Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-12-16
NEW SCHOOL Law.
Ipmortant Change from Present Statute
Contemplated in Bill now being
PREPARED


Contemplated in Bill now being
/ Prepared
One of the important changes in the
school laws of Oregon which is likely to
be attempted at the next session of the
legislature, says the Telegram, is to au
thor;ze the consolidation of school dis
tricts for the purpose of concentrating
the school money with view of conduct
ing better class of schools and provide
way of conveying to and from such
schools the children, who, by the change,
| should be situated at distance from it
of two miles or over.
A bill for this purpose is already in
course of preparation providing the man
ner in which the districts desiring con-
solidation must proceed to accomplish
consolidation, which shall be by having
a meeting of the electors Of each district
called especially for that purpose, at
which vote by ballot shall be taken
and due return thereof shall be made to
the district boundary board of the coun-
ty, and consolidation shall be declared
only when majority of the votes are
cast in favor of it in each district to be
included. The new district thus formed
shall take such rank as its population
entities it to take, and the directors of
the most populouss district. in the num-
ber consolidating shall remain as direct
ors of the new district, subject to such
changes as subsequent elections may
make.
All the property of the several districts
joining the consolidation shall become
the property of the new district, and be
subject to the control of its board of di-
rectors.
The school boards of these consolidated
districts are required to furnish transpor-
tation to and from school to all pupils
living more than two miles from the
school, and may, at their discretion, fur.
Dish transportation for any and all pu-
pills residing nearer than two miles, or
the board may, in its discretion, pay
the board of any pupil at suitable place
near the school. The proposed law
gives such boards power to pay for this
board out of the common
school funds of their districts.
The bill proposes also to authorize the
school board of any district, when au
thorized by a majority vote of the dis
trict, to suspend the district school there
in and to arrange with another district
for the instruction of the pupils, and to
provide transportation for them to the
VIII ere such arrangements
are made: district school boards are also |
to provide transportation for |
children of their district to and from the
in their own district, when |
by majority Of the district
1t any legal meeting, and shall levy a
AK to carry out those provisions.
This is quite radical departure in Ore
.on school methods, and the advocates
IF the measure claim that the proposi-
ion has great merit in it. Should this
Dill become law and the consolidation |
If districts in thinly settled local
ties should become general, it is likely
he law woul1 be amended cutting out
he $50 which is now appropriated to
Zach school district and leaving only PRO
alta apportionment. Without that change
good many of the smaller districts
would refuse to join the consolidation or
hould four or FIVE districts join together,
hey would lose as consolidated body
bout $500 of the school fund which the
anne territory would receive as separate
districts.