The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-28
ONE TOWNSHIP SCHOOL
THE STATE TEACHERS WILL DISCUSS
An IMPORTANT TOPIC.
Abolition of District BuIIdings-PrO-
gramme of the Various Sec
tiOns This Week.

gin to gather for their annual meeting to
discuss topics of interest to all engaged in
educational matters, and many topics of in
terest 70 the people of the State i'm gen.
eral. This association is composed of many
sections, all of which make up what is
known as the general association. The diff
ferent sections hold their separate meet
ings and all join in the general meetings.
The first of the general meetings will be
held tonight at the Statehouse, at which
X. a. Ogg, Of Greencastle, the incoming
president of the association, will deliver
his annual address. There will also be an
address on What the Public Demands of
the Public Schools by w. II. Sanders, of
Marion.
The question that will be of the most i'm
portance to the general public is one that
will largely affect the position OF Indiana as
leading in free education. 1t will be consid-
cred this afternoon by Lee o. Harris, SUI
perintendent of Hancock county, in a paper
entitled, Should Township Trustees Tenn
porariiy Abandon Small District Schools
and Transport the Pupils to Other and
Larger Schools at Public Expense?" This
paper will be discussed by Superintendent
J. H. Grover, of Clinton county, and SUI
perintendent w. +. Carroon of the Veeders-
burg schools.
AS far as the general public is concerned
this will undoubtedly be the most impor-
tant paper read during the week. Such a
course would place the State in a much
higher position than it has held in the
scale OF educational matters, although the
State has never been behind other States
Superintendent Geeting says it is undoubt-
eddy u fact that township graded schools
can be maintained and the pupils living as
much as two miles away be hauled to
them at less expense than the district
schools can be maintained under the pres
ent system. Last winter there was an eff
fort to get the Legislature to pass a bill
providing for the consolidation of the dis
trict schools. The bill was introduced by
Senator Collett, and was recommended by
the committee on education for passage,
but it got no further The bill provided
that each county should have a
board composed of the county superinten-
dent and two freeholders, who should pass
upon the consolidation of the schools, and
also that the orders of this board should
be mandatory upon the township trustees
The two freeholders were to be appointed
by the circuit judge. There is nothing in
the present law that prohibits the CONSOLE
dation of schools in this way but the preju-
dices of the people prevent it. At the pres
ent time the patrons of the schools are the
sole judges of the location. and none of
them is willing to give up their little dis
trict school for a graded school at some
distance away
The advantages to the pupils are obvi-
GUS, and the economy is also plain when
facts and figures are considered. Accord
ing TO State Superintendent Geeting there
are about eight thousand district schools in
the State. In many of these there are only
hve to ten pupils. and very large number
of them will not average over dozen
each, but each one must have n teacher
at from $35 to $40 a month. 1t has been
found by experience that the pupils from
these small schools can he hauled from
their homes to a neighboring school at
from rs cents to 1925 a day. This would
do away with one teacher with less cost
for transportation than the cost of the
teacher. The simple consolidation of few
schools in this manner would be the first
step taken under this system, but the ulti-
mate intention is to bring the school system
of the State to the present almost perfect
conditions of the schools of Webster town.
ship, Wayne county.
IDEAL TOWNSHIP SCHOOL.
In that township there were formerly five
district schools-one near each corner of the
township and one near the center. Each of
these schools had one teacher, who was
compelled to teach everything from the al
phabet, shown in childrens picture
books, up to astronomy, geometry and the
dead languages, with what success can
easily be imagined. BY agreement of the
patrons of the schools these five buildings
were abandoned and a four-room building
was erected in the center of the township
for the accommodation of all the pupils,
and the township furnished transportation
for those living out of the range of the
new building. The new school became a
graded school, and to its course was added
four years of high-school work. The for
mer salary of the teacher who was deposed
pays the cost of transportation, and now
the township has. at no additional expense,
a good graded school and high school
instead of its five little district schools
There is another really more important
feature of the graded school system mem
toned by Mr.. Geeting. All teachers have
learned that where there are only a few
pupils good work is never done on account
of the lack of competition with others to
spur on the individual This feature itself,
Mr.. Geeting thinks, is sufficient to condemn
the small district school Where hundred
or more pupils come in contact with each
other daily they are spurred on to much
better work. and also have their ideas
broadened very much by the contact. Con-
sidering all things Mr.. Geeting thinks the
plan of consolidation would be of vast bene-
time would little increase the cost to the
people. Neighborhood prejudice is the only
thing that prevents its adoption now and
he will make an effort next winter to get
ter the bill of Senator Collett, which will
take the responsibility of the consolidation
make the township graded school a posi-
bility.
TO-DAY'S PROGRAMME.
General Association, D. NJ
Invocation-Rev j. Cumming Smith, of
Indianapolis.
Music-Piano solo, "Tannhauser March, -
Miss Wellie Geeting, Indianapolis.
Address of Retiring President-Superin-
tendent j. f. Scull, of the Rochester
schools.
Inaugural Address-President r. A. Ogg,
GreencaStle schools.
Music-Cornet solo, lie Secret Polka
(HazeD. Mr. Frank |. Walker, principal of
the Richland schools.
Address-"What the Public Demands of
the Public Schools" w. ii. Sanders, Ma