Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1903-01-01
EDUCATION IN MISSOURI,
Advance Sheets From the Annual
Report of Superintendent Of
Education Darlington.

Jefferson City, Mo-, December Ca
The following recommendations or
suggestions, together with statistics,
are taken from the forthcoming re-
port of State Superintendent Of Pub
lie Schools w. L. Darlington, to be
submitted to the general assembly
mex month. Some interesting things
are shown by the figures therein con-
tanned, among them being that the
average salary paid the female teach
ers is larger than that paid to the
males. This is accounted for from the
fact hat in the cities, where the
larger salaries are paid, the female
teachers outnumber the males. An
other thing shown by the figures is
that twenty-one states expend a
greater sum per capita for public
schools than is expended by Missouri,
and of this number Colorado and Ne
vada each spend more than twice the
amount paid out by. Missouri. Other
matters of interest will be contained
in the report, which is now in the
hands of the public printer.
The total school enumeration of chill
dren over 6 and under 20 years of age IS
969, 1852; the total enrolment in the schools
is 703, 057; the average daily attendance is
Az, 799. There are 1853 districts in the
state having less than twenty pupils.
This Is about one-fourth of the entire
number of districts in the state. The av-
erage length of school term is 143 days.
Only 11 schools a less than four
months term, and only 1,O66 nave less
u a. o@xNl AA~,a T1nrn prnH-
uated from the rural schools last year
1889 pupils. Not quite one-half of the
districts in the state have libraries. The
number having Libraries Is 4,3O3; S~43,9S2:9o
was spent for libraries in the rural dis
tricts. OF the 16, 347 teachers in the state,
6.013 hold only third-grade county. certifi.
Gates. The average annual salary or
teachers Is $S06.16. An interesting fact In
this connection is that the average SAL
airy for female teachers is SIG more than
it is for male teachers. The total eXpen-
ditures during the year were SS169,2SS AZ,
which is IN annual expenditure per cap
lta population of the state of 1882. There
are twenty-one states expanding more per
capital on it's schools than Missouri. Both
Colorado and Nevada are spending more
than twice as much. The total amount
of the permanent public school funds
Estate, seminary, county, township and
district is $12, 795, 516.5
The following statements concern
lHS IuIdl scHooIS are eahSu Loni oh0
report:
1.-THE little schoolhouse has ever been
the center of community life in pioneer
countries. 1t loses its attractions and
influence as the country develops and
grows in wealth and population. There
must be a larger center, fuller of attrac-
tions and radiating more elements of Gull
| ture and refinement. Because of this the
rural high school has become a necessity
and the enrichmentS of rural life is the
"Fuiiy one-fifth of our 10000 teachers
them begin in the country. 1t is a safe
estimate that one rural teacher out OF
every three is a beginner, hence much of
the unsatisfactory work in the rural
schools is due to ineXperience.
There are too many small schools In
Missouri. There are 1888 district schools
having less than twenty pupils In attend
ance. Such schools, from the very nature
of the environments, can not be excellent;
Just think of it, more than one-fourth of
all the rural schools of the state have
fewer than twenty pupils. OF these
schools 375 have less than twelve pupils.
Districts having fewer than twenty
close their schools and arrange. with ad-
joining districts to send the children there
by paying tuition and transportation ex-
penses out Of the public moneys of such
abandoned district. There are at least a
thousand small districts in the state
where such an arrangement may be made
with pro~ft-saving money and providing
better schools. Tuition paid to the ad-
joining districts will enable them to en-
ploy better teachers, have longer terms
and make better provisions for the
schools"
In speaking of consolidation of dis
tricts, the report says:
Under this law four districts in Jack.
son county nave united, and this district
has the distinction of being Consolidated
school district No. L. In addition to MAIN
tanning the four district schools, it MAIN
tains a high school at a central point"
Concerning another experiment in
Jackson county it says:
1.-THE people concluded last summer to
consolidate the schools, build a nice four
room brick, grade the school and MAIN
tain a two years high school course.
Here is evolution. Graded rural schools
are coming in Missouri. This consolida.
tion of schools should be encouraged and
division of districts discouraged by CIV
ing directors authority to arrange for
transportation of children who live more
han two miles from the school,"
A TEMPORARY RELEASE.