Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1890-06-26
The Township School System.

III
association and hundreds Of state teach
ers' associations; a system that is in sue
cessful operation in the states OF indiana
Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine an,
Pennsylvania, and the adoption OF whicl
is now being strongly advocated in Ney
York. Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Soutl
Dakota and other states is entitled Il
very thorough consideration.
We shall first notice some OF the OBJ
jections that are urged against the pres
ent district system.
|. Unequaled facilities for SCHOOLING
afforded children in the district school
OF county.
2. Inequality in the cost OF maintain
ing schools in different parts Of the same
county.
8. Nepotism in the selection of teach
ers.
4. Too frequent changes of Jeachers.
5. Too great diversity of text books.
6. Unjust discrimination in local taxa
ton.
z. Children frequently have too long
distances to attend school i'm their owl
districts when they could be more con
yenientiy accommodated in an adioinine
subdistrict under the township system.
8. Difficulty in properly classifying
and grading schools.
8. Too many school officers.
10. Frequent disputes and bickeringl
over school-hous sites, district bounda
ries, etc.
II. Inequality in the length OF schoo
terms.
IL. School laws not properly under
stood and enforced.
Ii. Insufficiency of local school off
GERS.
Among the benefits resulting from tn.
township system may be mentioned th'
following:
/. AL children in township would b,
given equal school privileges.
2. The cost of maintaining schools
would be distributed equally over th'
entire township.
8. The teachers being appointed by ,
township board the chances of .faEorit
ism in the selection is very much re
duced.
4. The tenure of office of efficien
teachers would be heightened.
5. A township uniformity OF text books
would result and the adoption of county
uniformity more easily secured.
6. The number of school officers would
be largely diminished and the choice be-
ing extended to the township a better
class OF officers would be secured.
z. The local taxation would be tht
same throughout the township.
8. Children could attend the schoo
that was most conveniently located.
9. ALI the schools in the township
would be uniformly classified and
graded.
10. School-hou sites would be more
satisfactorily located, and the quarrels
over district boundries would be abol
ished.
IL. The number of terms and the
length of same would be uniform
throughout the township.
10. The school laws would be better
understood and more intelligently en-.
forced.
We invite the attention of our readers
to how the system works in other states
We here subjoin extracts from the re.
ports of state superintendent in states
where the schools are organized wholly
or partially on the township system;
J. W. Dickenson, secretary state board
Of education OF Massachusetts: ssThe
township system works infinitely better
than did the district system"
Superintendent B. L. Morgan, West
Virginia: "Under this system ouI
schools have the advantage of careful
local management and all the advantages
of the district system"
Superintendent Frank ID. Smith, oi
Tennessee: 1.-THE township system ID
decidedly the plan for Tennessee. The
fewer men you have to manage the
schools the better. We can secure good
directors on the township system with
but little trouble the other plan gives
much trouble"
Superintendent Solomon Palmer, oi
Alabama: "By our fundamental Law
every township is school corporation
and there has been no disposition te
change it and the system gives satisfac
tion."
Superintendent Stewart of Pennsyl
vania: "The township system is entirely
satisfactory"
Superintendent Luce, of Maine: aTht
increase of fifteen in the number OF coun
ties that have discarded the district sys
tenn very marked increase as com
pared with the number abolishing in any
previous years, therefore, evidence O
better schools in as many counties. It il
also evidence OF the growth OF a public
recognition of the need of reform in thil
direction, and is thus promise of better
things to come
superintendent Holcombe, OF Indiana
SAT first every school district was inde
pendent with school board of it's own
This plan was found to be ineffective
wasteful and extravagant. ALI the dis
tricts Of the township were, therefore
united into school corporation under
single responsible trustee. This was
great step in advance. Order began |,
prevail and some life appeared in th
schools y
1T viii thus be observed that the lead
! ing educators and school officers OF th
most progressive states In the natiol
favor the township system. One unite,
effort should be made by the friends D
educational progress throughout Tia