The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1897-07-19
Locating Rural Schools.

A question which is receiving goou
deal OF attention just now IS thal Oh
locating rural schools.
If is difficult for city people TO under
stand the distractions which stahd IN
the way of developing a system of pup
lie schools throughout the fIrai as
tricts It is a task which even the wisest
of school boards approach With hesita-
zion. for they we'll know that It IS al
most impossible. under present cohdI-
tjons. to establish given plan by which
sucb schools may be located. Hitherto
these schools have been located IN the
midst of settlements where they would
draw the largest patronage. rms mas
been rendered necessary because OF the
large holdings Of land in possession OF
single individuals. \ hall dozen con-
tiguous plantations of from one 10
three thousa nd acres each, contains as
MANY settlements, each located 50 as 70
best serve communication between land
lord and tenant. 1t can easily be seen
that any attempt to establish arbitrary
lines within which schools may be es-
tablisbed. such as three miles distance.
works n great difficulty upon many peo-
ple. These three miles may end in a
swamp. or they may end in a negro set
Element, or worse still, they may end
at a location where children have to
pass through a negro settlement in or
der TO reach their school.
Schools should be located not for the
Improvement of certain cross roads. nor
the advantage of ambitious people who
wish TO force the growth of their par
tichlar locality. but they should be eS-
tablished where they may be best
reached by the children, for whose sole
good they are intended. There is an
awakening of educational interest
among the people of Georgia. which
renders the duty of school boards and
school commissioners of the highest i'm
portance. They should take no step
which viii keep single child out Of
the school. They should make every
sacrifice and every compromise 10 reach
the greatest number of people. BY
thus answering the. interest which has
been awakened among the people. cOun-
ty school boards will be enabled 10 build
up the cause of education to a plane
which it has never before attained.
While on this subject another matter
concerning county boards OF education
may be considered. It is q great mis-
take for a board of education TO convert
itself into a secret council. and to trans
act business which has not been fully
aired in public debate before the people.
While it is a privilege OF a board Of
education to control the matter they
have in hand, yet that control should
be exercised publicly and above board.
after the fullest debate and the most
complete consultation. In no case should
a taxpayer be asked TO retire from
discussion in which he is vitality inter-
ested. If county boards would get the
full sympathy and the full encourage
ment OF the people of their counties,
they must take them into their conf
dence. and that is best done by open
doors at every business meeting. The
people are not only interested in the
final dcJiOn OF a school board but they
want to understand the motives which
led TO that action. and the arguments
which We're presented to sustain taem-
The question of education n Georgia
Is too important to be either sighted
or to be minimzed into the safe keep
ing of any half dozen men II is
question into which the discussion Of
the entire community should be invited,
and the more earnest the discussion
and the more widespread the interest
taken in It. the greater the progress
Will the cause OF education make.