The Monticellonian., 1903-10-15
TOONAKYS YSNAASCHOOLS
State Superintendent Hin e m a n Makes Strong Plea For
 Consolidation.
SMALlATTERDANCe MEANS POOR TEACHERS
What Some of the Other Southern States Have Accomplished By Wise Legislation-Questions That Should Be Wisely Considered.


 cease the multiplication of school dis tricts and is urging the consolidation of the small districts which are now sapping the life blood out of the school system. It is much better for child to go two or three miles to good school than to have a poor one only few yards away. The attempt to put school at every mans door poor, weak schools, many of them taught by young persons who are not fitted by age, experience, scholastic attainments or otherwise for the deli cate and difficult work of training the young. The reports for the last schol- astic year show that there are over five hundred districts in the state, with an attendance of less than fifteen children. and quite a number of them have less than five pupils in daily at tendance. When we consider that the the public schools of Arkansas was less than $3.50 per pupil for the en- tire scholastic year ending June 50, we can readily see the condition in these small. weak districts. Many of the states have passed wholesome and remedial legislation on this sub- jeet within the last two years. Sev- eral states. including Florida and North Carolina, have passed laws per hitting the employing of teams to transport the children who live too to organize and equip good, strong schools with a full graded course and to employ several teachers of first. class ability Governor MeMilan of Tennessee, in his last message to the legislature of that state, expressed himself on this subject as follows:
 "I am persuaded that one of the ills affecting our public schools is diyid- ing the counties into too many small school districts. Dividing the dis tricts and thereby diminishing the iuHu lO tdSu quoui hplC III efficiency. By wisdom and sacrifice we may bring education to every youth in the state; but we cannot car " on successful school within stones throw of every house. An eff fort to do so will decrease efficiency and increase ignorance. We should resist the unnecessary division of school districts as we would the pes tilence Large schools can be better graded and maintained and a greater number of days taught annually than in small districts. It were better for the student to go a little further to a good school than attend one at his front door that is worthless and in- different You should not hesitate to correct. by appropriate legislation the destructive chopping up of school dis tricts"
 State Superintendent Walton sets forth some of the advantages of larg CT and better schools in the following language:
 Two essential things must be kept in view-efficiency and economy. To secure these there must be comfort able convenient school houses. neces sary appliances. intelligent teaching. skilled supervision and no more schools than are needed for the num- Der of pupils.
 "In some districts two or more schools may be united, according to convenience of location. In others most of the outlying schools can be accommodated at the center by the transportation of pupils.
 "One of the results that follow from consolidation is better grading. better classification of pupils, by plac- ing them where they can work to the best advantage.
 Consolidation gives an opportunity for special instruction in high school branches, and brings all the schools under closer oversight of competent principal.
 "It insures better school buildings, appliances and teaching force
 .'The money saved in a small dis trict by reducing the number of teachers is often large enough to fur nish better school accommodations to the children, better wages to better teachers. such transportation as con solidation requires and longer school ing"
 Florida has recently passed law authorizing school boards to consoli- date their schools and provide for transportation of pupils who live too far away for them to walk to school.
 in Georgia much has been done to- ward consolidation. Superintendent Smith of Greene county says: Wagon frames and horses were pur- chased by the county. and a con tract was made for the transporta- tion of the children to school at five cents per head per day. Previous to consolidation the cost of maintain ing the schools was IT 1-2 cents per pupil per day; the cost now includ- ing that of carrying the children is f2 1-2 cents per day
 Superintendent Rogers of Washing ton county abolished two little schools