Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1903-04-01

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The fourth essential is transpor,
tation. BY the new arrangement,
some pupils will he left too remot,
from the school house to walk.
This will neceSSitate the employing
of comfortable wagons and suitable
teams to convey the pupils to and
from the schools. In this county
there are six schools now collected
in one new house, such as has been
described, and the pupils are all
furnishing their own transporta-
ton. These six schools are taught
10y three teachers; and vet the adj
vantagcs are so far superior to
what they were i'm the single
schools, that the little folks cheer
fully and willingly plod over the
slightly increased distance. But
this can not always be done, even
in this county; hence, transporta-
ton must be reckOned as a neces-
Sary concomitant of what we call
the new system. This admission
leads again to the matter of ex-
penSe. which must be kept promi-
nentlY IN view. School officers
have no power, except advisory,
to increase or diminish the appor-
tlonment for school purposes: but
1t Is their imperative duty to see
that the amount allotted To the
schools Is judiciously and econom-
ically used. Now the average cost
of single five months school here
l. about one hundred and twenty
five dollars, exclusive of the origi-
nal cost of the house and lot. We
have two wagons employed. one
for one hundred dollars for seven
months, and the other for about
one hundred and twenty-five dollars
for seven months. When our syS-
TEN Is fairly under way the average
cost of a wagon and team will
probably be about one hundred
dollars per team, some ccStirg
more and some costing less, accord
ing to distance, etc. In combin-
ing six schools, two near the CEN
ter of the district can walk. four
teams can be employed to trans
port the other four, and four
teachers. a very liberal allowance.
can teach them. You will then
have a saving of at least a couple
of hundred dollars after paying for
the four teams. This may be very
protitably expending in prolong-
ING the session. OF the eighteen
States which are now working the
system, all except Maine. report
some saving of money in this way.
Maine reports gains in average
attendance OfpupilS. in punctuality.
in improved health, and in more
rapid progress of pupils; but finds
the cost about the same. 1t is also
conceded that the combined rural
school Outstrips the town schools
IN educational progress. This is
due to the fact that the rural
schools now have all the INSIDE at
fractions of the town schools, minus
many of the outside attractions.
DIR. Harris, L. 5. Commissioner
of Education has collected and col
lated much interesting information
along this line, to which the reader
Is referred for many particulars
which cannot be given here.
1t still remains to be seen to
what extent this system is practi-
cable in our State. There are some
districts in this county isolated by
mountains and other distinctions
that seem at present to defy trans
portatiOn; and, hence, to render
impossible the introduction of this
system. This is no doubt true to
a greater or less extent in all the
counties, but doubt whether there
Is any county that can not start at
least a few of these larger schools
IN which to prepare teachers for
the entire county. Why not
depend upon our State Normals
for teachers! In the first place
they are wholly inadequate, even
with the best conditions supplied;
In the second place large per cent
of the normal instructors time is
taken up in teaching what should
be learned at home. After more
than ten years experience in nor
mai teaching, the writer can see
no good reason why the strictly
normal part of a teachers educa-
ton could not be acquired in a