Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-10-31
THE RURAL SCHOOLS.
State Superintendent Barrett Ac.
tive in Consolidating Districts.
a FEW FACTS ABOUT IOWA SCHOOLS
some of the Many Advantages of the
Concentration PIan-Its Economy
VIII Improve the
System,


tDes MONIES, Oct. 27.-Rlchard Y. Bar
rett, state superintendent OF pupllc IN
brino. al,o,,t nc onsa1;d.+;nr Of snail
rural school districts. the pupils in
each to be transported at the expense
of the district to central school,
where they will have much better
schools than they can possibly have
now, and at considerably less expense.
Besides, the transportation of the chill
dren saves them the hardship of the
long walk through the snow in the
winter time. Mr.. Barrett points to the
fact that the attendance upon the dis
riot schools in the country has de-
creased until it is but a fraction of
what is was twenty-five years ago.
The rural schools have not kept pace
with the city schools, he says, and he
offers the concentration plan as the
best remedy.
Mr. barnet, has recentlv been ref
+inu some ;nforamt;on from connty s,l-
ner;ntandents sbow;ng inst what the
con5;t;ons ara Tbera arc 1 1ea school
townships, containing 1886 sub-dis-
tricts and 3,612 independent districts.
These require an army of at least 3d.
600 school directors and 10000 secre-
taries and treasurers.
-
.
Our reports from county superin-
4 Ienden1s, saId MT. Jarrett snow
mat there are seventy independent ana
2bs sub-dlstr1cts maintaining schools
Win an average attendance OF less than
hve; 5os independent and 2,osS sup-dls-
1rlcfs. With an attendance OF less imam
zen; l.s4 independent ana a,ooo SUD
shan fifteen. 1850 indenendent and
7.365 sub-districts having an attend
ance Of less than twenty So that "a
per cent of the indenendent districts
and IA ner cent Of the sub-districts
have an average daily attendance of
less than twenty. "a ner cent of the in.
dependent and 81 ner cent of the sub.
districts. have nm average Of less Than
t,ftaen! and IA nor cent of tho ;nde,
nendent and % ner cent of tbe snb-lis.
1ricte have nm average Of less than
ten.
u1, 4ooo .,, o,,, a..
s,aa,. oo 20 IL az. 49, s,n otn ~ 'n =,
si.oI ~, ~ ~. 'ooJ /. a-- /, ~
,wara =, ,,na,aaod .al,nnIs If aaaI,
teacher were given forty pupils. i,
$500 ~ 800 se LIS supp ..
Tue eounliy senoois' INV 20 llaln
..s 4, teacneis 10 an iihpui eah Pnase
Oh. tne 10 loun.iy sonooi plo sa a.; e a..+
any, sne Hpelieieeu ~ oe sn - ~ ::
ACuSA1iS III lAC Souutiy. vi tAooC ~
T! anca onJ . COX bag ta1rL+ 1ess thar
one vear Onr fac;litiss for itra;nino
;teacbers are insufficient
s. :, - :
THE next biennial report from this
department Will show that in spite OF
all the normal schools and colleges are
dong, only 2,526 persons were issued
tirst-class certificates in 1898 and only
,976 We're holders OF state certificates Or
diplomas. Since 1881 teacers are re-
CURED for the graded schools alone, it
rs eviednt that we fall far short in our
effort to prepare teachers for our pub
lie schools. There should be well
supported state normal school in each
quarter OF the state, and the present
state normal school in Cedar Falls is
greatly IN need OF new buildings and
additional equipment, being crowded
beyond its capacity"
Plan Of Consolidation.
80.
s, Asked concerning me practical work,
sangs OF the consollaatlon OF school
the easiest and quickest way 10 i'm.
nroye the country schools. the state
p superintendent said:
.sr,,. +,,uta4;o, oe ah;1d.o, ~
.aMa..;as ~ 49, a;n..;a. hana a.a ana
ss:p,1:. o. Ms. VI NJ =
S ~ oio' INV INV 49, ..1as -n Ian any
.a;a5 :, .aran., o,anes . ~ Io,r n"s wta sn
~ ~ 49, at;tai, .e sat;sfaoto 80, "A :,
Dc aus peen e..es sa az q, .
sat p 49,, .ns sa nas o1en PIC
i ts Sas Sc 9ss sss1s s At 5s al