The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1902-06-27
The Rural School Question.
The Michlgan School Moderltor.


that it will prove of interest to both
patrons and teachers.
STATE OF INDIANA.
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION,
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Jan. 81, 1902
Frank L. Jones, Superintendent W. A. Low
er, Deputy
Hon. Delos Fall, Lansing, Mich.
Dear Mr.. Fall have your letter OF
January 2Sth, in which you ask num-
Der of questions which am pleased to
answer
First. Rural High Schools.
(a) We have 472 high schools under
the immediate control of township
trustees and are therefore township
high schools. In addition we have 161
high schools in small towns and villages
which are frequently under the entire
control of the township trustee or under
the joint control of the township trustee
and the town school board of three mem
bers. In addition to this we have about
$50 accredited high schools commissioned
by the state board of education to send
their graduates directly into any college
in this state without examination.
(b) The result of the establishment
of the township high schools is that it
gives in rural communities from three
to four years additional instruction and
encourages many country boys and
girls to continue their education in
normal schools and colleges. Further
more, it gives to great many prospec-
tive teachers three or four years of edu
cation in addition to the common
branches, all of which reacts upon the
schools in better teachers.
(c) Without a single exception, so
far as am able todetermine, the people
patronize these schools well and believe
in them thoroughly.
(d) You ask for the plan of their es-
Enlistment. The township trustee is
the only school officer in township in
this state. When it is determined that
a township should have high school he
decides in conjunction with the county
superintendent as to the location of it.
Once established, any graduate from the
common school branches is entitled to
attend it. The only requirement in the
law of this state is that there shall be at
least twenty-five common school
graduates in the township at the time
of its establishment.
(e) 1 don't exactly understand this
point when you ask for a comparison of
this system with the district system.
The cost per capita of education in high
schools is, of course, greater than in the
common schools for the reason that
there are not so many pupils, and the
cost of apparatus and higher salaries of
teachers bring up the per capita.
Second. Township Unit.
.(a) Every township in the State of
Indiana, there being 1914 in all, is the
unit for school purposes. The township
is subdivided into school districts but
there are no local district officers who
have anything to do with the educational
thing else other than the fuel supply.
The only officer in district is the
school director whose duties in this
state have gradually faded out until in
nine-tenths of the districts not a single
patron would be able to tell you who the
director is. The township trustee is dis
tinctly the one man power. He levies
the school taxes, is entrusted with the
expanding of all the money, employs the
| teachers, visits the schools, and in addi-
ton looks after the civil affairs in re-
gard to roads, ditches and the poor. -
(b) We have tried the township unit
plan for many years, indeed, so long
that most people do not remember when
we had the district system. The people
regard it with entire favor
(c) The township system is immeas-
urably better than the district system.
1t is in keeping with all modern bust
ness, social, educational, and govern
mental movements in that it centralizes
authority and fixes responsibility.
(d The expense Of maintaining the
township system is not so great as that
required where district systems are in
vogue for the reason that not so many
officials are needed and the fixing Of re-
sponsibility brings economy.
Third. Cent? allied Schools.
(a) We have centralized or consoli-
dated schools in more than half Of
the counties of this state. In some
places, of course, only single schools
have been abandoned and transported to
other districts
(b) think we have at least 200 Gen.
tralized schools.
(c) The general plan of consolidation
is to abandon small schools, equip
wagons, employ drivers and haul the
pupils distances of from two to six
miles. In some instances we have en-
tire townships consolidated in one
school.
(d) The plan is entirely successful.
(e) Invariably the people object to
the consolidation of schools when it is at
first proposed but when it is once placed
in operation it would be impossible to
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