Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-08-03
Our Common Schools.

The address of DR.. Stcarns on Com.
mon schools last week was one OF
unusual interest to persons who
have given thought 10 the question
country schools, their relation to 9TH
er schools of our system of education,
and the besLmeans Of strengthening
and improving them The following
paragraphs are in line with the pro-
fessor's argument.
The district organization, as we
have it in Wisconsin, is peculiar to
New England and the states that have
planned their schools from New Eng
land models II is an oulgrowth
Of conditions that surrounded the
pioneers in Massachusctt and Con.
nccticut While il may have met
the needs of the early settlers Of the
country, it is today neither economic
cal, effective nor equitable in the APP
portionmcnt OF tax burdeas.
1t is a recognized fact that rural
schools are not giving satisfactory re-
suits. The teachers are for the most
part young and inexperienced. There
Is and from The nature Of con litioas.
can he no effective supervision by
county superintendent While all
other classes Of schools in The state
high schools, normal schools and the
state university have made marvel
Gus advancement in recent years, the
district schools today are but little
better than the very first schools
taught in the state and there is even
less interest taken in them now than
forty years ago.
The district school system is not
economical II costs more 60 main
tain the country schools, per student,
than it does city schools, while the
advantages in the way of good teach
ers. libraries and comfortable build
ings are fewer.
Suppose township contains eight
districts and that each district has an
actual school attendance of fifteen
pupils. An average of $3.50 for each
school or $1,000 for the eight would
be conservative estimate of the
yearly cost Now if the one hundred
twenty pupils of the township could
be brought together TO one school
house, three or four teachers would be
enough for them all The school
could be graded and if in charge Of a
competent principal should oe theequal
in all essentials of the most perfect
city school In fact the graded rural
school is the ideal one for children
1t has All the advantages Of the larger |
town schools but lacks many Of the
vices that affect them.
The district school organization is
not equitable in the distribution of
taxes In two districts lying side by
side often one pays three or four and
sometimes ten Or twenty times a
high q rer cent Of local school tax as
the other A perfect system would
reqdirc them all to pay alike. for all
are equally interested in the cduca-
ton of the children of the common
wealth
These and other considerations have
led 10 several attempts to abolish the
district as the unit Of our school sys-
tenn but as yet without success.
There is a remedy for some of the
evils that exist which is in the reach
of the people Of a district il they care
to avail themselves oft The remedy
j to send the children Of the district to
4 neighboring school and use the
school money to pay tuition and hire
to take the children TO
md from school.
There are not few districts in this
,ounty which will maintain schools
his fall in which the attendance will
.ange from five TO ten pupils. Proba-
Div in every such case there would be
saving OF one-half to hire someone
o take the children TO neighboring