Smyrna times., 1900-11-28
PLANS SUGGESTED FOR
DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL
CONTINUED FROM EIRsT PAGE

wealth, and the larger the assesable
value of any district the lower tax rate
required to secure definite sum. 1t is
said, Whatever promotes prosperity
lessons the demand of charity and the
cost of maintaining government. 1t
is great deal wiser to give So to the
cause of education than pay twice this
amount for the support OF almshouses,
and penitentiaries and courts of JUS
tice. You will find that the communi
ties the closest in their educational
outlay are most heavily burdened with |
the care of the poor and the control of |
the criminal class.
Why are our city schools so crowded?
Why are our school boards of our cities
and towns finding it so difficult to pro-
vide adequate school accommodations?
Simply because the children of rural
districts are crOwding into the cities
and towns to obtain a high school edu-
cation. Parents are moving in town
that their children may be better edu
Gated. Our rural interests are so Wit
ally important that it behOoves us to
furnish educational advantages that
will promote their higher developement
and materially add to the attractions
and advantages of rural life. Offer
some inducement to keep your chill
dren home so that our own community
may be improved by their advance
ment. Establish a district high school
and employ thorough educated and
we'll trained teachers. Those who are
making their work study and not
mere something to employ their
time.
Without the district high school the
pupil finishes his schooling, is gradu-
ated-not educated-and sent adrift
into the world unprepared for his
duties, at the age when his mind is
best prepared to learn. 1t is at this
time that the pupil will make more
substantial progress in a single year
than during any previous three years
of his school life. Without the high
school he is deprived of the instruc-
tion which all his past life has pre-
pared him to receive, denied the ad-
vantages that would introduce him to
a higher manhood, that would carry
his mind beyond home and community
to the interests of the State and nation,
and prepare him for the duties of citi-
zenship which he is so soon to as
sumo.
In this age of enlightenment and pro-
gress it seems almost incredible that
any citizen of any State should insist
that our public schools should be tieG
down to imparting the merest rudi
ments of an education. No State cal
expect higher order of loyalty ant
service than it qualities its citizens t.
render. Where there is a will there il
way, and in the matter of distric
high school the way is provided far il
advance of the will to utilize it. Wha
other States have done, Delaware cal
do, if the citizens only will do it. A
least two-thirds of the Eastern State
have high school system in use. LIE
Delaware do likewise.
Ohio has taken a good long step i
, advance of the other States by author
izing boards of education to establis
district high schools. Supt. F. Z
Morrison, of Kingsville, o., says: "B
!, this system the pupils of the sub-dis
tricts have advantage as the villag
pupils, and this result has been oil
tanned without not only working an
disadvantage to the village pupils, br
n has Injured to their benefit by reducin
= the number of grades in a room.
v The pupils of sub-districts have NJ
. only secured the advantage of more e
= tended associations and larger class
with which to recite, but they ais
!, have the advantages of a school whe
the teacher has fewer recitations; thu
= the pulpils progress is much mo
rapid than is possible i'll room whe
. there are three times as many class
and one-sixth the number of pupil
D 1t is pleasure indeed to note that Il
70 number in attendance from the SUI
<. districts that have availed themselv
l. of the new system has, in some cas-
increased from fifty to one hundr
and fifty per cent, and that there b
III been a large increase in all cases; t
IL daily attendance from the same su
districts has increased from fifty
9 sixty per cent, thus increasing great
the returns of the school fund investe
m This has been accomplished at a savil
e. of more than $1,000 to taxpay ers
IN three years.
IN We readily see that the district hi
g, school has proved most success
experiment in Ohio. The results al
i greatly improved school facilities,
- creased attendance and reduced co
- 4 l.. A