Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1903-02-05
OUR SCHOOLS
THE SYSTEM
WHAT THEY ARE---wHAT THEY MAY BECOME
Continued from issue of Jan. %.

| non OF children of school age is NOT more
70 i've ven ana often not more than three
the school year. any pafl oi
va IN Mo l1s ma county, one township few
aaily attendance of only 105 pupils and
Paid s2ooo w for teachers. 1t can readily
taken ne into aat II the number of pupils is
PAID well for their instruction. If these
s s1';ia had had been consolidated and the
EACH teaabsr IN n eharge of three teachers
pup pup ST. I dd township could then have
p p,,a Soooo per month to its teachers for
porting pupils to central school, to saw
nothing of what could have been saved in
ndsattiins' repairs, apparatus, better accom-
~ In , 1879 * G. Barrett, Superintendent of
i rh9iic instruction, prepared circular
ents of the state to ascertain the situation
M t the several counties, giving both sides
o ask ane question, and especially were they
ments had been made. Their reports fur
lisn reiiable and quite complete infor-
ma maven upon it the progress of this forward
pr ron whose l children are affected by this
Ps2iposted SEQ, change will not be satisfied with
their best interest, but they must he con.
Xlnced through their own Judgment that
. ahe plan a., is right. Those who know most
| aDoul the new system and who have had
experience in its practical operation are
very confident that almost any reasonable
| be ,,,n,,1s o ti pe convinced OF it's merits if
| self thoroughly concerning it and learn
wh tar 1t has done one where it has been given
study to bring together some practica1
suggestions 1g and give, to both patrons of
the s sehooIs wn1 are discussing it and to
| about bearing Oh this problem
| summarizing the advantages claimed
ents, 20 per cent of whom favor the plan.
are as follows: pan
=. 1T VIII reduce the per CAPITA cost of
education in the districts affected in
nearly every case and without exception
amer the first cost of buildings, Where
| buildings are required, has been Daid
8. 1t will insure better classification of
pupils, so that both teacher and pupiis
may Spe rn thelr time to better advantage
| tition and better effort and greater inter-
est a Sn entiusasm mi; among the pupils
and more easily accomplished by the
county. SUPERINTENDENT and BY the min
clpal OF the township or the central school,
cipal ana assistant teachers. Certainly
the county superintendent can give better
| reduced. -
q. The attendance would be larger as
| experience has shown.
Z. .,. Greater punctuality would be secured
as the children would all be brought to
school before . O'Clock in the morning.
o; consolidation would provide Better
|
| les without additional expense
y. Longer and more regular terms of
forces of several small districts into one
strong central school which Guild be kent
lullnIils nine months IN year instead of
TO-. The health of the children would he
better guarded where they are convened
from their homes to the school in comfort
able NehlcleS than where they have to
travel through mud or snow for a mile or
so to school, as they often do under the
II. The older children would be kent at
home and in school longer than they can
be at present, because the central school
could provide advanced courses of study
| under capable teacher. So the necessity
OF going to town to school would be put
off several years. The course of study
can be spared to attend school. This IS
one OF the le,, main purposes of this system.
| and add attractions to country life by
stimulating desire to know more about
| the works of nature Colonel Francis W,
Parker has pointed out the wonderful Cd.
portunities for elementary education to
the child living on farm.
| IL. In the central school there would he
| opportunity, for the study of special
| branches which cannot be offered in the
district schools because the teacher lacks
| either the time or the ability to teach
| them.
r. In short, and to sum up. the opinion
\ OF the county superintendents is almost
| unanimous to the effect that the cousoli-
dalton Of small schools and the transpor-
TAU OF the pupils , to central school at
better schools at less or no greater ex-
penSe.
The chief objection brought against the
system is the almost impossible condition
OF the county roads at certain seasons of
the year. If the country roads in Iowa
were what they should be, characterization
would become quite general in the state.
There are hundreds and hundreds and it
IS Ts safe Ie.,, to say thousands of districts in
times of only one or two pupils so that
| there is no incentive to competitive ex-
c essnin These districts are so small and
their resources SO limited that their reven-
ues, without excessive taxation are bound
to be limited to such an extent that they
cannot afford to employ teachers whose
ability command good salaries. The sal
aries are so low that young men and
women, are discouraged from preparing
| themselves to teach because they can do
| better in other occupations.
1t is only by consolidating these weaker
which can afford to have the best teachers
| buildings and equipments, that the best
educational advantages can be secured
without heavy additional expense. In
many places small districts near villages
school, having been consoifdated With hiaf the
with the board of education. This plan is
also giving almost universal satisfaction
| wherever it is being tried
Sometimes it is said that we ought to
| stand up for the country school" which
has turned out so many good men and
women, instead of criticising it. Occas-
i234naily it seems that someone thinks the
effort to raise the standard of rural
| schools is in some way reproach upon
rural life. These are two great mistakes.
Concerning the first, it may be said that
no amount of assertion that he is. "well'
The true physician tries to learn what is
wrong and apply the proper remedy.
| That is what the advocates of consolida-
ton and transportation are trying to do.
And as to rural life, the whole theory of
consolidation and transportation is that
rural life, the life on the farm, is the ideal
life" when the advantages of education of
culture, of society are added to it. 1t is
| the purpose of this system to make life
upon the farm SO attractive that the child
rem will not want to leave it; that parents
| will not have to leave it, and that the boys
and and girls 4 may be brought up to love It and
instead of running into town to begin the
struggle to enter. crowded profession or
| to go into a business that will not weld
them the financial returns or the health
| and happiness that are to be had on the
| farm.
One of the strongest arguments in favor
| of consolidation of districts and Transport
tation of children is that it has been tried,