The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1901-06-27
BENEFITS OF THE CENTRALIZED
SCHOOL.
Children Carried to the Town Center
flow 1t Works in Ohio.
HE Rural Now ! Orker.

1t was an early spring morning. A
cold, misty rain was failing. ~
terspersed with snow squalls: the
wind was strong from the Northwest;
under foot. the mud and water were
having "spat'' for supremacy, and
all nature seemed to be having spell
of s.outs." Yet in the midst of it came
the school wagonette drawn by span
Of stout horses: while inside, protected
from storm, wind, and mud, were -
children bound schOolward, and all
singing Coming Thro' the Rye:
two Youngsters were added to the
load. the boot was again buckled up.
and the song went on as the happy,
dry little company finished their trip
Of mile to the centralized school.
When they had passed out of sight, |
recalled reading last night an address
delivered by man who spoke OF
..hauling down the flag from the little
red schOolhouse, Of .'children carried
to school like calves, and pigs, OF
"children in a wagonnette, and in the
big schools, losing their individual
itv, =" of 'increased expense, " Of ''thou-
sands of teachers being thrown out OF
work, " ''of poor children being unable
to attend schools because Of poor
clothing as compared with that of
the village children" and lastly ''cen-
tralized children never came back to
the farm" All this in opposition
to the plan Of centralized schools.
What are the facts in practice? Our
township has had centralized schools
on trial, and as permanency now Tor
| over five years, and none of the things
ALLEGED above have been detected, and
we believe never will be in well con-
| Quoted system of rural schools The
idea Of taking down the flag" etc,
is all sentiment. The flag waves ust
as protectingly over our centralized
| school-house, the flags and emblem ms
in the school room are as educational,
and the patriotic songs sung by the
| children have the same inspiring
ring, only deepened in volume, that
they did in the little red school
| house As 10 the children losing
their individuality more by being
taken to school in warm. comfort
able wagon, with order and decorum
maintained-if needs be - than by
children in groups tramping through
mud, snow, cold and storm, as well
as sunshine. to a school often / to
TWO miles away. it is hard to see. SO
| far as good clothes are in evidence,
the centralized school recognizes
merit and proficiency for promotion,
| rather than clothes, and it is a Tact
that in this school referred to, it is
the children Of the poorer class Of
parents who stand, as a rule. in the
highest lines OF promotion for attain
ment and intelligence. | know that
calico dresses and patched pants, if
coupled with cleanliness and good
behavior. work no detriment to any
scholar. The idea that children are
..Garried to school like calves is only
to invoke the retort whether it is not
as applicable to the children that
parents send on foot through all
kinds of weather to the rural school,
where often the comforts and .'con-
veniences" are as primitive as about
an Indian tepee.
As to the centralized children not
coming back to the farm, it is on
trial, but they are as likely to remain
in the country, as they would be to
return to it after an education ac-
quired in city or some educational
center away from the influences OF
country life. Where the education OF
mind and hand goes together, as it
does in the country in centralized
education, and the education grows
apace with the participation in farm
work, and rural life, and its indie.
pendencc of shop rules, and freedom
from dependence upon the turns Of
the labor market, we think the land
will claim its full share of the cen
tralized education. 10 my mind one
of the greatest benefits of the central
lied school, is in abolishing the clan
ship incident to the division of the
rural schools: each neigh borhood
thus becomes elan, with but little
interest in community at large, anc
the matters of acquaintance of chill
dren in different parts Of a town are
slight. Often the pupils Of the schoo
at the center of the tOWn-for there
| \
village in each town center in Ohio
are regarded by the rest Of the chill
dren of the town at large, as of quite
another race, and appointing them
selves aristocratic prerogatives, which
in the brief association for an hou1
in the Sunday svhool does not who'll,
eliminate. Now all children of the
town are of our community, anc
merit wins, not the parental posses
sion Of dollars. or being a factor il
some "sphere of influence" One
scholar is as good as another. ant
talent and department are the ONLY
avenues to merit. and in our school
the scholar from the back district i.
as often recognized rs those to TIT
"manor born
1t is not here contended that tn,
centralized school is as vet perfect. |
is in Il state of evolution. but eacI
step seems the better move toward
solving the question of better edu
cation for the rural boy and girl. II
average attendance. the new plan ia
exceeds the cid. In some towns tn
attendance IS % per cent. better OF
the average It is fully that in on
township. Then it promises to ado
at least two more Years schooling t,
the school life OF the pupil. TO b
taught along ever unfolding and nev
lines in study inspires, where tn,
ever going back to retraverse oil,
byways. causes iistieSs and lifeIes
ways. even to desertion OF schoo
life. The cost is less in most in
stances. The transportation of
school district to central point i
less than the cost of its separat,
maintenance. In some towns tn
centralized plan saves hundreds 0
dollars. In some the cost is abou
the same. In 4 few. where cause
have been beyond the Boards con
troll, the cost is more, but in al
cases. the instruction vastly com
pensates for the slightly increase,