Elected June 4, 1917. Term Expires 1921.

Adams-E. S. Christen, Decatur.

Allen-D. O. McComb, Fort Wayne.

Bartholomew-Samuel Sharp, Columbus.

Benton-M. F. O'Rear, Fowler.

Blackford-Earl Pursley. Hartford City.

Boone-Edgar M. Servies, Lebanon.

Carroll-T. W. Armstrong, Delphi.

'Clark-Samuel L. Scott, Jeffersonville.

Clay-Willis E. Akre, Brazil.

Lawrence Wm. C. Roberts, Bedford. Madison-James W. Frasier, Anderson. *Marion-Lee E. Swails, Indianapolis. Marshall-Floyd M. Annis, Plymouth. *Martin-Charles O. Williams, Shoals. Miami-E. L. Powell, Peru.

Monroe-William H. Jones, Bloomington.

Cass-J. E. Ludders, Logansport.

Clinton-Mortimer D. Boulden, Frankfort.

Crawford-Harrison M. Toney, English.
Daviess-J. E. Gilley, Washington.
Dearborn-George G. Cole, Lawrenceburg.
Decatur-James R. Crawley, Greensburg.
Dekalb Francis M. Merica, Auburn.
Delaware-Ernest J. Black, Muncie.
Dubois-Robert E. Eckert, Jasper.
Elkhart-A. E. Weaver, Goshen.

Fayette Earl E. Lines, Connersville.
Floyd-Glenn V. Scott, New Albany.

Fountain-Guy A. Waldrip, R. F. D. No. 1, Attica.
Franklin-James A. Fisher, Brookville.
Fulton-Thomas F. Berry, Rochester.
Gibson-E. D. Allmon, Princeton.
'Grant-Charles H. Terrell, Marion.
Greene-Walter T. Brown, Bloomfield.
Hamilton-Walter M. Harger, Noblesville.
Hancock-Roy R. Roudebush, Greenfield.
Harrison-Arville O. Deweese, Corydon.
Hendricks-J. P. Snodgrass, Danville.
'Henry-Harry B. Roberts, Newcastle.
Howard-Albert F. Hutson, Kokomo.
Huntington-Clifford Funderburg, Huntington.
Jackson-Harry B. Henderson, Brownstown.
Jasper-Morgan L. Sterrett, Rensselaer.
Jay-William R. Armstrong, Portland.
Jefferson-W. Guy Pender, Madison.

Jennings-Shepherd M. Whitcomb, Vernon.
Johnson-W. J. Yount, Franklin.
Knox-Edgar N. Haskins, Vincennes.
Kosciusko-Jesse Bruner, Warsaw.
Lagrange-Arthur B. Cookerly, Lagrange.
Lake-Frank F. Heighway, Crown Point.
Laporte-Clayton L. Rhoade, Laporte.

Morgan-Lewis Williams, Martiusville. Newton-William O. Schanlaub, Kentland. Noble Guy R. Hall, Albion,

Ohio John L. Wessler, Rising Sun. Orange-Jesse M. Trinkle, Paoli. "Owen-Albert Free, Spencer.

Parke-John H. Jollief, Rockville. Perry-Lee B. Mullen, Cannelton. Pike-Howard Brenton, Winslow. Porter-Fred H. Cole, Valparaiso. Posey-George E. Behrens, Mt. Vernon. Pulaski-W. E. Tennell, Winamac. Putnam-Frauk Wallace, Greencastle. Randolph-0. H. Greist, Winchester. Ripley-Chas. R. Hertenstein, Versailles. Rush-Chester M. George, Rushville. "Scott-William S. Griffith, Scottsburg. Shelby-William Everson, Shelbyville. Spencer-Joseph W. Strassel, Rockport. Starke J. Allen Barr, Knox.

*St. Joseph-Ralph Longfield, South Bend. Steuben-H. Lyle Shauk, Angola. 'Sullivan-Richard Park, Sullivan. Switzerland-Ernest Danglade, Vevay. Tippecanoe C. V. Peterson, Lafayette. Tipton-Elmer L. Mitchell, Tipton. Union-Chas. C. Abernathy, Liberty.

Vanderburgh-K. W. Hemmer, Evansville. *Vermilion-J. Fern Lewman, Newport. Vigo-James M. Propst, Terre Haute. Wabash-A. B. Oswalt, Wabash. Warren-Harry Evans, Williamsport. Warrick-Ivor J. Robinson, Boonville. Washington-Orra Hopper, Salem.

Wayne-Charles O. Williams, Richmond. Wells-Arthur R. Huyette, Bluffton. *White-Henry J. Reid, Monticello. Whitley-Alvin R. Fleck, Columbia City. Re-elected.

Indianapolis

While this study was by no means exhaustive or final in its conclusions, yet it serves to show what has long been suspected, viz., that the greatest weakness of rural teachers now in the service is their lack of adequate and proper training. And the crux of the -matter lies in the proper kind of training quite as definitely as in sufficiency of training. For even at its best the training hitherto provided for teachers in the rural schools has failed to function in a vital manner, to bear direct relation to the problems and conditions of rural community life. truth, the training of rural teachers has for the most part been the training planned for teachers in city schools, with special reference to the conditions and problems of the city.

In

Ten years ago, the Country Life Commission, in its nation-wide inquiry into causes of rural decline, found that, taken altogether, agriculture in the United States was prosperous commercially and that the country folk were producing vast quantities of supplies for food, shelter, clothing, and for use in the arts. "Country homes," the Commission said, "are improving in comfort, attractiveness, and healthfulness." Not merely in the production of material wealth, but especially in the supply of independent and strong citizenship, the agricultural people constitute the very basis fiber of American life and national efficiency.

Yet, the Commission pointed out, agriculture was not commercially as profitable as was warranted by the labor and energy that the farmer expends and the risks he assumes, and, chiefly significant, the social conditions. in the open-country were far short of their possibilities.

As a contributing factor to the lack of a highly organized rural society, and the resulting decline of rural life in the competition of interests, the Commission cited the lack of proper training for rural life in the country schools. "The schools," it said, “are to be held largely responsible for ineffective farming, lack of ideals, and the drift

to the town. This is not because the rural schools as a whole are declining, but because they are in a state of arrested development, and have not put themselves in consonance with all the recently changed conditions of life."

This statement touches the very heart of the problem of the training of the rural teacher. Until a distinctive type of rural teacher training is developed and becomes widely prevalent in the training schools, the life of rural communities may be expected to suffer from want of vital and related instruction in the schools. As long as rural teaching personnel continues to be recruited from city youth, born and bred in city ways, trained in city modes of thinking, and aspiring at the earliest moment possible to return to the city, so long will country boys and girls continue to drift to the town, so long will rural interests dwindle and the nation suffer irreparable loss from the shrinkage of the sources of its own

The writer recently had occasion to conduct an inquiry into the status of rural teacher preparation in Indiana schools. As one source of enlightenment, he sought the views of those nearest the seat of trouble, the rural folks themselves. He addressed a letter to each of five thoughtful and intelligent farmers in each of twenty counties situated in widely scattered parts of the State. The letter was a general one, and was delivered through. the kindness of the county superintendent to these farmer friends. A few simple, direct questions were asked with a view of getting at the gist of the matter, as these country people saw it. The letter follows in part: My dear Friend of Rural Education:

I am addressing you, through the courtesy of your county superintendent, in a matter of vital concern to us all. I have in mind the efficiency of the rural teacher. As you well understand, our progress depends upon the quality and character of the work of the public school. How these schools may be made more effective is the primary question of the hour.