Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-12-29

lie KNOWS that the particular SCHOOL,
house In a group of districts that
seems most easy OF access to the larg-
est number OF people comes to be the
natural meeting place for the COM
munity and that meetings. whether re-
lIgious, educational or political are
held almost invariably In this particu-
lar schoolhouse. The territory tribu-
tary to this natural center varies. II
may include practically the entire
township, or 1t may be much more re-
strcted In extent. But 1t Is seldom CO.
extensive with the usual small school
district. In such territory the
schoolhouse where public meetings are
held by common consent constitutes
the social center, and there Is little
need of any other schoolhouse IN the
same territory, either for school pur-
poses or as meeting place for the
people. This community interest
would be greatly strengthened u, M
stead of the small one room school,
house, an up-to-date building With IND
rary and commodious assembly hail
should take its place.
Wrona Idea Of Consolidation.
"Many people have the impression
doning Of country schools and the
Transportation Of the children to cities
and towns, where they are taken into
an entirely different environment. BUT
the consolidation am contending for
contemplates nothing OF the KIND.
believe the school environment In the
country Is, IN many ways, superior TO
that in the city I want the country
school to remain in the country as far
as possible, but want it. large enough
for the employment of from two to five
teachers, and with no teacher in charge
of less than twenty-five nor more than
thirty pupils. Such n school organiZa-
ton might cost the people less In dol
lars and cents but the possible saving
in money is not the ground upon
which the change is urged. The end
of consolidation is to get better schools
and to multiply the benefits to the
children.
"Consolldation commends itself to
our favor because 1t will offer the
opportunity for proper classification, OF
q reasonable number Of pupils to the
teacher, OF regular and punctual at
tendance, and hence the vast increase
to the pupils Of the benefits the school
can bestow.
"The small school serves but few
people and Is supported by the taxes
raised on a comparatively small
amount Of property Neither the public
interest nor the financial support is,
therefore. likely to be such as to en-
courage the development of the school.
While advancement Is noted all around,
;,, uiv, tn, 1n0 -
ment Of human endeavor, the little
country school is likely to conform very
closely to the type Of school Of a past
generation. But, unite the interests of
q larger number of people on the
school and bring to Its support the
taxes on larger aggregate Of property
and better conditions will be speedily
and easily secured.
The goth Century School.
Union and cooperation alone will
make possible the twentieth century
school. We may project the nineteenth
century school into the twentieth CEN
tury but the school that keeps pace
with the times and meets the demands
Of the age must have the interest and
financial support Of many people and
the services Of number Of skilled
teachers working in cooperation. The
school Of the past generation was con-
cerned chiefly with the intellectual de-
velopment of the young, and little at
tention given to the physical. But
educators everywhere are now awak-
ening to the need Of manual train
ing.
Hand work, the use of TOOLS the ex-
perimental study of plants and soils
will take their place alongside the
study of books and add immensely to
the interest and practical value Of the
schools. But 1t is manifest that this
enlarged usefulness cannot be easily
secured in the little isolated district.
Neither Is it possible for the school in
such district to be other than ex-
tremely elementary. The high school is
as much the birthright of the country
child as it Is of the city child. But 1t
can come to the country child in the
country only thru consolidation.
mo class OF American citizens excel
the farmers, If indeed they equal them