The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-04-17
GIVES CARNEGIE A TIP
ADAM BEDE SAYS COUNTRY ROADS
ARE BETTER THAN LIBRARIES
Congressional Candidate Greatly
Interested in Spreading the Cos
pei of School Consolidation
Which, He Says, VIII Solve the
Problem of Rural Needs.

J. Adam Bede was in St. Paul yester-
day arranging with State Superintendent
Olsen to assist at a big citizens meet
ing Al Pine City, to discuss the question
of school consolidation. Mr.. Bede Is
greatly interested in this growing school
problem, and in his campaign travels
puts in many good arguments for con-
solidation. Speaking Of it, he says:
Statistics show that there are large
numbers of country schools with an
attendance of less than twenty, and in
many cases not more than ten, and by
throwing several of these into one cen
trail school, and delivering the children
in band wagons, graded schools are es-
tablished, with better teachers and long
er sessions, at less cost to the taxpayer.
There are some obstacles to be over
come, chiefly prejudice in favor of the
local school, and the bad roads which
prevail at certain seasons Of the year.
But, in spite of this, the movement has
proved successful in other states, and
will shortly prevail in Minnesota.
Country Must Offer Advantages.
zone of the chief reasons for the ten
dency OF population towards the cities is
the need of educational advantages to
boys and girls reared upon the farm.
This want can be supplied by the graded
central school, and it viii bring much
happiness to the rural population OF our
state; it will make our farmers a con-
tented class, as they will not feel the ne
ceSSity Of selling the old home and NOV
ing to town to educate the boys and girls,
and it viii enhance the value of their
lands The rural mail with it's daily pa
per; the telephone which is rapidly be-
Ing placed in every country home, and
the central school will together offer the
farm all the advantages of the city, with
out it's burdens. State Superintendent OIL
sen has taken an active interest in this
movement, and has already held meet
ingS at various points for the purpose
of educating tn country people upon this
subject. Our state has long given atteh-
ton to its university and it's high schools,
but has apparently neglected the educa-
ton of the children on the farm. A new
era is about to dawn, and we predict that
within a quarter century every boy and
girl born and reared upon a farm in Min
nesota will be given a high school edu-
cation without leaving the parental roof
mo state in the Union has SO great
school fund as our own; no people is
so widely awake to the advantages or
education. and there is no place where
the question of rural schools can be
solved so we'll as in Minnesota. 1t would
greatly aid this cause if Andrew Carne-
gle would spend his fortune in building
country roads which we need, instead of
wasting it on libraries in the Cities
where people can afford to buy their own
BOOKS. But with our present school fund
and the vast additions to be made to it
IN the future from the mineral lands be-
longing to the state, we shall not need
AID from outside sources. and MnneEOta
will soon give to the world an illustration
people and for the people, in which every
child shall be educated to good citizenship
and all disadvantages of country life re-
moved