The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1902-01-17


tributcd school districts, every
morning are brought to the central
school in nine specially constructed
wagons: and in the afternoon they are
conveyed to their homes again. The
cost of transportation per wagon is
about $4,000 per month OF twenty
DAYS. Thus til" children of the whole
township are transported to and from
school at a cost of 1884 90 per month
or 8, ,IU6 90 per year of nine months.
In this township We observe that
the nine scattered schools had nine
teachers. whereas the central school
has four teachers. This is economical
ly dispensing with five teachers. who
at a salary of $500 would save almost
enough to cover lranSpol ta,ion. In
addition there would be some money
saved in the way of fuel and furniture.
In cndeavor;ng to find out how it is
that nine schools with nine teachers
could be converted into one school
with four teachers, | discovered that
in the separate schools the number of
pupils per school was not so large rs
it is generally in Maryland. Repre-
sentative schools in Ohio would have
on the average ten, fifteen, twenty or
twenty-five pupils each; whereas in
MARYLAND "" would have generally
under similar conditions twenty, thirty.
f,rty or fifty pupils to the school. In
Maine | find that there are over 1000
schools with fewer than Is pupils to
the school. If | am correct in this
observation, we in Maryland could not
on the same basis convert nine schools
into one centralized school with four
teachers; yet in every case We would
save some teachers Ivy consolidation.
Not only would We need to make the
comparison in number OF pupils; but
also we would be hel ped hy careful
comparison in irreeularity of country
conditions of roads, school fund, cost
of transportation, &c.
! have thus briefly set forth the
above facts as a logical basis for q few
suggestions as 10 how this Association
might aid in the work of encouraging
union schools. am we'll aware that
it is very much easier to talk about a
subject, to talk around the subject,
than it is to talk the subject itself; in
a word it is much easier to point out
some advantage of consolidation than
it is to lay down the most efficient and
appro~ed way of encouraging union
schools
AS practical step in introducing
schools in this State, our
school commissioners might through
this association unite in petition to
the general assembly to appoint three
practical, capable men as a committee
to visit several ccntraliZ ii schools in
actual operation.
Such committee might carefully
examine the conditions, surroundings.
and varied contingencies under which
the union schools are operated, and
contrast these relations with the con-
ditions in Mary land. The committee
should make full report, going over
the whole field embracing every thing
which would have any bearing on the
subj ct, and this report should have 4
wide publication in the city and county
par'rs. OF course the expense of such
a committee should be borne by the
State.
Results still more practical and
direct could be realized if the school
of all the counties would
petition the legislature to pass an
enabling act under which the proper
authorities could select three repre-
sentative typical counties in this State,
and make an actual experiment. in each
by taking six or eight scattered
schools and uniting them IN one central
a, al, my. In discussing the plans and
whcrcinrrs of Il solid money basis, q
practical tinancicr sad: "Grnllemen,
the way to resume specie payment is
to resume" think the best way to
encourage the cunsoli la,inn OF rural
scllou's is to consulate some schools.
In a~SnY the enabling act the State
might otligatc itself to pry for five
wears the difference between running
the eight separate schools and the one
union school. In order that the ex-
pertinent mis- ght be fairly made without
any risk at all to the county having
charge of the experiment. the State
sholld agree to pry the difference be-
tween the cost of the central school
house and the money for which the
eight separate school houses mig be
sold.
In cas- the expense Of the central
building should lal! npon the county.
it would not he difficult problem to
m ,et from fl lancial view p ,int. The
central school completed and heated
by steam would cost about 100000.
The six separate houses could be sod
for at Least 5000 %, thus leaving
81 600 0G, on which the interest at
per cent. would be $4,000 per year,
an am mpnnt very little more than the
cost of Keeping in good repair from
year to year the six separate hOu uScs.