention to the absence of constructive, well-pl.anned, and professional.supervision in country schools and to the great need for it. BieOnialreports *of Stats depaitments of education, educational and poPular,magazines, have- called attention to the necessity of extending thiseducational opportunity to rural communities. The reisult has beenigeneral awakening on the part of 1.11 persons interested in, ruts] eduCa-tion to the need fot .supervision as an efficient and immediátely pos-Bible method of securing more nearly equal' educational Opportunititjw.for rural sdhools and rural-ischool childreka

The teacher situation as an infiuence.--irRund people- might havebeen content long9r ithouk superyision if adequately prepared*sachets had been forticoming, They were not The ,war, with itsresulting ecipnomid unrest,. delayed to a considerable eitent te

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LESSONS FROM A DECADE. OF RUM SUPERVISION 8reaching òf standards in teacher prépaiation which 10 years beforeseemed -possible of attainment. Progressive State and bounty super-intendenta who felt that iome- immediate méasure must be takenfound at4east ti partial, remedy in the employment of well-traindsupervisors who were able tip do what administrative Officers aloneare not 'able to do; namely, spend their full time.in &misting teael4rsto improve the quality sof insfructi9n. They felt that, while a pre-pared teachkg staff via.s neceswy, as well as supervision, it was fir:better toi) do something toward remedying the 'situation than nothingat all. Hence theymade a special effort to secure rural supervisors.

Legislation passed in Wisconsin illustrates this point. The num-b& of Tara teachera Oegia).ning work without even one 'yeai° ofOrofessional preParation was still considerable.' It was thought thittperhalis a number of well-prepared rural 8up4rvisors distributed

'throughout all the counties of the State could make up ifi part forwhat the unprepared teachers lacked. In consequence of this view,a law (the first of ita kind) was passed in 1915 providing for state-wide rural supervision. Eighty-o4 suPerviabsf with salary andexpenses paid by the State, begat work in 1915. At present thereare 104 rural supervisors in Wisconsin.

The demand for supersision has not' beefi confilled.t4 administTa-five officers and patrons. The tdachers, evea those who began witha hostile or. indifferent spirit, desire to have the kind of practical helpthat supeivisotp are able to give. In showing teachers the possibil.ities 'of better niethods of instruction, supervisors have greated inthe teachers a desire to a514 to their professionat training in orderthat they may be siilloiloke .capable. Thus supervision, in raisingthe standard of teachifig ttnd Of 'qualifications on the part of till)teaphers, has created andi fostered an increásing demand for moreand better stvervision fr m the group mist italiy affectedteachers themselves. .

. Chapter II

SOME RESULTS SECi1RED 'THROUGH RURAL SCAOOL SUPERVISION

The past decade has been one of growth in the 'scientific Atitudetoward educationtand in the formulation of more definitA;1 ideas con-

1.mating the place of supervision in the educational scheme: It isrecoghized,that the primarypurposeof siipervision is the itiprovementof instruction. All other activities of the supervisor, if their valueis significant, should be contributory to this end. City .supervisorscan attack this problem directly. Rural supservisors have been obligedto isgume a irariety of duties with which. city gupervisori have totbeen

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sehoolhoi4se keeping, taking a place o leadplithip in Vie educationaland 'even social activities\ of the oo unity!t-these itsnd a variety ofmore or less get -and pi.separatery a4tivities, rural supervisors mustlearn o use ard the .10ger end sou.¡ht, e., improved methods ofclassroom instru-ctign. .1

Priovisionfor prefeniond Chntacts.-6-Many. rural Bupervisors beginpreparbig the gro40 for definite accomplishment by providing meansof professiknal conAtats on the' part of the teachers. To ovelacome'the isolatioi-gf rural teachers, to:- establish a cooperative basis of- *work among tiiii-teacis of the group and between teachers andsupertrisors i till's first steli--inany a supervisor's .work. In theOast rural teachers have attendotfArprofessionaI meetings. Super-visors have therefore provided. for-ma4 local and county meetings,.encouraged teachers tó .form .habits of attend* them, and. stressedthe -importance this means' of professional growth.. They haveurged teachers to belong to -sectiopal and State associations and toattend rdeetings. held lor thhave heard .for'ihe ffiost time in tnational leaders in education andof khe meaning of edtication.

*County teacher& meetiiigs,together for three or more ddiscussion of large problems aes.ted, are !low augmented biof teachers from smaller geo

er groups. Here many of t4emeir professional lives some .Q.f the4ve been helped to a. larger 'view

hich a large group 6f teachers getof professional association and thetopics in which all are equally inter-cil meetings and meetings of.groups

phical areas in Company with theirsupervisors where more intinate amid definite plans for schoolroomprocedure are discussed. 'In prepaOng, for these meetingd-supervi-sore find it admantageous tiKoake special provision to insure active.°participation on the part of the teachers themselves, by the for-mulation of a definite prograiï some time in advance of the meeting.Patticipation (xi the part of teal teachrs is essential in overcomingisolation, in-dëveloping lende hip, in tiv.iltivating the ability to "giveand take" in informal discuss' n. When the supervisor sends out inadvance the program for discussion and assigns to particular teach-,era a part in this diseussion, they are -able to contribute definitely tothe good of the meeting afid are previnted from ineffectually. seek-ing for themselves answers to many of the same questions and labor-iously exploring 'ground. already charted. The supervisor is able toOyer at each meeting a few of thé ¡most important problems Lindlater take up othorslit the order ofotheir importAnce. Through midicareful planning is. it possible to avoid the long, complicated pro-grams formerly prevailing in rural teachers' meetings.

()e- shows that the supervisor's presece adds grimily toa ,tpachep' r4eetings, However, when 'roa4s sk weather,rt.a idultiplicity of d ties prevent the attendance of the s4ervisor,

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Small groups of teachers lare able to me ydefinite plans laid out, the seem aryvisordn touch with proceedings nd

Provision f dividual con et

RAL SUPlaVISION

themselves following tiethe super-

air results. .--The main relianal visits she is ab

tole the supervisorers, the Jieeds of t e

rural supervisor h been on tht pethe teachers at 'work. twit) visis eize herself with -the wo of the' teathe condition of build'community, and other eneral s i rmFrom the various needs f the teacheor two of the most mi dant for emthat the teacher is fakiliar with the is sect

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cfiildren,ent, the characteristics of thetion neoessary to her success.e supervisor must select oneis at each visit. f It may be

matter, that she stickstoo'closely to the xt, that she has nát properly classified the pupils,%that her method f presentation is at.fatílt. Whatever is selected asof grpate.st im trtance,a the supervis r must .hertelt assist in offeringa remedy. T vis may be done t p.:.h helping in the organization ofthe pupils, e rough giving a demon ration lesgin herself, throughformulatin If daily schedule, or what n t.

The sup rvisor's visit sluiuld always e followed by a conferencein which. e supervisor assists-. i plannin to overcom.e.difficultieti,encourages he.teacher to discuss roblems n apparent in this .day'sw9rk, disc 'es means of securidg bettet equ s ment, and giveis suchother helP seems possible. Miny superviso suOi.cmifet;epees ifith eaers salt out from the main o it e giving additionaldirecti6s, o dining reading courses-,oand gene4 ollowing up withwritten §ugg tions the personal help iv n in thé s 6..re o.

Formation f teathers' councils.--The b lief i i i e v u: of k allreprfsentiitiv group of te'ac' heri;in every 4untyserviiig a teitoi,(pcil has g own far more rapidly tha. has thó Ora ice.

morftentum aOhe movement has' attaine in rural/ co j unities iivisjw-#due

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to the efforts of supervisors. A numbe of teacl/ers =cite nowformed are wo*ing eff6ctively with. the aunty s*erintendents and

. the rural siperirisors for the improvement of edueational -conditionsia the territory served; se'curing cooperation of patrots-generally,and especially in inAurtng cooperati-ie effort among teaghers. Thecpuncil also gives an .opportunity for the recognition of teachers abovethe average in ability and i3 ti in , the growth of Itaiiershi'p withinthe gr6up. t. /

Council members grow in ability as public speakers ,s 7/ell as ipfessional attitude and often are of assiitance in promoting among 111people the plans of the superintendent and supervisor. .

Improvement of Welting techniqw.--rgdpcation is a grówineias well as an art. The rur'al teaching fo eff is made up in large pof untrained, inexperienced teachers 'on s one hand, and of =train

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but experieixed, !nature teachers ori the other. To this heterogeneous group the supervisor muS iritioduce newer concepts in education.This must be done in large part through demonstration teaching ontht part- of the supervisor herself or on the part of teachers ivhodevelop under her guidance. It is part of the successful supervisor'screed that "t9 improve instruction *the supervisor .should be able toshow the' teacher how. No on!) should twee to supervisefinstruc-tion who can dot demonstrate." At group meetings, as.wel.1. as dur..ing the supervisor'ft visits, demonstration teaching is an importanttiart of tick) program: .In this way ihe rural teachers learn that suchnew ideas as the project method,,the socialized recitation, the use oftests and measurements, are undeistandable)ind praeti able. Herethey learn to develop and use the initiative and, resoimefulness ofrural children; to present such subjects as history and geography inlays other than thito_ugb the Conventional assitnment and formaltextbmik treatmtnt to which they have long been accustomed. Ru-ral supervisors throughow, the country 'Ave promoted the use tifstandard tests as valuable teachihg instrumenta. Through them theyhave shown teachers how to discover the- attainmenteof pUpils to3 corn-parsed with the standards they should meet and have helped teachersto plfin.remedial measures to insure improvement. Experience show

. that the use of these modem tools of teaching in rural schools is directlypropoitionate "typ the presence of and to the interest Etna inforniationpossessed by rural supervisors.

number of rural supervisors have twenty made use of steno-,graphic reports of recitations as case studies in 'sup& Siichreportog mimeographed and to teache nish many'opportunities. For example; by critically going over an s discussingtlie recitations given, -the group of teachers may see where and howuhwise ptacticei can be eliminated; thro .11,1 the type of weaknessesdiscovered, tbey can recognize and apprecir the mecessity-Qf teaching -pupils how to study. For the siipervisor anion furni4iesopportufiity to draw out a number of principles of go6C1-tòchnique.

Rural supervisors find it possible and desirible to lead teachers topursue_courses in professiond reading, to familiarize themselves with"arailes in magazines, with school surveys and the _like, and, becausepf. their own familiarity -with current professional literature andthrough attendance at State and national meetings, to rentiw thej'aith of teachers in education as a-living, growing ictivity.

4_ Many teachers have never thought of sitting down at the close of theay and asking themsaves such questions is, What is my greatistrengtht What is the best piece of work I have do-ne to-day i What-the poorest I The Supervisor may sta rt the teá,cher on this road todewy; help. teachers to recognize their own weaknesses as well as

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LESSONS FROM A DE64D11 OP RURAL SUPERVISION 7their own merits, and to capitaihr.e such skill as they attain. .. In so faras the supervisor helps teachers

..ta grow find trains them in 4ervice; she

is successful in improving the quality'vf instruction.A modern course ofslyly. Perhaps the services of rural superirisors

have -nowhre hien more needed than in the formulation of bettercourses of study for rurar pupils. In smite States the State depart-nfent of education compiles a State course that. is satisfactory. Ruralsupervisors then interpret and adápt to Ideal conditions the Statecoune of stu.dy, atuf ke that it is undertA.64 iincitfoL owed hy rúrelteaches.., In many States, however, there is rio common understand-ing as to what shall be taught in rural schooli. -While the services ofrural supervisqrs in the field of building have not beencoinmensurate with the need (they haTe 'wild too many other dutiesawaiting thoir immediate iloing), a beginiiing has beeti mticle; theground has been cleared of some of the mistaketi views held concern-ipg the objectiv'ei of an elementary school" curriculum,'and experi-hiental work under guidance is now possible. o ,

There has been..it steady increase .6f0

sentiment ag to. the need of en-liAing the .services of selected rural teachers themsplv in trying outunits of a proposed curriculum. At the pre'sent time a number ofpromising venturés in Xirriculum making are n process of acci3m-plishment.1 It is interestizig to note that such experiments are underway in a least two *States in which rural supervision has attainedconsiderable success.

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S pedal attentionovio younglst and' oldest groups:--Supervisors find itnecossary to help the beginning teacher 'to find -herself in .relatión to ,her two most crudal problems, t. e., the work of the first altd,sof thelast year af the rural t;chool. Pin g

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tile youngest children timidas a result of few contacts with .oth .young .children in thew pre-school experience, iind knowirig. tittle of methods with beginningchildren, the loyal teacher has inAhe past done little for the Gyear-olds during their first year in school. Many ntr4.1 children still spendtwo years Covering the work '0 the- first grade. The, rural super-

- visor knows full well that if the over-age conditioni so prevalent to-dayin the. rural schools are to be prevented, the problem mufit be damp.nitely 'attacked at the beginning bf the child'iqchooling. She eneouri-

ell. plays and games and often herself leads tithe school as a whole in.'these games, thereby inspiring tile young tea"*.aker to 'do likewiseand showing her kow to do it. She suggests that the primarrjant

i guage class, nilde up,of first and second grade children, may, duiipgthe pleatiant weather. of the fall,. divide intò groups, of tvio or th*and go out into the yard and tell one anoiher the stovesr or play *4010011001111111ir

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eAn interesting report Of the miens et Web an undertaking' has recently eigte.froin the iron:Lit Itipecinient witb a Project OurricalumeConinp. MeanillanZIll'Ae(;..

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planning andsupervision ikit. pays in results, because it Arouses t e children to an

-Intetest a t one another and gives them the stimulu.S. that .conies fromcOntact with.one'i contemp?rariess. .. She may extend this opportunityby suggeiting *th,at eaph ,peconclugioade child take out her reader andread a story to a first-grade child. These cooperative activities indirectly, as well as directly, cause timidity and lethargy to give way. to

. poise and alertness. Thus the way is prepared for wore rapid -prog-ress in the regular Work.

Many rural supervisors follow the plan *of copying in a notebookthe`names of the severith and eighth grade *pupils in every school .andof writing a comment on the work of each is they find it. Such class

records shoyld be kept for at least two grades in each county. Lateron, in the spring, whe'n tile common-school diploma examinationsbegin, theie is sonliAhing besides the standing on the pupil's papet

.1* .and the personal equatioli, which occasionally figures so largely atsuch times, to, help the examiners to decide who shall be promoted.

Rural supervisors usually direct some special county-wide activitiesor projects carried on by the seventh ind eighth grade pupils, suchail county play d4s1e1d excursións; or othei iyorth-while experiencesfor' the school children in the Country or at least fót the groupwhich is completing- the. work of the eighth grade.

Improved equipment and Aousekeeping.Ruial sup6rvisers havefound .a tremendous waste resulting frouythe lack of proper eqiiip-ment in niral schools. Soinetimes the teacher has made little effortto secure better equipment because she herself did not recognize itsneed. Sometimes she has failed, and it is *necessaly for the super--

. visor herself to take the matter up with the .board or supefintendentbefore proper equipment can be securécl. While it is regrettatIde thatso much of the supervisor's tinie and strength have been used insecuring materials which the board of itself should have supplied inadvance, it is true that schools in ilich superyisors are employedhave far better *equipment than pthtrs. In this field supervisors

*have made a uotable po4tribution.It is équally true that the supervisor has done much to encourage

and enforce better school housekeebing. This has been in part amitter of training the teachers to demand from the school janitors

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ind the èchool board a clean, woll-kept schoolhouse.-. .Gt.meral Aimulatio* :and Acouragement to pupils andSupervit¡ors throughout tfle country have siimulated education andprbmoted ideals and standards in rural comlnunities through theiraptive. iliterest. i4 the fgeheral welfare of theipeople in the çomOunia.

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ties in which. they work. The, rural supervidir frequéntly helps to..arcnist.3- the intére0 of the',.childrowin a high-sthpol education, several

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high-school principabithat during the good weather of the fall a prct-gram may be arrangedin the high school which will make it possible

. for many country boys and girls to famflitikze themselves with ihehigh school -arid its w.ork. During the first year of 'high school -ofpupils who have completed the elementary grades udder her super-vision the supervisor wat,che's their progress and *often helps them to 'aadjusi themselves to a flew "situation. .

Under 'the leadersliip of the supdvisor several milall sthoolß gettogether fdr a township fair or school program. Occasionally thesiTervisor may takeowjth her on her rounds a member of the upper-grade class to visit other schools. On his return the visiting pupil willhave much to tell his classmates of his visit. Occasionally nieetingsof classes 4bout to complete the .eighth grade of se/e9ral cif the smallschools may be held by the supervisor with the:teachers. Other witys

. of bringing rural children tógether are found 1:;:y supervisors with in-telligence andinitiativ'et. Sometimes. correspondence follows nieetingsof this kind. Standards are set ainong schools' wiihin the supekvisoryterritory, and friendly competition among pupils in the schools is en-couraged. . .

Among the most important contniutions which *supervision hasmade to rural .education is that of stimulating teachers and coTmu-niticis* to realize the necessity of special care for.exceptiorial children.Thousands iaf rural children suffering from various physical ills,or who are fpeble-m' inded or psichopathk, have been crowded intosmall schools with normal children, much to the detriment of therciselves as well a% of the other children. The rural gutiervisor who isfarmlur witkmochirn prOgress in remedial measures has made it pos-'sible for Arge° numbers of 'children to receive' medical attentio'n orspe'cial help 'in their school studies.

Strengthening the work of the county 8uperiVen1ent.--Much of thecounty superintendent's time is necessarily devoted to aaministrativeproblems and., to educating the community toward a more adequateappreciiition of education and a moie liberal support of schools. Itis g'enprally true that ithe county supeiintenaent has beén so- over,-burdened that it is impaossible for him to reach a high standard ofefficiency as a supervisor or to take muçh pride in, his work. Oneeducatiorial officer in a pouiity can viake so littlb progress that, unlesshe has unusual physicid strengtii, much .administrittive ability, And,isnbounded professional zeal, he will have little stimulus even to at-tempt real supervision. Diwouragementtue to these limitations hasbeen a factor in the resignation áf manz7 a good superintendent.The ippointment of a rural supervisor chanes this feebleness orabsence of. ,directW e6.art ifitó real éducatic;nal guidance. Union cifeffort of la county auperintendent with that. of the supervisorbecpmès the letrren Wore long peillieates the iiidifferenc'e of

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teacher§ and patrots and causes the schools ot .the county tb rise totheir opportunity'.. Discouragement is no longèr .aimmon as it waswhen there was no coworker.. County superintendent and rural-together are Ole to. accomplish something.

The supervisor's interest in prepared rural teachers.--Rural super-visors have. contributed ctefinit6ly toward rural teacher preparation..by active copperation with the teather-preparinginstitutions and by.encouraging teachers to add to their professional. knowledge byattending thok) institutions in Avhioh the most effective courses ategiven. As a result supervisors and instructors in teacher-preparinginstitutions .are visiting each other's .work and &cussing dOts andpossible improvements. By cooperating in carrying out observatiAnarid practice work they have made the preapring of rural teachets acooperative project equally beneficial to all ctinceined. Catintryteachers frequently begin teaching before they have graduatednormal schools. They profit by the advice of the supervisor in theselection of courses and are able, when they return from summersch01, to Put into effect under the professional gitidahce of the super-visor the newer methods learned.

General .community spirit-78o far rural euperinte4dents have notsucceeded to the extent that city superintepden6 have in adquaintingtheir communities with school conditions 'and schdol needs. In theorganization of parents and patrons, in vromoting greater interestin the cooperation of parents and teachere, in arousing interest inmore gefierous support for rural schools, supervisors have been valu-Ale assistants to the administrative officers. They know the needsof the schcsols and how economically to supply them better thAn anyone else. They have the confidence of the teachers and the- com-munity, and have therefore been unusually* successful in promotingsChool-community0 interest. Money raised through pitrent-teacherand other associations by means of -entertainments has been spent,tinder the direction of the supervisor, for useful equipment of educa-tional value, which otherwise would hive been spent on more or lessuseless material or such materal as should be provided at publicexpensé.

Social an;epersonal problems. The health of rural teachers, theirstatue in ate communities in which they work, problems concernedplaces'ancbgeneral housing condikions, a: variety of moreor less personal pioblenifi with which young teachers have to cleal ontakirig their places in unfatnijiar communities, are all matters whichhave engaged the ittention of rural supervisors. If the shpervisonis,is she should be and generally is, a woman of experience, poise, strong

personality, and felative maturity she can by virtue of her. greateretperience and wider opportunities extend to teachers dishiterestedadvice. *id service'. w- often, turns. the scale and 4rings. -success

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T. LESSONS FROM A DECADE Or RURAL SUPERWSION ilwhere otherwise failure was imminent. The supervisor is often ableto ifiteresf thp women of rural communities in the social and .physi-cal weltare of young teachers an4 in making more at homes youngmen and women teachers, city reared, who 'are attracted to countrylife, but who without &dance find difficulty in adjusting themselvesto living under unfamiliar conditions.

Chapter III

GENERAL PROBLEMS AFFECTING THE SUCCESS OF SUPERVISION

While the acklievements of rural supervision are sufficiently Aote-*orthy to give us every encouragement for the future, the road tobetter educational facilities for rural pupilsothrough this agency hasbeen strewn with a number of obstacles. Perhaps their discoveryand consideration have been as much worth while ass afiything thathas been done. A few of them seem worthy of dttention in thisbulletin since they still musi be met. The complete success of,supervision, as well as full returns on the investment made in it,requires conditions at least reasonably favoratle.

Profeisional preparation of opervifors.The dilemma which hasonfronted rural educational leaders in some States is shown by thefollowing remark of a State superintendent: " I had to choose. ItWILS 'either to get a law providing for rural supervisors without thequalifications I believe in or to get no rural supervisors. I chose tre".former." ,There is little doubt that there is in all States a shortageof persons adequately prepared and experienced for success in ruralsupervisory york. Supervisors theriiselve,g have been among the firstto recognize thisa fact indicated 'by the action of the rural super-visors in- Wisconsin% At a recent annual session these supervisorspassed a resolution requesting county superintendents, when recom-mending candidates for supervisory positions,.to consider only appli.-cants who have, as a minimum, education equivalenti to graduationfrom a standard normal school and five years of successful .experiencedem'anstrating ability ánd h;adership. The cooperation of educationalleaders and of higher institutions for, the preparation of teachers,supervisors, and superintendents is much needed ih this field. Supplyand .demand go hand in hand here as in other vocations. Leadersshould take the initiative ip creating the one and at the same timein providing facilities for supplying the otheR

In the majority of the States and counties We are confronted WS11,the condition of, a rural teaching force, a large percentige of whichhas neither the icademic preparation eqiiivalent. to graduation froma standard high sclool nor the professional preparation of two yearain noratta school(); college folidwiw high sohpol, ziow generally recov,d

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nized as the minimum standard for efficient teachers. Besides unpre-pared teachers with whom supervisors must deal, there have beensince the war a number of more mature former teactiers, includingmarried women with homes, who have returned to the work. Theybring with them an experience that is worthy and helpful, but many,are not familiar with the fact thát new ideas have taken possessionof the educational world during their rOirement. They need tozbecome acquainted with the new principles and ideas and to givetheir professional duties and obligations first consideration.

A few States have new laws requiring for any certificate theminimum education and training indicated above as essential.Other States it is hoped will soon follow with laws, facilities fortraining, and salary provisions which will make it possible to staffrural school and supervisory positions with professionally preparedmen and women.

Preparation of county superintendents as a factor in success.Anargument sometimes advanced against the feasibility of demandingadequate preparation on the part of rural supervisors is that thequalifications of supervisors can not well be raised higher than thoseof county superintendents in the same_ State. Trained supervisorsdo not look forward to working under Oleo direction of superintendentsof inadequate preparation; nor are such superintendents often willingto have as their assistants supervisors who liave better training andreceive,higher salaries for their services than the county superintend-ents. Often the county superintendent's salary is so low that norural supervisor adequately prepared for her work can be found willingto work for it. The necessity of .increasing the number -of ruralsupervisors and of continuing to demand high qualifications in theirappointment, if fully understood, should furni.sh at the same time aneffective argument for raising the qualifications of county superintend-ents wherever they are not as high as statIdards now accepted.

Teacher-preparing institutions as afactor.It is well known thatthe whole question of the preparation of teitchers, including super-visors and superintendents, offers problems not yet satisfactorilysolved. In fifiancial support, qualifications demanded of instructors,and other important factors, these institutions are not yet on as higha plane as they should be or as State universities generally are.Those responsible for coursts in these institutions have overlookedthe needs of rural schools and have not provided for the preparationof and do not prepare a sufficient number of supervisors and teachersfor this field.

Organization problemss.Unprepared rural supervisors have learnedto do their work largely by ihe trial and error method. There hasbeen little literature bearing directly on their needs; they have

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worked at times in offices lacking modern èqiiipraent and with menwho haye hot acquired the habit of organizing their work. Occa-sionally, where there have been two or more supervisors to a county,no one has been held responsible for a certain area ois a certain groupof teaòhets, but all the schools were visited in turn, first by one, thenby another supervisor.. Thus It has not been possible for one Riper-visor to spend enough time with any teacher to determine' her needsand give the help required to insure improvement in instruction andmanagement. The untrained teacher has found it difficult to coordi-nate into a workable program the recommendations (at times con-fficting) of tivo or three supervisors, althotgh shec.ould be dependedupon to carry out effectively the suggestions of one.

In many counties schools are still so poorly administered that it isdifficult to supervise them well. County superintendents have hadto divide their time so constantly between administrative And super- .visional work that they have thought of a supervisor as one who canhelp with both administrative and supervisory duties. Moreover,:the supervisor's correspondence has naturally increased the clericalwink of the office, and thus in some instances she has been expectedto do the work of a clerk as well as her own work.. Rural Supervisors have rightly held that they should not be regarded as sharers .all the work of the county superintendent's office regardless of itsnaturti. While it is necessary that the county superintendent be both Jo-an administrator* and a supervisor, it is equally imperative, if thesupervisor is to do. a good piece of work in improving instruction,that she be relieved from administrative and clerical duties.

In a number of counties in 'a few States, especially where there areseveral consolidated schools, provision has -been made. for specialsupervisors of music or drawing, or both 'subjects, before the appoilit-ment of supervisors of general elementary subjects. Frequently thesespecial supervisors teach onpe a week or once or twice a month,for the regular teacher, and then códer with her regarding the workshe is to do in their absence. Thus they become in effect .specialteachers, though the title commonly given is that of supervisor.,

Experience in the past 10 years indicates that the work of supervision in any county should be begun by the appointment of a generalsupervisor who can include supervision of the teaching of music yawl.draiving. In the professional preparation given rural ieicherd iwdueproportioú of time should be assigned to :these special subjects. Thecomment made in a recent publication to the point: "It ought notto be necessary, at least in the sixth, d tower grades,. to empliT,special teachers to teach mimic, drawin and even .penmanship, ¡IS ¡Aino* so frequently done."

'Public Education in Indiana. Choir& Education Boar

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44 LESSONS FROM A DECADE OP RURAL EMPERVISIONBesides the organization of the 4upervisor7 staff, the question of

the qrganization of teachers within tile territory to be supervised isimportant. The rural supervisor deals with teachers having a varietyof preparation and experiénce, from the young, immature, and inex-perienced to experienced and mature teachers with flied habits andtraditional methods. There are in most counties a large number ofone-teacher schools, som9. schools of two or three teachers, and someconsolidated schools. Topògraphy, distance to travel, type of sphools,preparation and skill of teachers, must all be considered in the plansfor visiting and hölding meetings. The supervisors who have been.most successful in their work are those who have met these problems'squarely lilt the beginning of the year and followed out cònsistentplans of organization a4d procedure. .

Problem of &stance, number of teachers, travel ezpense.The sue-cess of sup.ervision is largely conditioned by the number of teachersto be sqervised and the time necessarily gonsumed in travelingamong them, other .things,- such as ability and training, being equal.The dissatisfaction caused -by trying to work with too many teachersstattered iiver toolarge an extent of territory has also counted mu&

the decision of many successful rural supervisors to seek otheravenues' of usefulnesé. We may as well face the truth that rural su-pervision is not possible with a group of teachers numbering over 50.and spatter6d over a wide territory.. Thirty is a more desirable num-ber with which to work. One State has provided by law for a max-imum'of 40 teachers per rural supervisor-. It is to be expected thatothers will fall in line..

The -difficulty of supervising many teachers ia augmented when thetravel allowance is insufficient. Real econoniy suggests that it shouldrather be generous, encouraging the supervisor to visit schools as oftenas conditioris permit. Rural supervisors are assigned tó one of the.nibst diffibitlt and éxacting of school °tasks. In return for efficientservice there should be assured' to them air adeqiiate *come and .livipg, working, and health conditions, conducive to success.

Chapter IV

AGENCIES HELPFUL IN PROM6TING THE SUCCESS OF SUPERVISION.,

the efforts to secure rural supervision, and its success'whet securedhit promoting hetter schools for rural children, have enlisted theh inter-est and activity of a number of agencies whose ccioperatiofi has Addedto its success. P

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MEMO MOM A DECADE OP, RURAL SUPERVISION 15

Supervision and State departmnts of education.Many State depart,-ments óf education, in fact, thp majority of them, now compile Statecourse& of study and are active in hilping rural supervisors andteachers to interpret them. More. and more special mutes are prerpared for the different types of rural schools. 'When this is neglectedby the State department supervisors must, 'with the assistano of theirteachers, formulate local courses. Modern daily programs based onalternation and combinatiOn of grades are printed in many Statecourses and hAve proved most helpful. Through them the time ofthe rural supervisor is freed flown helping each teacher individually toreorganize her school. Time sehedulei should be prepared by experts,show acpiaintance with principles of program making, and limit thedaily recitations in small schools to a reasonable number. Freedomfor adaptation in both course of study and daily schedule, and thepossibility of developing. experimental work when desirable, shouldbe provided. Assistance from the State 'departments in these direc-dons has had excellent results.

A large number of State departments help also with a variety ofpublicationsreports on work _done with standard tests, circularsstating progress made in work' *with exceptional children, biennialreports setting forth usable information and suggestions, and- 06 like. -Such publications, valuable as they are, are not often road by ruralteachers unless rural supervisors suggest their reading and direct itin the most effective ways.

In the majority of States at the present time there are Staté super-visors specially assigned to rural schools, who spend part or all oftheir time with county superintendents, rural supervisors, and teach-ers. These officers bring the State departments in direct contactwith rural school problems. They offer practical help to supervisorsand teachers, plan progressive projects foi the benefit of rural Nimes.tion on a state-wide scale, and bring inspiration and encouragement

to school officials and patrons. .The observance of American Education Week is full of possibilities

for familiarizing people at large with the needs *of rural schools.State and county supervisors cooperate with administrative officialsin giving public addresses, arranging educational exhibits, and others,wise stimulating patrons to improve educational conditioils andoPpoxtunities. bi gelieral it seems safe to say that all eduoationalreforms, particularly those emanating from the State ;departm. arefar more apt to be successfully carried Csut when rural supervisorsare in the field to help with them,, ,

Teachers' reading circles.-,--Teachers' reading circles _organ&ed ona State or county-wide basis are promoted by a large number ofrural school officials. Where such State organizations are active,

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16 UCESONS FROM 411.DROADIC OP 'itYRAX8 StrPUVISION1.

=11.the aaquOltance of teailers with recent professional Meta**be expected to follow. Rurta supeivisoni liars, done. much to *Akt.effective the work a reading circles. They have followid. up thereading of the prescribed books by teachem with such guidance anddiscussion .as more,. neirly insures the use in the eTeryday classrooinpractice of the suggestions offered by the books selpcted. They havé..also aided in evaluating the strength and weakneils .0..t6 -plans .for....basing ceracate credit wholly oi in part on such reading.

Cboperation of heal& agencies.--County public health nurses, eitheralone or in cooperation with Red Crofis nursos, have giien excellentservice in improving rural health. Often the nurse- and the ruralsupervisor visit sdhools and:homes together, appear on the same pro-gramat public meetingij. and otherwise give muttial. help in promot-.ing better conditions in the territory . affected. Rural supervisorshave been instrumental, in many iústances, ii securing the appoint-ment of public health nuriteel because they realize that the pf-Dfoundation on whidh the arork of teachers and superyisors dependsneeds the attention of expert&

in puny States couilty superintendents, and especially countysupervisors, cooperate with county agénts who assist farm motherswith better, methods of preparing and serving food- and with higher.,standards of housekeeping, and in other ways 'promöte. the health of

. rural children..

Edutati4no2 as8ociationa an4 instittdiona.More and more Stateteaaers' usodations are adopting the custom of devoting time tothee special problems of niral teachers and supervisors on their Stateand SeCtional programA. While in the past it has been difficult tofind people who-have a reel message fór rural .teacfiers. who combineability in pan() speaking with .firstAand acquaintance with rural-Exihobi probleims, the growth of rural supervision has .dohe much toremedy' this. The choice :of rural :upervisOrs as speakers- on edu-cational programs is to be co is s

Besides meetings in the r ar State' teachers' usociations, sy;ecialmeetings---regional, State, and national-4r rural supervisors havebecome customary. In theie meetings they discuss their particularproblems., plan better weans pf -orgánizing their work, receive sug-geatiois and. criticism, fropl teachers Who are supervised, and inother ways profit by contact ánd -association-. with those engaged inthe same kind .of work .and 'meeting similar prtiblerait..

During the decade' just passed many tetchers colleges 'ind someState universities havó begun tó show a special intereét in rural edu-catiOn ind especially in rural *sliFiervision.--. Comparison of' present-day catainguetof teacherftpreparixtg institutions with those of 15 yeirs

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ago shwaan encouragingwakening on thipartof institutions; Coun-try schoóls have been with us from the beginning, but teachers collegesand 4ate universities in opmparatively recent yeare only have shownthat they realized that institutions of college rank could44ecome fao-tore i their improvement. 1.n.sumniec 'schools and during the regularsessions special courses for rural teachers are now profsl. b:7 an

aever-increasing number of higher institutions.literaturé`.---A growing amount of proftission

in the fielkot supervision is now available. .A few books, a largenumber of articles in leading educational magazines, a ruraleducationjournals devoted in large part to the problems 'of administration anadsuperiision, a 1aliei,f2umber of publications of the United States Bureauof Education and pther educational organizations, cad ibe obtainedwhere only a few years ag9 very little of practical value in this fieldwas available.

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CONCLUSION

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¡Reread confidence in rural eup n.---This r6sum6 of the *orkof rural supervisors is incomplete, 'partly becaus6 inany who hareperhapi .worth-while achievements 0.0eir credit have nqt yet rgtimpelled to write abotit them or tio them toliblicity in other ways.Many supervisors haye learned inciAtentally *what they know. aboutthe technique of supervision. tia4 have atteinpted to learn moreabout it while in service by at,dding 'summer schools, reading práfessiônal books, and by using- all agencies which affiot.vr ma)t. bemide to affect their work. In spite of handicaps and in some caseslack-of definite preparation for their work, rural supervisors have wonmore and more the respect of cpuntry teachers; county superiibetOndents,Pother rural supervisórs, norraal-school instructOrs, and ruralpeople themselves.

educational campaign isin the intereet9 of rural aupeion.----Nat-urajiy there are few, eligible candidates Or rural supervisory Positiolisin any State' when a, law providiiik for rural supervision is first pulped..A 'professional futire in iptal work had been practically close4 forseiteral 'years to both men vid women, and they had ceased to Ulinft

;. 5s1 the 'vial field its'?tyOvicting an Quad for am.bition and ability.,iineroising épporiutit .forptoniotion is provided, mcreasingDumbers

I, of supeiior. 'peotde 4IFnter an&remain in rural education'. Itti41supervision ind adiniitistasitioù now offer ackno*ledgbd opportunitiifor service..

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18 LISSONS MBE A DECADE OF -RURAL SUPIRVISION'WO

In order that with the.growth of the supervisory movement theremay be no lowering of standards and at the same time that it moy bepossible to find, rural supervisots, an educational- campaign to interestthe tight icind of mitn and women to prepare themselvet for ruralsupervisión may be necessary in a Stale planning to inaugurate.andextend rural superiision.

It may I.), heigul in siich a campaign to keep in mind the essentialqualifications of a rural supervisor:

_ 1. Pronounced- possibilities of leadenihip, including an inviringpersonality and skill in effective public speaking. .

2. Special ability in stimulating rural school improvement throughsuch means as demonstration teaching and the holding ?of succe'ssfulgroup .aud individual conferences.78. Several- yeirs of succpssful .teaching in elementary schools,

including preferably some rurahschool experieiicti..0 Graduation from a itandard normal school and in addition the

attaining of a colle,ge degree.5. First4iand acquaintance with and sympathetic interest in rural

conditions and rural needs., 6. Capacity km professional gro*th, as shown by the undertaking

of progressive activities iï school work, attepdance at summerschools, etc. .

7. Ihdustry, vers4ti1ity, good judgment, health, and vitality.s, 8. Ability to cooperate with county superintendents and normalinstructors in preparing *rural teachers.4 .

- Concerning the last point it should be added that, so far u is comppatible with loyalty to administrative officers, the-. has theOght, in csomm-on with any citizen, to assist educational leaders toimpro*e the administrative machinery or s6cure the passage of neededlaws. . The supervisor's work, however, is not to attempt to .changethe administrative .rhachinery except fiS conferences with adminis-trative officers provide the oppprtunity, the ethics of the situationdemand that loyalty to the administrative officeis under whom thesuper*or works should toe the first! consideration.

4 Rural pervirioi; experienc4 of the past 104.yeatsProves convincingly) that rural stipervision- pays. Its ultimate and

N'oomplete swiss is conditionéd by the administrative sister°. underWhb the supervisór works; travel conditions rn the tenitory imper-visea; rural teacher -preparation; the twpervisary load-tiveii to onoperacin; the slqiport recoived from the St4te department of edu6a-tion, tdie superintendent, iand .the State teachers' itssociation;the 000peration secured from teacherlpipparing institutioni of au

Adapted from s drolly of Ws Wisoonsikr4Partmnt d Public Inetruotion

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LESSONS FRO A DECADE OF WEAL AUPERVIELION 19/

kinds; the fitrength of the organization effected by the supervisorsthemselves; and adequaa provision for seciring definite, thoroughpreparation for the work of supervision.

Rural supervisors hold a strategic position. The future of ruraleducation is largely their hands. On the successful eiràrta of thethousand or afore i 1 supervisors at work through the country teeday depend to a veiy large degree the ptogress and influence of therural schools they serve. Without rural sqpervisors at mirk in everypart of every State where rural schools ao found thertis very littlehope forhoural education.f,

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