The Forrest City times., 1903-10-16


 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 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 $32 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 $5.000. 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 . school site.
 Rev. Dr. J. R. Harvey, longtime superintendent of the State School for the blind. and a great friend of pop. Ae, the following statement on this sub. ject:
 T am deeply gratified at the many indications of increased inter est in the upblic schools of the state. and I 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 and girls for admission to the college or university.
 My travels and observations for period of forty years in the state of Arkansas have convinced me that our free school system will never accom-. plish that great object designed in its creation until our school districts are very much enlarged, better school houses equipped. more efficient teach CTS supplied and until there IS har- mony and union among the people. l think the school house should be the central object of the neighbor- hood, that the roads should lead from all directions to it. and that the farms should converge in and around the school house. so 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 who can bring this state of affairs to pass in our country will have conserved the interest of our public school sys- tenn and the rising generations will do work that will be of lasting and ever increasing benefit"
 In some counties in Arkansas schools have been consolidated with marked success. Two rural districts in the southern part of Lonoke coun. ty have organized in a union school The people themselves as commu. nity raised S1.500. The district util- ized $1,000 of the school fund that they had left over and responsible cit of hn ayc personal note for the balance of the money and put up a building They have done this without interfering with ten months school each year. Three school districts have consol- dated at Floyd. White county, Ark. known as District No. 27. There are enumerated in the district 127 child ren. A four months school was taught this winter with an enroll ment of 101 and an average attend ance of 68. The monthly enrolment was 90 IA per cent of the total enroll ment.
 Considerable interest was worked up by the teacher in charge and there Is a strong prospect of another district uniting with No. 37. The only trouble now is the lack of a suit. able school building. A good build ing is needed and the people are working to that end. Strong hopes are entertained of its being ready for the next summer session.
 In another paper I shall point out other advantages of consolidation. Teachers and friends of education should discuss and explain these ques- tions. We must have remedial legis. lation so that we may conserve and better use our limited school funds.
 The people are moving to the towns and cities not so much because of the bad roads as because of the poor schools. Along with the agitation for good roads, with which I am in full accord, let us urge the question of larger and better schools and better school facilities.
 John H. Hinemon,
 State Superintendent of Schools.
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