The Leon reporter., 1902-10-23

when we consider the question of transporta.
ton and the conditions favorable for trans:
portation iMene community may be vastly
different III another. 1t is plainly seen there
fore that the problem rests mainly with the
people of each school corporation whether
they want TO consolidate their district with
other districts for school purposes.
In the foregoing have given facts as 1 nnd
them and leave the discussion for those who
feel interested in the subject and for their
careful consideration. Ihave not attempted
TO. advocate transportation, in its larger
meaning nor have attempted TO discourage
any attempt AT consolidation. HoweveEs I
think that'the attempt to consolidate all the
schools in q. township and transport the
pupils to a central building is long time
away for sthe people! OF Decatur County butI /
wish to be distinctly Understood as in favor
of closing fora time a. least thessmall rural
schools il the ditferent townships when the
population is too small for a regular attend
ance of less than eight or ten pupils. This is
my ideal plan of fconsolidation and is simple
in its operation and easily accomplished.
Mt will reduce the cost of our schools and give
good results, it will not be radical depart
ture from The present method and no change
Z
There are those who maintain that the
rural schools are not educating the boys and
girls at the present time as thoroughly as
the old time school but those people who
think so do not compare the extent of an
education OF the present with the education
Of the past. The rural school is doing more
to educate the boys and girls Today than ever
before There is. no doubt about this If we
,~,,1. at,,11 l,,,, bo Wo mo-,
some OF the finest rnral schools now and they
are doing more for the education Of the
rural population than ever before. f3
In closing this discussion on 1.-The Rural
School Problem" wishto mention the fol
lowing. reforms, which SHOULD immediately
come into the rural schools and which would
be Immediately effective in making them
better. 1t is certainly evident to everyone
that the present method Of hiring teachers is a
serious hindrance to their prosperity.
. In rural. districts in Decatur County teach
ers should be hired for alonger term Of school.
would favor hiring teachers for whole
years work just as the teacher OF the city
school is hired. At present many rural schools
have one teacher for the fall term OF school, a
different teacher for the winter term end still
another teacher for the spring thus making
three teachers for the seven or eight months
ofschool in that district Before teacher
has time to get the school properly organized
the fall vacation is at hand she goes elsewhere
to teach a winter term Of school and a strange
teacher begins another term and the same
order Of work is gone over again. How SER
ieusly deleterious to the best interests Of the
school this is should be Immediately apparent
to everyone. The successful school among
our rural schools is the one employing q
teacher for c year or more. know OF few
schools in Decatur County that have en-
ploSed;ihe same teacher 8 numb sr Of years
ana the patrons otsub:districts will testify;to
the success Of such schools. Moreover 1t will
be one OF the greatest factors In making bet
ter teachers. 1t will encourge teachers to
better prepare for this important work. Gen
erallylth teacher who gets twenty to twenty
fiye dollars per month for teaching males; i
bigger profit on the amount invested in hiS
'sdicstion than the teachef who gets thirtiys
five or forty dollars per month. 1t will also
tend toward better wages for the teacher II