Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-01-23
SUGGESTIONS FROM
OUR CORRESPONDENTS

terest; wanting in enthusiasm, and with
out any lively competition among pupils.
The teacher, ever so alive on assuming
control of such a school, II he remains
there any length of time, win die of in
ertfa. A school so small as not to re
ouire the enforcement of disciplinary
regulations looking to good order and
system is largely a failure and cannot
turn out, men and women who viii fight
the battles of life successfully. Console
dation will remedy this.
2 The fund prorated among so large q
number of principals reduces the salary
of each to a point below the possibility OF
employing the best talent. The country
districts are thus rendered powerless to
compete with the cities and larger towns
in employing teachers and as conse-
Quence the better class of teachers turn
their backs upon the country when
searching for employment. Consolidation
will remedy this.
g. The number of school houses to. be
built and kept in repair is entirely greater
than good business economy would re-
OuIre. Fewer school buildings and better
ones. fitted with proper furniture and
apparatus, would be more in accord with
the spirit of the times and consolidation
will secure this.
T. The employment of more than one
teacher for single school is impossible
as we'll as impracticable under the present
system The need for more than one may
not be appreciated by the great bulk Of
the people, for the want of information
bearing upon the detailed workings OF the
schools; but. all the same, the need ex-
lists and constitutes one of the most seri-
Gus problems connected with the work.
The average country teacher may not
have more than twenty-five or thirty pu-
pills enrolled. but the number of classes
to be heard each day will not allow more
than eight to ten minutes to each class
in recitation
As a rule an enrolment Of twenty-five
TO thirty pupils means at least seven
grades, and with eight branches to teach,
each grade reciting five recitations day,
it means thirty-five daily recitations. No
one finite being can take a school of this
sort and do justice to either himself or
pupils. And yet such conditions must be
tolerated, because after each county's
quota is divided among so many schools
each receives barely enough to employ
one teacher. Consolidation is the remedy
for this.
s. Under the present plan the uniform
Il classification and graduation of pupils is
impossible. The variety of conditions in
these particulars is limited only by the
number of individual schools. one
teacher f1rst-class country graded school,
then, as rule, is impossible. In other
words, without a change in our present
system to meet the rural conditions that
are unfavorable to consultations. the
country schools need never hope to APP
proach the city schools, but must be con-
tent to plod along at a distance consid-
erably in the rear.
Viewed, then, from any standpoint not
becIouded with prejudice, it must be con
coded that consolidation Of country
schools is Of vast Importance. Upon it de-s
ponds the success and efficiency of these
schools. Upon it depends the proper and
thorough instruction Of the country chill
dren. Upon it hinges the correction of
most of the evils with which our school
system today is afflicted. Upon it depends
the possibility of graded schools in the
country.
How, then, can consolidation be secured
and made practicable? The transporta-
ton of children to and from school will
secure It. 1t becomes at once and COM
pletely the solution Of the question. In
it's workings in this and other states 1t
has proven practicable and satisfactory
and has completely answered every argu-
ment against 1t, Its coming to stay Is
! matter of short time. Why, then, retard
by opposition and doubt the approach OF
that which is inevitable?