The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-29
RALGRADEDSCHOOL
COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT THINK
1T THE THING FOR TOWNSHIPS.
Lee o. Harris's Paper on This Topic
District School Supervision Dis
cussed at Length.

or unusual importance TO the people OF the
State. The main question under discussion
was paper by superintendent Lee 0. Har-
ris. of Hancock county. on the consolda-
ton of district schools into central graded
schools, as outlined in the Journal yester-
day There was practically no opposing
voice to. the claims made by Mr.. Harris in
advocating this change. Mr.. Harris consid-
cred the question fully from all sides, so
fully in fact, that it is impossible, in the
space available, to print his paper in full.
The portions of greatest interest to the gen.
eral public are given below
There is, if not a large, at least very
considerable, number Of districts in Indiana
where schools are maintained year after
year with an enrolment not to exceed MI
teen pupils, and some with not more than
six or eight. Are small SCHOOLS an
element of weakness in our school system?
l believe it will be acknowledged by all who
have had much experience in school work
that such is the case. The very nature or
the circumstances denies them the best re-
suits whatever the ability of the teacher,
or however good the purpose of the pupils:
If the number of grades in such school
could be regulated in correspondence with
the number of pupils, there might be some
mitigation Of the evil but they usually con-
tain all, or nearly all, the grades, ana the
consequence is that classes frequently con-
sist of but one pupil-if one pupil may be
called a class. Now, however well-mean-
ing that pupil may be, he cannot do so well
alone as Wnen ne mas the OI COHl-
partnership in his recitations, and is able to
measure himself with others in his school
work. One of the recognized necessities or
the st education, and the one which, more
perhaps. than any other, was the original
basis upon which schools were founded-is
this friction of mind with mind; this com
partnership of interest, which experience mas
proved to be necessary to the best mental
growth; and this is Il st to great degree
in the very small schools. The boy who
is both the head and the foot of his class
soon loses all fear of failure and all pride
in success. And even class of two or three
is very apt to regulate its pace by the steps
of the slowest. One of the greatest bene-
fits which has accrued to our common
schools through the wider experience and
enlarged understanding of later years has
been a better graduation and classification.
SINECURES TO TEACHERS.
''In teaching, as in other things, neces-
sty is not only the mother of invention. but
it is also the mother of energy. However
passivey we may accept the verdict pro-
nounced against the race in the Garden Of
Eden, the Old Man Adam goes to his task
as reluctantly to-day as he did when the
fiat was first issued. Teachers are no ex
ception to the general rule, and, in spite of
honesty of purpose and good resolutions,
the teacher of such school we are dis
cussing is very apt to measure his exertion
by the necessities of the occasion. He finds
his position something of sinecure. and
sinecures too often tie the hands of energy
and stifie the voice of conscience. ! do not
mean that teachers willfully neglect their
duties in such schools, but teachers are hu-
man, and human nature frequently defeats
the best laid schemes o. mice and men,
Il have enumerated but a few of the evils
which attend very small schools, but they
sufficient, 1 think, to prove that such
schools are an element Of weakness for
which some remedy should be provided.
For several years l have been observing
the depletion of certain schools, and, as one
interested in education, it has been a sub
1ect of anxiety to me. / have seen schools
begin their growth in the log cabin in the
clearing, OutgrOw their first rude shell and
take on a new first of frame, and, in after
years, of brick; and through these earlier
years the school grew stronger and stronger
in numbers, until they had reached a maxi
mum, and then began to dwindle away,
year by year, until they We're entirely aban-
doned, and the deserted houses stand to-
day battered monuments of an educational
glory that has departed. have seen others
that, less than ten years ago, had almost
pupils enough for two teachers, depleted of
their numbers until now they have scarcely
enough pupils to give teacher an excuse
to play at keeping school, visited one
not ten days ago in Which / counted but
seven pupils and l learned afterward from
the teacher that one7of these was a visitor.
And yet, every pupil belonging in that dis
trict was in school that day. l wondered
what the teacher would do if two or three
of them should be sick and stay at home
some day. The cases to which | have re-
ferred are, Of course, exceptional, and l do
not believe that we Gin Hancock county,
have more than our fair proportion of these
very small schools. But let us suppose that
there is an average of three such schools
to county throughout the state, and we
will have an aggregate of 276 schools which
are not in condition to do such work as the
best interests of the children demand. Is
not even this number-and believe the es-
innate is very much too small-enough to
justify us in trying to devise some way to
remedy the evil?
I'm view of these facts, let us ask: Is it
fnr fhnN int M hn OH q
these very small schools, and transport the
pupils to places where better schools can
be maintained? My own observation and
experience compel me to believe that such
a course would not only obviate the evils
which l have enumerated, but would lay
the foundation of a system which would
forever remove all excuse for those COM
parsons which frequently made be-
tween the town and country schools, to the
diSparagement of the latter Why Is 1t that
district schools in close proximity to the
towns and villages are deserted, and their
pupils transferred, often at considerable con
schools? This is no mere whim of parent
or pupil, but is desire to profit by the
better facilities of the larger schools. Why
is it that trustees usually send the strong
teachers to the large schools, while to the
weaker ones and beginners are given the
with the doctrine that, Where little is
given little is, required The quotation,
Where two or three are gathered together
may be applicable to religious assemblies,
for religion is a matter of faith; but schools
are not successfully run by faith, but by
works; and, within a reasonable limit the
more work the better school. All this di-
rectly involves the interests of the pupils,
and if, / believe, IL is to their interest
to be aggregated in larger schools, any
plan looking to that end is worthy of earn
est consideration.
IS THE NEW PLAN FEASIBLE?
1.-THE next question to be considered is
whether the plan proposed is feasible. In
endeavoring to arrive at a conclusione l
have investigated the matter somewhat and
1 find that this plan has been successfully
adopted in several instances in my own
county In places where it has not been
as successful as could have been desired. the
partial failure has been due to causes which
are easily removed. have found some OBJ
jections to it from patrons and teachers,
though but little from trustees. The prin-
cipal objection from trustees has been the
difficulty OF finding a suitable person to
transport the pupils, or one with suitable
conveyance for the purpose. But | think
these difficulties could be easily overcome.
because it would lessen the number of
schools and thus limit the demand for
their services. This. of course. cannot be
considered, If out premise that the schools
are for the pupils. is correct But the most
strenuous opposition comes from some of
the patrons. 1t is with them a matter of
sentiment Such sentiment is natural and
not to be ridiculed or treated with con-
tempt, but rather to be respected. But
even this one of the best feelings of our
nature, must not be allowed to interfere
with the good of the schools. 1t is only one
of the many sacrifices we are all called upon
to make in the interest of the future.
$50 far | have considered only the para
int hot Of Wit h