Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-11-27
TIE TOWNSHIP SCHOOL
Supt. Barrett Discusses the Ques-
ton Thoroughly in His Bien.
NAL Report.
Many Arguments Presented in
Favor Of Concentration and
Transportation Plan.
Teachers More Capable and In.
struction More Thorough.
The Expense Reduced.
Special to Times-Republican.

Des Moines. Nov. 27.-In the forth
coming biennial report of the super
Iintendent of public instruction a chap
ter will be devoted to consolidation and
transportation of pupils. The report
on this particular phase of public
school work will be very complete. 1t
will show the lively discussion all over
the state, and that many experiments
have been and are being made with
the prospect that in many other places
the system will be put on trial.
The report says, Consolidation has
been tried in rs counties, transporta-
ton in So and both in 10. Consolida-
ton has been adopted by 63 districts
and so districts have transported pup
lis at the expense of the district. In
nine counties districts have been con-
solidated without providing Transports
ton at the expense of the districts. In
sixteen counties pupils have been
transported where there has been no
consolidation.
THE replies to the question as to
what the sentiment in the counties is
toward consolidation and transporta-
ton may be classified as follows: Fav-
orable %, opposed &c. divided II, partly
favorable 4, unsettled 8. growing in IA
!! vor %. Where the system has been
| tried and the results reported, 1t pro-
duced good effects in 81 counties, while
| in 5 it was doubtful. The patrons in
90 counties are reported to be well sat
isfied, while in eight counties there was
some dissatisfaction, owing generally
to bad roads.
These statistics do not include any
estimates, or doubtful reports, such as
Several schools consolidated, or cases
of transporting pupils; all the reports
not distinctly favorable to the sys-
TEN have been classified as doubtful.
divided or opposed to it.
I'm addition to the foregoing, trans
portation has been tried in number
of the city districts with great sue
cess. At Council Bluffs there has been
an actual saving of $50 per month be-
sides the time of the supervisors. Sup
erintendent Clifford of the city schools
says: The plan is giving excellent
satisfaction to patrons, and the school
officers are much pleased with the
marked Improvement of the children In
scholarship.
"At Sioux City three wagons were
employed for the school year, and
three schools were closed. About 1875
pupils were transported, so in wagons
and as by street car lines. The report
will show that $2,136.16 were econo-
mized in single year in Sioux City
alone, while at the same time the chill
dren received better educational adj
vantages."
The report does not seek to present
merely the favorable side of this prob
lem. but also all of the objections that
have been made to the plan Of CONSOLE
dating and transporting the pupils to
a central school. The objections, no
matter how trivial. have been given
in detail in every county.
Briefly summarized. the advantages
claimed for the system by the county
superintendent, 95 per cent Of whom
favor the plans, are as follows:
1. It will secure better teachers.
2. 1t will reduce the per capita cost
of education in the ristricts affected in
nearly every case and without exception
after the first cost of buildings, where
buildings are required, has been paid.
3. 1t will insure better classification
of pupils, so that both teacher and pu-
pills may spend their time to better adj
vantage.
4. Larger classes will stimulate COM
petition and better effort and greater in
terest and enthusiasm among the pupils.
5. Supervision will be more thorough
and more easily accomplished by the
county superintendent and by the prin-
cipal of the township or central school,
where it is large enough to require a
principal and assistant teachers. Ger
tainiy the county superintendent can
give better attention to the schools II
their number is reduced,
G. The attendance would be larger, as
experience has shown.
7. Greater punctuality would be Sc
cured as the children would all be
brought to school before 8 o'clock in the
S. Consolidation would provide better
buildings and more apparatus and libra
ries without additional expense.
9. Longer and more regular terms of
school would be the result of uniting the
forces of several small district into one
strong central school which could be
kept running eight or nine months in a
year.
TO- The health of the children would /
be better guarded where they are con- |
veyed from their homes to the school
and in comfortable vehicles than where
they have to travel thru mud or snow
for q mile or so to the school, as they |
often do under the present system.
H. The older children would be kept |
at home and in school longer than they
can be at present because the central
school could provide advanced courses OF
study under capable teacher. SO the
necessity of going to town to school
would be put off for several years! The
course of study would be so arranged as
TO accommodate these older pupils at
such time as they can be spared to at
tend school. This would tend to keep
the boys and girls on the farm instead
Of encouraging them to leave it and go
TO the towns. This is one of the main
of this system.
II. 1t will improve the farm surround
ugs and add attractions to country life
by stimulating a desire to know about
the works OF Nature. Col. Francis w.
Parker has pointed out the wonderful
for elementary education
tc the child living on farm.
10. In the central school there would
be opportunity for the study Of special
branches which can not be offered in the
district school because the teacher lacks
either the time or the ability to teach
them.
IA. In short, and to sum up, the opin-
on of the county superintendentS is al