The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1901-06-14
EDUCATIONAL COLUMN,
By County Supt. L. r. Clark.

The subject of consolidation of
schools continues to receive attention
not only from teachers and school Of
ticers. but from the general public.
Thoughtful persons who have stud
led the condition of the rural schools
during the past few years are almost
unanimously OF the opinion that CEN
trallzatlOn in some form is necess ary
ii country schools are to he as imp ort-
ant an educational factor in the fu-
Gule us they have been in the past.
The last Kansas legislature re-
spending to a universal demand for
legal authority to cons olidat dis
tricts and transport pupils at public
expense passed the following law:
Be it enacted by the legisl lature of
the State of Kansas:
Whenever the inhabitants Of two or
more adjacent school districts of the
State of Kansas desire to unite for the
purpose of forming single or union
school district.and conducting therein
graded school, the clerks of the
several districts shall, upon a written
application of five voters of their re-
spective districts, or by order of the
several school district boards, call a
meeting of the voters of such districts
at their respective schoolhouses, by
posting up printed notices thereof in
like manner as provided for calling
school district meetings, and if a ma
]orlty OF voters in each of two or more
adjacent districts shall vote to unite
for the purpose herein stated, the
clerks of such district shall thereupon,
in writing, notify the county superin-
tendent of such. action; provided that
the vote in any district shall be made
conditional upon its carrying in cer-
tain other named districts proposing
to unite. Upon such notice. it shall
be the duty of the county superintend-
ent, and he is hereby auth orized, to
declare the districts so voting disor-
ganlzed, and to designate a time and
place for meeting of the voters of
said district, so voting, for the pur-
pose OF electing a board of directors.
consisting of director, clerk and
treasurer, notice of which meeting
shall be given by printed notices,
posted in five public places in the dis.
tricts uniting. provided, that if any
district so uniting to form union
school district has a legally bonded
debtedness at the time of it's disor-
gam 'zaiion, such Indebtedness shall
attach to and be q charge against the
territory comprised In such diSOr0ar-
lied district at the time of its disOr-
ganizatlOn, and it shall be the duty
OF the county commissioner of the
county or counties in which such ter
ritory is located to cause annually t,
be levied upon the property, real ana
personal, in such disorganized terri
tory. a tax sufficient to meet the inter-
est and provide a sinking fund for the
payment of such Indebtedness, proyid-
ed farther, tnat the assets and proper
ty of the district so disorganized shall
tirst be applied to payment of its float
ing indebtedness, if any, and then on
Its bonded Indebtedness. and any res
ldue thereafter to- belong to the rew
union district: provided further. that
in forming union districts comprising
territory lying in more than one
county the county superintendent of
said counties shall act together AS by
law provided for in joint school dis
tricts.
The hoard of directors hereinbefore
mentioned are hereby authorized to
provide for the transportation of
the children living two or more miles
hfr0m the schoolhouse in the district.
under snch rules aud regulations As
said board of directors may prescribe.
The annual meetings of said uniop
school districts shall be held Dn iiIe