Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-05-18
A MOTHERS VIEW.

| publican:
Dear Sir:-I have read the article
published in the Times Republican,
date May II, 1903. and headed. is Con-
solida:ion a BURDEN" ! would like to
tell few of the reasons why l think
| that the central township school would
be an unjust, and unnecessary burden
to the farmers family,especially unjust
to the farmers wife and little children.
| wish that I, few of the people who be-
lieve, or try to make other people be-
lieve, in the idea of transporting"
children to a school four or six miles
| from their homes. for eight or ten
months every year, in all kinds of
| weather. not to say anything about
| the close hacks, heated by oil stoves
| that are liable TO upset or explode. all
most any minute, on account OF the
driver, or uneasy children's actions,
might undergo a portion of her worries.
l wish the ones who think that way
| of going TO the country schools better
| than the way the children now go,
might ride in the same convey
ance as the children do and endure
| the hariships and all the disgusting,
unreasonable trials that good children
| must endure by riding with just any
| bodys children who happen TO live on
their route to school. 1t is a sad fact
| that all country children are not good
and the same can be said of town child
| rem.
! AS the school houses are now, many
of us can see our children all the way
as they walk to school, and how ann
lt-y fph m an co
home again soon after school is out.
Country work needs strong limbs. good
lungs and the ability to overcome such
difficulties as an occasional snow DRIFT,
and we think it is best for our child
ren's health to walk to and from school.
unless the weather is too cold or wet,
and at such times we can take them in
a few minutes or let them do their own
driving, and surely there is more
danger of getting contagious disease
in large crowd than in small one.
What benefit would it be for farmers
to travel five or six miles to enter
tainmerts that are now held in school
houses two miles or less from their
houses? How many do You think
would go? The country mothers of
little children and the children. would
miss many enjoyments that they now
have.
AS an inducement for central schools,
some say that the farmers children viii
then have all the advantages that town
children now enjoy. But when we go
to visit the town schools, even up TO
the wonderful room where the principal
presi des and we see those children who
are almoS. rcaty to graduate and
who expect to be the teachers OF our
country schools. with no other accom-
plishments than what they have gain
ed in their high school, then we begin
TO mediate, we watch those children in
the school room, on the streets day and
night. and in their homes, and to tell
YOU truthfully we are not anxious to
have our children enjoy the benefits
that bring the results that we have
noticed.
| Principals and teachers for town high
| schools are very hard to get that Will
| suit the majority of the parents and
children, and much fault is found and
many changes made in teachers. This
being the fact, where would the fine
| teachers and principals come from to
| teach our country high schools? They
| would come from the ranks of the
teachers that We're not thought capable
| TO teach in town schools. We country
people will not submit to such imposi-
ton, and poor returns for our money.
| When our children have learned as
much as we think necessary in our
| country schools, and we wish to give
| them the advantage of a higher educa-
| tion we send them to some of our num-
erous state schools. where the best
teachers, and all the best things that go
to make up our best schools are. and
| then they have an equal share in the
best schools that the state produces.
That is the kind of higher education"
that the country children want, and
they will not be contented with any
| other kinds A NeWScript