Omaha daily bee., 1902-10-12
CENTRAL TOWNSHIP SCHOOL
Advantages that Flow from Consolidation
Of Country Districts.
STATES WHERE PLAN is WORKING WELL
state superintendent Barrett Of iowa
writes of the Made in
the Hawkeye state and
objects Attained.

bhITtNlt bJdle superintendent Oh PUBIC IN
struction for Iowa:
Massachusetts in 1863 passed a law per-
hitting school districts to convey children
at public expense to and from school. This
was the beginning OF the centralizing of
rural schools. The example set by Massa-
chusetts has been followed in seventeen
other states: Maine, New Hampshire. YER
mont. Rhode Island, Connecticut, New
York. New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, In
diana, Wisconsin,, Iowa, North Dakota,
South Dakota, Kansas, Florida and Ne
braska. The Capitalization Of schools has
been evolutionary.
Ohio was the first Of the western states
to inaugurate the system. In 1894 the gen
eral assembly of that state passed a special
law applicable alone to Klngsville town
ship, Ashtabula county, which authorized
the board Of directors to transport to a
central point at public expense the chill
dren Of the township. Two years later, so
successful had the plan proven, that the
general assembly passed a law making
transportation possible in two other coun-
ties and in 1898 a general law was passed.
In Ohio twenty-three townships now
have their schools completely centralized
and there are hundreds OF others where
there is partial Capitalization Hon. James
W BOUT y VI dkIlCulAuIte III n
year book for 1901 reports that in Indiana
transportation of pupils is practlced more
or less in forty-four counties.
Progress In Iowa.
In Iowa consolidation has been tried in
twenty-eight counties, transportation in
thirty-hve and both in nineteen. Sixty-three
districts have adopted consolidation. and
eighty have transported pupils at the ex-
pense of the districts. In nine counties
districts have consolidated without provid-
ing transportation at the expense OF the
district, while pupils have been trans
ported in sixteen counties where there was
no consolidation. Similar reports are given
in other states.
The purpose in centralizing schools is,
first, to provide the best schools possible
for the children of the farmers, and, sec
ond, to reduce the average annual expendi-
lures of school corporations. The expert
mental period is past and rural communi-
ties in many counties and states have
found the relief they have anxiously sought.
The popularity Of the plan is shown by
the annual expenditure Of $142 900 paid in
one Of the states for the conveyance Of
children Amounts nearly as large have
been expended in other states.
So general and important has the whole
question become that the State Department
of Agriculture OF Pennsylvania recently
made extensive Investigations Of the sub
ject Of the consolidation of country schools
and the transportation Of pupils by the
use of hacks, and the results, which were
found to be entirely satisfactory, were pub
lished in bulletin No. II of the Pennsyl-
vania Department of Agriculture. and may
be had upon application.
Data for Two Iowa
The Illustrations on the front page show
teams, vans, grounds and buildings in one
OF the counties In northern Iowa. The cut
shows the building at Buffalo Center, in
Winnebago county. At this place the
schools have been centralized and pupils
transported since 1896, and at Terril, in
Dickinson county, during the last year
only. The secretaries and principals in the
above named districts have supplied the
following data regarding their schools for
the year 1901 1902:
BUFFALO CENTER.
Total number Of pupils in attendance, BAT.
Number of pupils transported, lis.
Number Of teams used, 6.
Amount paid for team and driver, per
month, $34.
Average distance children are conveyed.
~ miles.
Number Of teachers employed, 9.
Number OF pupils per teacher, 3s.
Average cost of tuition per month for
pupils transported. $1.7I.
Average cost OF tuition per month for
whole school, s1.41.
TERRI.
Total number Of pupils in attendance, 16b.
Number Of pupils transported, 1877.
Number OF teams used, Z.
Amount paid for team and driver. per
month, $34.
about 3 miles.
Number of teachers employed, 4.
Number of pupils per teacher, Al.
Average cost Of tuition per month for
whole school,, S1.53.
In the case Of Terrii It will be observed
that OF the entire enrolment more than
SO per cent are transported, indicating a
rural community almost entirely.
Object in CentraIizinE Rural schools
As stated above, one Of the chief objects
in centralizing rural schools is to provide
for the children in rural communities the
best possible educational advantages. The
effort of the leaders in educational work
has too long been to inspire the residents
In county districts to erect a school house
on every hilltop. What is now needed is
not more schools, but better schools. The
intelligent farmer prefers one good school
within four or hve miles OF his home than
four or Ave poor schools within half a mile.
The American farmer believes in educa-
ton. Our cities, towns and villages are
populated with a large class OF retired
farmers who have moved from their farms
in order to give their children better edu-
cational advantages. They have left the
farm, often at great sacrifice. and many
times it must be admitted with results not
the best for the children. Not every boy
nor every girl who comes from the coun-
try with good health and pure morals is
able to retain these blessings under changed
conditions in town. They have not been
prepared for It, but have grown up under
different surroundings and the new life
may not be the best for them. No good
reason has ever been given why the sons
aud daughters OF farmers are not entitled
to and should not have equal educational
advantages with the sons and daughters Of
those engaged in the professions. II Is
the hope OF those who advocate the cen
tralization Of schools, that this may be made
possible and that country life may be made
so inviting that boys and girls seeing the
great possibilities Of farm life will learn to
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