Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1898-05-20
A CENTRAL SCHOOL PREFERABLE
Supt. Martin Gives Some Excellent
Reasons Why the Plan for a Gen.
trail Building Will Best Meet
the Requirements.

! Since the question Of Guiding the
, Lewiston school district has been set
tied, many citizens have discussed the
| location of the building to he erected
| Accordingly | have been requested to
give views as to which would best serve
the Interests of the children of Lewis
! ton-tO erect large central building.
+ or several small buildings in different
parts OF the district. Nieweu from
every side worthy of consideration, |
| must take the position that one large
central building is desirable, rather
than two or more smaller ones in the
| outer portions of the district, the rea-
sons for this assertion following:
During the current school wear SIS
children have been enrolled in the lie "
lston schools, about $50 Of whom at
tended the central building. The aver
age daily attendance has been about
$50. These pupils are so classified that
out one teacher Is required for each
grade from the first to the fourth grade
By TINS arrangement teacher, have
been ab'e TO III stnict AN averaoe ot
about 30 pupils each, too MANY, IT is
true, for the best work, hut crowded
conditions OF rooms haze been necessary
tor reasons already known. ShoulI
these four grades he divided. mart #
each going to each OF the smaller huill.
lhgs, thus making mixed schools. no
teacher could secure rs GOOD results ne
are now secured with more thnn 20
pupils. Even with that number nv NO
means as thorough work could be done
as at present. with the larger numbers
AT least two more teachers would he
wi l,n
ing The grades separate. This eyneuse
atone would pay the Interest on the
entire bonded debt.
Second, more school rooms wouId he
needed for the additional teachiur
lo'ce' Which would further increase the
cost OF maintaining the schools.
Another consideration would he IN.
additional time and CONSEQUENT ex-
Pehsc required I" s'iperintend the work
"i az 'he schools The superintendent
QUO 40 out iitt'e teaching, thus re-
curing an additional half days work
10 ne taught by another teacher.
sun ahother Item ofeypense, would
arise from the fact that two or more
small "uiidlngs would cost much more
tiah one large one containing the same
huihoer OF rooms rs the several small
ones would contain. 7'''"''
Inc small building plan would be a
return to the old rural district idea of
uh.faced mixed schools, which is now
ne'hg abandoned in the rural districts
throughout the central and eastern
states. he single room school houseS
are being abandoned in many localities
IN Illinois, indiana, Ohio, and esnec.
1siy IN the New f., gia,id states
Large central baidings are erec,e,
tne schools are carefully graded. and
cn'.uien who live too far di>tan. Ia
walk, are conveyed to school ut midi,
expense, The plan has proved To Inc |
economical from the standpoint of OK. !
rehse OF conducting the schools. and
'he character of the work of both |
lup'ls and teachers has imnroyed |
me reasons for This improvcrn, nj ,ra
obvious. ~ "ie
In view Ct these facts ask: u, tn. !
.''izens ot Lewiston wish to stem bacI,
20 plan which even rural schools ara
iiScardine: are
Ai'era large central building Is fl led
ue'' buildings of from four To eiuht
,ooms VIII be needed in the outer nor.
l'iiS OF the district, and a rhorouoh !,
,'a.'a''oh of the schools can easily ha
r"i',''','en. At present every child
u school age of the district is whit,
distance of IA school. Distance
Tue on y reasonable objection To /,
arce central school w
In view OF the facts stated it seems
% .he writer that there should he no
''HeTepces of orinion between the ci,i'
ehs rs 10 which plan shall be followed [.
IRWIN d. MARTIN.