Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-11-19
TIE TOWNSHIP SCHOOL
Some Of the Benefits Of the Town.
ship High School Pointed
Out.
Principal johnson Of Buffalo Center
School Tells Of Experiment
There.
Transportation Of Pupils. Cost and
Character-shaw's Interest in
Subject.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moinea, Nov. 19.-The discussion
OF the benefits Of the transportation of
in small school districts to
central or township school has resulted
in the adoption Of this plan in numer-
ous counties in this state. Richard Q.
Barrett, state superintendent OF public
instruction, has given special attention
to this subject and has urged the adop-
tion of the plan generally. The result OF
Mr.. Barrett's efforts is that in twenty
five counties children have been trans
ported in one or more districts during
the past year. In the following named
counties pupils have been conveyed to
and from school in from one to four dis
tricts in each county:
Buchanan Cerro Gordo. Cedar. Dali |
las Emmett, Floyd. Grundy, Hardin.
Hancock, Henry, Howard, Ida, Jackson,
johnson, Lee, Madison, Marshall, Mills,
Mitchell Monona, O'Brien, Palo Alto,
Pottawattamie, Sioux and Winnebago.
The state laws were amended by the
last legislature, 80 as to encourage the
adoption of this plan, and it is likely to
be greatly extended during the next
year.
The most conspicuous success in this
line has been that of Buffalo Center
school in Winnebago county, where pu-
pills have been transported for the past
four years C. j.. johnson, principal of
the school, when asked by Mr.. Barrett
e of ~,
plished said:
Buffalo Center is situated In Winne-
bago county. Its citizens enjoy the dis
tinction of formulating and carrying to
successful conclusion the idea of a
central school, with the township as a
unit. The ideal toward which all dis
Icussions relative to the betterment of
rural schools have tended has found
concrete expression in an experiment
carried out by the citizens and taSpay-5
ers of Buffalo township in this county. l
fshallsnot attempt to discuss the central
school plan in the abstract That has
J already been done by our most promi-
nent educators It Will be my purpose
4 to review the practical application of
/ the plan and the reader must draw his
own comparisons. 1 will state, hower-
err that the plan is in every way salts
factory to the taxpayers and patrons of
4 the school. The results here are most
i fattering. and I have heard of no one
demanding return to the independent
or sub-distrct plan.
= I'm 1886 a large modern brick build
q ing was constructed at a cost of about
II 900 at Buffalo Center Great care
4 was taken in regard to situation. The
4 Very latest and best methods of heating,
i lighting and ventilation are used. The
building contains water supply thru
8 out, with closets in the basement and
. room for the children to play in during
, the stormy weather There are nine
rooms, exclusive Of an auditorium and
a library filed with the choicest books
!, 1t s.doubtful if there is more substan-
tial or convenient building in Iowa.
six 'busses at present carry pupils
!. in from the country: their capacity
ranges from ten to twelve pupils ane
the distance from two to seven miles
: by wagon road. Each driver average:
: SIS month. and he is under strict or.
!, ders not to use profane language or in
du,gein the use of liquor or tobacco. H,
!, must furnish a covered wagon and suf
: ficient robes for the comfort of tn,
! children. At present about seventy-f fiv,
: children are transported. I hear of NJ
complaints from patrons relative I,
transportation.
: 1.-The average cost of tuition is abou
+ s1.S5. This includes cost of teachers
> 'buss drivers. janitors and fuel, Will
Z Isunder the old plan the cost per pupil ha
: been at no time less than s1.94.
. The plan here demonstrates beyon
n the shadow of doubt many advantag
! es to rural children not possible unde
! the former plan Among these are TIL
Il following: II furnishes to country pu
y pills the benefits of graded schoo
), thereby substituting specialized for un
y specialized instruction.
+ 1T has increased the punctuality an
= attendance from SO to 81 pc
n cent and tends to hold tn
larger boys in school. 1t ha
the advantage of preesnt plans becaus
the child is under close supervision fror
/ the time he starts from home until h
IT returns. The plan is much cheape
II than the old. inasmuch as 1t saves tn
4 district constructing new school house
n and sustaining the incidental expense
Id thereto. In conclusion, again repes
lie that the plan is an unqualified success
n Thirteen counties have taken advar
lel tage cf the law permitting the estat
W eo.s ! liEs
counties are Audubon, Emmet, Green
Harrison, Johnson, Jasper, Linn. Mad
son, Moncna. Mitchell, Pocahontas ar
y Pottawattamie. The establishment Of
y high school at a central point in eae
y township gives the children of the rur
= districts educational advantages, equ
~ to those enjoyed by the children in II
as city.
" IF the children are to be kept upe
the farm Gays Superintendent Ba
rett. township high schools should
rt, provided to give them an equal chan
o. With the children In the towns"
Lst Governor Shaw is very deeply inte
,e- ested in the education of the count
to boy and girl who do not have the o
portunity to enter the higher academic
or even the graded schools in the citi
because, beirg deficient in certain lin,
-. particularly in what is known as I
us fads they are obliged to drop back /
W to grades made up of children sevel
years their Juniors and this they will I
do. The township high school is dol
ON much to solve this problem, giving to I
e. ambitious sons and daughters Of far
i lers an opportunity to- get somethins
1. = ~ ~