The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1902-02-07
CENTRALIZED @
The System Endorsed by Prom
inert School Men and BY the
People Of Districts Where
ItHasBeen Established

ItE1as Been Established
(From School Messenger SUPPLEMENT-
Owing to the general interest
that is being taken in the matter
of advancement for the country
schools, it may not be amiss to
compile this circular. The ques.
ton of Capitalization for the
schools IS the phase of
the question receiving the most
at this time. This plan
is in brief, to close the small
schools of the present and have
the pupils all taken to a graded
school in the center of a given
district. The proposition is to
erect a building sufficiently large
to accommodate all the pupils of
a township. This would place
the pupils in the hands of teach
ers who would work in various
grades and the teachers could be
doing the special work best
suited to each. A teacher with
primary tendencies could take
the lower grades and other
teachers the higher ones. The
plan contemplates the transpor-
tation of the children to the
building at public expense.
The design of this circular is
to bring together the evidence
of the educators of the country
and present it in a form that can
be brought to each one desiring
to investigate it.
The matter quoted in the cir
cular is the actual sayings aud
writings of the men to whom
they are credited and the origi-
nails are on file in the superin-
tendent's Office in Milbank, S. D.
FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF NORTH
DAKOTA
Our state is very much interested at
present in the Capitalization of rural
schools. Anew sections are just be-
ginning the plan. Supt. Devine read
q paper at the state educational assO-
citation which he will have published
in pamphlet form within a few weeks
and circulate thoroughly. This paper
is q strong plea for Capitalization.
j. M. DEvINE, Supt.
BY A. L. WOODS.
The state superintendent of
Illinois sends the following as
expressing his ideas in regard to
the advantages of the township
system:
/. It gives the country districts the
many advantages of graded and high
schools now enjoyed in cities, without
any of the disadv antages.
2. 1t provides for the concentration
of money and effort upon one or a few
buildings and does away with the ill
ventilated, badly lighted and poorly
equipped schoolhouses.
3. BY engaging fewer teachers, it
enables taxpayers to provide stronger
ones and thus increase the efficiency
of the educational work done. This
is the strongest feature of the township
system.
A. BY the transportation of pupils,
it provides easy, certain and comfort
able access of all children to the
privileges of the public school.
5. While it increases the efficiency
of the school work, it does not increase
the cost with the transportation OF
pupils included. Where the system OF
transportation has been used in other
states, q reduction of the total cost
has been the result.
6. Free delivery of mail, evening
lectures, ETC., maybe easily established
by means of the transportation facili-
ties in connection with the schools.
The social life of the town is thus
made more attractive.
/. The township system mean
| better supervision, uniform text books
and more economical use of the school
library fund.
From a paper presented at the
Illinois educational association
the above officer quotes:
1t is found that in almost every 10.
cality at the outset there is a predju.
dice against transportation and often
against consolidation, but when these
matters are fully understood, and the
advantages arising from more regular
attendance, from the stimulation that
comes with increased numbers and
from better teachers and the improved
health of pupils, due to better sur
roundings while in school, and from
freedom from exposure, there will be
a large increase in the number Of
cases of consolidation and Transports
ton. But in those localities where
this does not exist, the only thing
needed is agitation and an education
of the public as to the advantages Of
the arrangement.
State Department, Lincoln, Neb.
l enclose you a copy of my letter tC
school boards under date of June l,
1901, in which a brief summary is
given of the advantages of the graded
or consolidated school in rural dis,
tricts. Several townships are nov
seriously considering the question Of
consolida alton. This department is
aiding, SO far as it can, the consolida.
ton movement.
w. X. FOWLER, State Supt.
A circular letter to the school
boards of Nebraska, from the
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