The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-09
NEW SCHOOL, IDEA
LITTLE RED SCHOOL HOUSE "a
THREATENED WITH EXTERMI
NATION.
TOWNSHIP SYSTEM IN OHIO
bh WHICH THERE is BUT ONE
SCHOOL IN EACH TOWN
A FREE DELIVERY SCHEME.
Coaches Collect and Return PuDiIs
From Three Miles ON Each

Ash ADJ LA, u, March ga new
school system has sprung into existence
in the northern part Of the Western
reserve, which may lead to the eXtinc-
ton of the old district school in Ohio
The new plan is known as the Kings
vile system" deriving it's name from
the town Of Kingsville, in Ashtabula
county, where 1T was first tried.
The kingsville system gives to everv
pupil in the township, no matter how
remote his home may be. graded
school education. This is ACCOMPLISH
ca py means Of coaches, which stop at
the door or each house morning and
evening, carrying the children to and
from a graded school at the center of
the township The schools in each
district Of that township are thus
abolished. Instead of the ill-heated.
1ll-ventilated small frame building.
with low roof, the children enjoy the
advantages of large brick high school
building. So numerous are these small
SCHOOL houses-for there Is one in every
dstrict-that to see them entirely
abandoned reminds one Of the fate of
the ancient log cabin, few of which
serve.
Not only the disadvantage Of ha6
ventilation and ill-heat of the old build
lhgs is considered in making this radi-
cal change, but also the great advant-
ages or a graded school education. In
the districts, as a rule, only inferior
teachers could be employed for the
saIdIleS paid. These teachers were
constantly changing from one schc15-
M
become acquainted with the studies.
the pupils and their capabilities than a
change would occur. One class must
DC heard in a room where perhaps five
other classes would be STUDYING. The
problem how best to overcome these
dehcencies in the country schools has
long been undecided, and to the pro-
Jectors OF the new plan many congratu-
latlons are pouring in.
The coaches used Cor Transportation
are built according to certain instruc-
lions given by the board Of education.
They are made so that the sides. front
and back can be opened in warm
weather and closed in winter The re-
movable covering is made Of rubber,
The driver Is also protected, while a.
WINDOW In the front curtain allows him
to see out. The coaches vary in size.
but the average seating capacity IL
for twenty-five children.
No coach comes from a greater dis
lance than four miles. The driver must
start In time to reach the central
school before the hour of calling the
morning session and must be on hand
when school is out in the afternoon.
They must stop at the home of each
scholar in the district, but If the child
is not ready the coach moves on and
the pupil is marked tardy This system
has placed such a premium on punctu-
atty that in three years past there
has been but one case Of hardness
from the outlying districts, while In
the central district, where the child
rem may walk to school, there have
been many cases during the same
period.
It is a novel sight to see coaches
drawn by teams Of horses pull up in
front of Kingsville's brick school build
ing at stated time each day and
to see the little folks from the distant
country jump from the conveyance to
the large stone steps. Still more novel
is 1t to hear the blasts of the fish-horn
or the tone of a bell used by the
driver to warn the pupils of the ap.
proach Of the school hack.
At the beginning Of each school year
bids for carrying the children are re-
celved by the school board. Each driver
owns his own coach. The lowest bid
ders get the contracts over many conf
pet1tors. AT an average cost not ex-
ceeding $1O5 day the coaches and
drivers have been engaged
Five teachers are sufficient now.
whereas In separate districts seven
were employed. The cost of heating
and maintaining four schoolhouses in
outlying districts is also avoided.
Thus the saving to taxpayers is by no
means small item in considering the
plan. In three years it was found 10
save Kingsville township 81 900. The
expense per capita was reduced from
9zz.lo TO $lz25. More permanent i'm
proVementS were made during those
three years than had ever been made
before
A major feature Of the new system is
the attendance record Because Of the
manifold inconvenience of a district
school, scores of parents preferred to
keep their children at home. The
k1ngsville system meets with the
hearty approval of all and therefore
gains Of from so to $50 per cent in at
tendance are reported The health of
the pupils is a feature worth noting.
Along Lake Erie, where hard colds are
so prevalent, the plan of protecting
children from the home to the school
has resulted in a higher standard OF
health among them.
This system was first suggested by
Prof. c. A. Corbin five years ago. at
which time he was the principal Of
Kingsville high school. Later, Mr.. Cor
bins successor, Prof. F. E. Morrison,
agitated the adoption Of the system
and worked to that end. A special act
of the legislature was necessary to the
adoption Of the "Kingsville system"
William S. Harris, Of this district pre-
sented the bill to the Ohio legislature
and after some delay 1t became a law.
Along the line of school reform the
working law" passed the Ohio legIs-
lature about the same time. This law
abolished district school boards and
provided for the organization Of a
township school board, which should
be composed of representative from
each district. After the organization Of
the Kingsville township board the
members, with perhaps two exceptions,
favored the plan of centralizing the
schools. 1T was decided that each dis
trict petitioning the township board for
to the graded school should
be admitted Each member Of the
board circulated a petition in his re-
spective district and every district save
one voted to adopt the new plan. The
one which refused Is known as q
special school district.
DISTINGUISHED men have visited the
schools from time to time and have
expressed themselves as highly pleased
with the results. Within the last year
in many parts Of the western
reserve have adopted or have cen
sidered the Kingsville system. Trum-
bull township Ashtabula county. re-
Gently consolidated nine districts with
results Windsor town
ship has combined four districts. and
Sheffield township will probably fall in
line within the coming year. In Cam
field Mahcning county. the KingsviHe
system is being discussed and the town
as well rs the leading peo-
L.. e. &c nnly