The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1903-03-28
PUBLIC SCHOOL CONSOLIDATION.
Prof. Cook Speaks on This Subject Be-
fore a Civic League

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IN Wednesday last Prof. A. S. Cook, county
sSSnooi examiner. delivered an address before the
SIplc League of Roland Park on the subject of
Cut nural schools" In his opening remarks Prof.
St reIerred to an address he heard on the sub
SSIt OF Progress in Consolidation of Rural
secnO0ls' at Minneapolis last July before the Ma
S SsonaI educational Association, in which State
superintendent Olsen said 1.-THE most important
educational problem before America today is
t Sne rural school problem. Great progress has
Seen made 10 building country school houses, in
furnishing libraries, textbooks, suitable appa-
ilalus and better trained teachers during the
,asI quarter of century, but rural school adj
ssancement has not kept pace with the wonder
ruI progress in our city schools and state uni
Versltles. This is due to the natural ultracon-
S5ervatlsm of our rural population, to the aban-
uuponnent Tor the city and the West of farms in
tne Eastern states and to conditions inherent in
Ine isolated one-room schoolhouse itself, where
ppiIganization and graduation is almost impossi-
ne, where nepotism and personal favoritism on
tue part of local school trustees too often pre-
vent efhcient and continued effort by the teach
Ell Sr, wnere the environment is too narrow to
broaden the intellectual horizon of the pupil by
aGtiVe rivalry and keen intellectual competition
"iLn Others in his class"
~ Inc advocate of consolidation" said Prof.
LOOK, no longer occupies debatable ground in
uouy OF school men. 1t is conceded by state
anu anu county superintendent and other admins
rational solution of the country school problem
les in combining the small, isolated schools
anto larger ones and transporting the pupils to
anu from schools at public expense"
>, rrofessor Cook outlined plan of consolida-
ton adopted in Ohio. He said I'm Green
; iOOw,nship Ohio, the people voted overwhelm-
Ingly in favor of consolidating eight or nine
small schools into one large school near the
center of the township, which is five miles
square. The new building erected in 1900 con-
talns six rooms and all modern conveniences, in
Guiding steam heat, and cost $4,000. 1t is six
mics from one railroad and eleven miles from
another. There is no village beyond store and
postofhce, town hall, church or two and
rev dwellings,.
ITO this building are brought all the children
ch nd ninhf xrnrn opo
employed in transportation, at an average cost
OF Sl.25 per day for school wagon. In Septem-
end $50 pupils enrolled, where the previous year
sfnere were eight or nine small schools, with a
? Qtal enrolment of $50 pupils. The wagons are
&S. for severe were Weather' The board Of educa,
tlol exercises as much care in the selection OF
drivers as they do in teachers. The contract
1or ZACH route is let out to the lowest RESPONSE
bic ndder, who is under bond to fulfill his obli-
cations. The drivers are required to run on
regular schedule, which does away with tardi-
ness n arriving and in returning home. There
is no ramping through snow and mud, and the
enrolment is increased and the attendance more
reguhr. The length of the longest route Ia
four aud three-quarter miles, Under the con-
troll ola responsible driver there is no vicious
conversation or terrorizing of small boys by
some bully.
"Prinipally among the arguments that may
be presented in favor of the consolidation of
the rura Schools said Professor Cook, ARE that
such a system would permit better grading and
classification with more time for recitation. and
would insure the employment of better teach
ers. 1t would also present better opportunity
to pursue thorough work in drawing, music and
other such similar branches. Then it would en-
able school board with the means that it would
have at its disposal to engage the services of an
efficient and 1perienced teacher to act as prin-
cipal of the school. 1t would also tend to
broaden companionship with the result of bet
ter attendance. Then, with all the schools con-
solidated the money that was formerly ex
pended in meetings, the many expenses incident
to the old method could be used in securing
better buildings, better equipment and larger
supply of books, charts, maps and apparatus.
ION the other hand there are many objections
that can be raised to such system. Where the
schools formerly stood their removal would
create depreciation in value of the neighbor-
ing farms and property, and such a proposal
would meet with stout opposition on the part of
the property holders. Then many parents
would object to their children having to go so
much farther to attend school,
But the care with which school board works
out the details in the establishment of such
system will have much to do with removing all
of these objections