The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1879-03-13

ana make contracts LOT It's eFSCtlOu lie
township board makes the rules and
regulations for the purchase of fuel, and
for the repairing or furnishing of school
house; the local directors make all con-
tracts for such purchases, repairs, and
furniture"
*Sce Sections sc, So, and 55 O. S. L
The following language is taken from
the report of the Commissioner of Com
mon Schools, Hon. John A. Norris, for
1868, the figures being changed to cor
respond with our latest statistics
with 10,72l boards of local directors,
composed of 80 l63 persons, who determ-
inc how the school revenues shall be
expended, but who have no voice in
determining the amounts of these reve-
nues and with l ,347 township boards of
education, composed of 1921 persons,
who determine the amounts of revenues,
but who have no voice in determining G
specifically how these revenues shall be
disbursad, we have system of official
net work that inevitably results in COM
plications, disputes, and frequent litiga-
tions."
The continuance of the sub,district
system is prejudicial to the interests of
the schools and greatly increases the cost
of their maintenance. The system null
tiplies the number of schools unnecessa-
rily, prevents efficient classification Of
pupils, and leads to disastrous mode of
selecting teachers. Those who have
given most attention to the subject of
school organization in country districts
do not hesitate to say that the consolida-
ton of sub districts could be effected
without putting pupils to greater labors
in order to reach the school house than
they are now compelled to undergo
Such consolidation would result in q
great saving of school funds, while its
effect upon the classification of pupils
and their progress in their studies would
be most marked and satisfactory.
The sub district system stands in the
way of a more equitable and more eco
nomical adjustment of school boundaries.
At present the school enrolment of q
township is very unequally divided
among the sub. districts. There is linn
it to the number of pupils that can be
well taught by a single teacher, but that
limit is reached in but few of our sub
district schools. On the contrary instan-
ces are abundant where the time of
teacher for whole term of three months
was spent in teaching from two to five
pupils. In such cases the cost of these
pupils schooling was more than enough
to pay their tuition in one of our best
appointed high schools
President Hinsdale, of Hiram College,
gives some facts in relation to the cost of
schools in Aurora township, Portage
county, which no doubt have their coun-
terparts in many townships of Ohio
Here are the figures:
Schools, 7; enumerated scholars. 19l;
enrolled scholars, 103; average daily at
tendance, Il !; total school expenditure,
81. .S55 So; average size of school, based
on average daily attendance, 10 1-7 av-
erage cost per school, 1855 OF; average
cost per pupil, based on average daily
$26 06. The smallest emu
meration in any district was II, the
largest IS; the smallest enrolment 3, the
largest 81 the smallest average attend
ance 3, the largest 25; the smallest cost
per pupil, Sl5 56, the largest $42 81"
1t is no exaggeration to say, taking the
whole State into consideration, that
wise consolidation of sub districts would
result in the abandonment of one school
in each township, or l,347 schools in the
State Estimate the salary of each teach
er at $50 per month for six months, the
time required by law for the schools to
be kept in session each year, and an
annual saving of $242, 400 is at once effec-
ted. This is the saving on the expendi-
ture for teaching alone. The amount
received from the abandoned site and
school house could be proftably used in
the school accommodations of
the township. R. w. Stevenson, of Co.
lumbus says:
Some years ago l undertook to redis-
trict one Of the counties of this State. /
found in some districts as few as two
pupils, in others as many as eighty; and
by redistricting l found l could so com.
bine them that no pupils had more than
two miles to walk to school, and so that
each school had not more than forty pu-
pills, pay the teachers of the county sixty
dollars instead Of forty per month, and
save the county annually eight thousand
dollars.
1t is believed that placing the schools
of a township under the control one board
would effect a radical reform in the
method of selecting teachers. Now the
want of system in discharging this i'm
portant duty is productive of much evil.
A teacher, perhaps without certificate,
is frequently employed by some member
of the sub-district board, without consul
tation with fellow members and the
teacher SO appointed upon going to the
school house to begin labor not infre.
quently finds some appointee of another
member of the board installed behind
the teachers desk. This is not an over
drawn statement. Three teachers have
appeared at the district school room on
the same day, each claiming to be the
duly appointed person to take charge of
the school. Compromise, which are
often alike detrimental to the interests
of the schools and expensive to tax pay
ers, follows.
Some of the duties imposed upon sub
district boards of directors by the school
law are rarely fulfilled. Records of
proceeding are not kept, changes of
teachers are frequent, the school emu
meration is as often guessed at as care.
fully taken, and in many other respects
a total lack of system and indifference to
the plainest provisions of the law are
noticeable A township board, organized
under the provisions of the law now
applicable to city and village districts,
would introduce system into all the
schools of the township. Consolidation
of districts, where such consolidation
would work no injustice to school patrons;
teachers employed for a school year
instead of, as now often happens, for
single term; an opportunity to secure a
better classification of pupils; and not
inconsiderable saving of school funds, are
some of the results that would follow the
adoption of the township system.
Continued neat a0eek.