Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1903-02-26

rural schools whereby fewer
teachers may be employed aud
better wages paid.
There are two plans of consol-
idation: one, where all the dis
tricts of a township or some
specific part of a township unite
and build central school build-
ing with a sufficient number of
rooms to accommodate the chill
dren in the township; another,
where there is building in each
corner of the regular township
and one central graded school.
One or the other OF these methods
could be employed in almost any
community.
After commenting upon the
specific merits of these plans and
showing their adaptability to GER
tain situations and surroundings.
Mr.. Deveridge gave several in
stances where consolidation had
been tried with marked success.
In Gustavus township, Trum-
bull county, Ohio, there we're
formerly nine districts, and as
many schools. In 1896 these
nine schools were consolidated;
fonr-roomed building costing
50. 600 was erected; nine covered
wagons with drivers under two
hundred dollar bond were EN-.
ployed to convey the children to
and from school The average
daily attendance before coDsolida-
tion WAS l25, after consolidation
IA The cost of conducting this
sch DOL was less per pupil, bssed
on average daily Attendance, than
under the cid tyttsm.
The people If Green, town.
ship adj ,inipg Gustavus, were
divided on the question of con-
solidation; but after watching
their neighbors for about two
years public opinion WAS 40 crye-
taiized in favor of consolidation
that steam heated, we'll LIGHTED,
efficiently ventilated building Of
eight rooms was erected. Pupils
are conveyed to and from the
building ia wagons. Each Of
these schools gives three years
high school work, thns giving the
boys and glrls an opportunity of
acquiring secondary education
" thout denying them the I'D
vantages f rural Environment.
home j, fuence and parental
supervision.
When Alfred Bayliss, State
superintendent of public instruc-
ton in Illinois, was Investigating
rural consolidation in Ohio he re-
ported that in six OF seven towns,
whore consolidation had been
tried he failed to find single in
dividual who did rot approve of
'he plan. One effect Of the sys-
tenn is we'll illustrated by the re-
Spouse Of little boy. When
askt d how he liked the union
school he replied, oh, it is great
TO be We're there is something
going on What this something
meant 10 him can better be i'm
aginsd than told.
Other in Instances Of consolida-
ton we're mentioned, viz: Indi-
ana, Kansas, Iowa aid Massachu-
setts. Capitalization is low
authorized in eighteen states.
Massachusetts, spends annually
about $4,000 for transportation
of pupils.
Among some of the advantages
Of consolidation enumerated were:
1. Itwould secure better teach.
ers, as better wages could be paid
and the teecltr could then hf-
ford to make special preparation.
2. 1t will reduce the per capita
cost Of tuition.
3. Better supervision would be
given, since the school would be
more accessible to the county
superintendent. With better
supervision would come better
classification of pupils, and teach-
er ard pupils would spend their
time to better advantage.
4. Schools would secure better
equipment.
5. The country boy and girl
could take from two to four more
years in school without leaving
the home influence, since the
graded school would give this
secondary school work.
Z. It would enrich rural life
by the larger social influence.
8. Advanced studies could be
pursued to better advantage.
In answer to the objection OF
bad roads Mr.. Beveridge thought
there was little cause for bad
roads in Iowa, and that consollda-
ton with the rural delivery
would be strong impetus to-
ward securing better roads.
In reply to the objection that
real estate would depreciate in
value he showed that the opposite
had been true. People soon
came to look at the character of
the school rather than it's acce g.
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