The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1905-08-03
ROADS AND EDUCATION.
Consolidation Of School Districts De
pendent on the Character Of
the Highways.

One of the most important problems
for our rural communities has been how
best to secure the benefits Of graded
school system 30 as to enable the farmer
to give his children instruction In the
higher branches of learning without
leaving the farm. The writer believes
that the policy Of consolidation and
transportation Of pupils furnishes So
luton Of the problem II the policy can be
perfected. The next and most impor-
tant question Is: how can this be done;
In what way, and after what prepara-
tion, can perfect system be estab-
lished OF made possible of establish
ment? We are firmly Of the opinion
that the system Of education outlined
and which means 30 muLh for the coun-
try will never be perfected and become
a fixed policy until there is national aid
In the construction Of good wagon
roads, say along the line of bills intro
duced In the house Of representatives
by Hon. w. p. Brownlow, of Tennessee,
and in senate by Mr.. Latimer, of South
Carolina. In hearings on the good roads
subject before the senate committee on
agriculture 1t was shown that Of all the
roads In the United States there are only
5 per cent. good, 10 per cent. fairly
passable and IS per cent. bad; that 10,
stallers Of teams In wet weather, and
the creators OF insufferable dust storms
in dry weather. Fifteen per cent are
roads, the remainder mere rights-of-
way"
While striving after the best results In
Its own particular field and studiously
seeking Improvements under functions
that belong to It alone, that very impor-
tant branch of the public service known
as the bureau of education has, In ita
investigations, gathered practical facts
and detailed statistics that furnish IRE
futable argument in favor Of national
aid for good roads, because no govern
ment can prosper save by the enlighten.
ment Of its people. President Roosevelt,
IN speech at st. Louis In 1903. declared
that the difference between the semi.
barbarism of the middle ages and the
civilization which succeeded It was the
difference between poor and good means
OF communication. On Bedloe's Island
In New York narbor stands Liberty En-.
tightening the World. go ye into ali
the earth and preach the Gospel to every
creature" means now, as when first
communicated to man, that the high.
ways and byways furnish fruitful field
for Cody work. Following the con.
struction Of good roads civilization ex
pands, education increases and Chris
tianity widens and broadens its field oI
operation. But education Is not possibl.
and Christianity Is retarded where
schoolhouses cannot be reached, and
where the highways are rot at all sea
sons passable. No fixed policy of con
solidated schools will prevail until ther,
Is systematized construction of wagor
roads, and no fixed policy Of road con
struction is possible except by fedora
cooperation with the states and the DO
litical divisions thereof.
The common or wagon roads are til,
primary means Of transportation ant
communication. The railroads hav,
their uses, and they are important, bu
people do not use them to reach church
houses and school houses. Christian
civilization and education call for bet
ter means Of propagation. Public schoo
work goes hand in hand with the sprea,
Of religion. It needs no argument I,
show that every church interest an,
every school interest Is closely connecte,
with the question of public road i'm
provement throughout the Unite,
States. We are Christian nation, an,
We are an educational people. The YER,
life Of the republic depends upon the In
auence Of the churches and the schools
for these are the certain promoters o
high ideals IN citizenship snd the incul
Gators Of that nHe spirit Of patriotism
which enables good government and sua
tains II wherever established. II ther
were NO other reasons why the govern
mont should 1t once adopt and put int
practice . good-roads policy In ooopers
ton with the states. It should do 70 4
support Of public education and th
spread Of the Christian religion.
We rspsat that the United States bu
rsau Of education, while working in II
own particular hsld. has supplied one q
the most forceful arguments yet PR
, sented In favor Of national aid to goo
roads, and we should much like to q
every church and school Journal In th
land take up the question and discuss
for the benefit Of the cause In which the
are engaged.