The Van Buren press., 1903-10-17

lnoutH' seCoHu dl siO anu lHIlu
at $50, the school being carefully
graded. Twenty-slx of these pupils
are transported at cost OF s. per
term for each pupil. BY the use Of
wagons children were reached who
lived near the swamps and rivers, and
who would not otherwise have been
able to attend school"
In North Carolina active steps have
been taken toward consolidation, as
shown by the following from spe.
cial bulletin issued by State Superin.
tendent Joyner:
Where the number OF districts
has been reduced from 60 to 40, still
more than nine.tenths Of the children
are within less than two miles Of the
school, and less than 100 of them are
as far as three miles from the school.
while many improved school houses
have been built in the county"
One of the school districts Of Knox
county, Tenn, is now attracting much
attention as the seat OF an attempt to
establish a model rural industrial
school in which instruction will be
given in both indoor and outdoor
manual training. The people OF this
district are intelligent citizens, and
are dissatisfied with the schools now
in operation in their district, of which
there are nine for white pupils and
two for colored The average com
pensation for teachers has been 1872
a month. The people of the district
have determined to unite the nine
white schools in one efficient central
school, and for this purpose have
raised $4,000. The general education
board will cooperate with the citi
zens in building up this school, in
which will be taught elementary
forms of manual training, knife work
carpentering, scientific cooking sew
ing, elementary agriculture, horticul
ture, bee culture and the like. Ten
acres of land will be secured as a
school site
Rev. DR.. J. r. Harvey longtime
superintendent of the State School for
the blind, and great friend Of pop
ular education, not long ago made
the following statement on this sub
ject.
Il am deeply gratified at the many
Indications of increased interest ir
the upblic schools Of the state. and
am pleased to note so much proposed
legislation which will give us q
stronger and better system of schools
The district school should fit for ad
mission to good high schools, and The
high school should prepare boys ant
girls for admission to the college ol
university.
"My travels and observations fot I
period OF forty years in the state oI
Arkansas have convinced me that oul
free school system will never accom-
plsh that great object designed II
its creation until our school districts
are very much enlarged, better schoo
houses equipped, more efficient teach
ers supplied and until there Is har
mony and union among the people
think the school house should b'
the central object OF the neighbor
hood, that the roads should leaC
from all directions to It, and that thu
farms should converge in and arounC
the school house, 80 that the families
living there may have the advantage
both of country life and of commu
nifty life, and that their children may
have larger privileges and better
social and educational advantages,
"The legislature or the State Super
intendent OF Public Instruction WHIT
can bring this state Of affairs to pass
in our country will have conserved
the interest Of our public school sys
TEN and the rising generations will
do work that will be Of lasting ant
ever increasing benefit"
In some counties in Arkansai
schools have been consolidated with
marked success. Two rural districts
In the southern part Of Lonoke coun
ty have organized In n union school
The people themselves as q commu
nifty raised $500. The district utIl
ICED 81 900 Of the school fund tha
they had left over and responsible cit
liens OF the community gave theij
personal note for the balance OF tn,
money and put up building, The,
have done this without interfering
with a ten months school each year
Three school districts have consol
idated at Floyd, White county, Ark,
known AZ District No. q. There ar,
enumerated In the district l27 child
ren. A four months school wal
taught this winter with an enroll
mcnt OF l0l and an average attend
ance OF 6s, The monthly enrolment
was 80 IA per cent OF the total enroll
ment
Considerable interest was WORKED
up by the teacher In charge ant
there Ia strong prospect OF another
district uniting with No, 81 Th'
only trouble now Is the lack OF suit
able school building, A good build
Ing is needed and the people arr
working 20 that end Strong hope
are entertained OF It's being ready foI
the next summer session,
In another paper | shall point ou
other advantages OF consolidation
Teachers and friends OF education
should discuss and explain these ques
tons, We must have remedial legls