The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1905-06-10
Correspondence baltimore County onioh:
EI.RvENTH DISTRICT SCI noT.s
The Consolidation Question yiscussed-
Favors the Plan Under Certain
Conditions.
FORK, MD., june 7tb 1aOs

FORK. Md, June 9TH. 1906
,Nsssrs. Editors :-On Tuesday of this week a
committee went to Towson with petition sign
Cd Inv every patron of school l. 18th district. to
present to the School Board, protesting against
the removal of that school. similar petition
from lakewood school, above Baldwin Station,
had already been sent in against the removal of
that school. The Board not meeting until Wed
nesdav. the majority, reinforced by new mem
bers. returned on that day and were granted a
hearing.
The following facts in the matter are given for
the benefit of the public of Baltimore county
who are interested in the public school system:
Several years ago school district In Ohio was
selected and the schools within its territory were
consolidated at a central point. Buildings were
rented and all the children were conveyed from
the different sections in wagons by responsible
drivers, wraps being provided in cold weather.
BY centralizing they were enabled toi give each
teacher few grades only. adding also higher
courses than were taught in the single schools,
resulting in an increased attendance of from %
to over 90 per cent, as all children could 20 in
bad weather. Byadding higher efficiency child
could 20 at least year longer. New buildings
were erected and the boys drawn together organ
lied brass band. People moved from the city,
as they could enjoy the advantages Of the coun-
try with fine schooling for their children. All
this was done with the amount of money anhu-
ally allowed by the School Board for that dis
trict before consolidation, and aftera few years
they had money to their credit in the treasury.
The result was SO satisfactory that about the
whole State of Ohio has adopted it ana 1t is now
known as the Ohio system of consolidation of
schools. Many Western States have also adop-
ted it. as well as number Of the Southern and
Eastern States. - ~.sf.- 49, s,s.5s3.
The Baltimore county School Boar hes adop-
ted the system this scholastic year and has put
it into actual practice in tho 9th districts in q
limited way. Mr.. Frank G. Scott. School Com
missioner for that district, last fall consolidated
one small school with larger one. Acontract
was made for the children to be carried to the
school at an expense q $500. Some objection
was made at first, but the children riding to
school is so superior 10 walking and the advan-
tage of more teachers in the one school has won
over the DIRECTORS In the 18th district, near
Chase, another coatract was made last fall at
$500 for the conveyance Of children to a larger
school rather than build a small school. The
Maryland law on the subject reads as follows:
ut shall be the duty of the Board of School
| Commissioners to consolidate schools when in
| their Judgment consolidation Is practicable and
| desirable and 70 arrange for and pay the neces-
sary cost of transporting pupils to and from such
| consolidatedschools, and determine what pupils
shall thus be transported at public expense"
| The School Board, a few months ago. author
lied Mr.. John Arthur, Commissioner for the 18th
district TO consolidate schools 4, II and H. known
as Baldwin, Hyde and lakewood schools. Acting
upon this Mr.. Arthur selected, at cost of $500,
an acre of ground from Mr. Charles E. Burton,
| on the turnpike near Watkins old tavern, on
| which to erect new and up-to-dat school
| house, expecting to have enough children to
require the employment of two or perhaps
| three teachers, but had not thought Unnecessary
to provide the facilities for transporting the
pupils, as is clearly required by the law. The
new site being within 227 yards of headquarters
of mile of the Baldwin school, and 81 feet less
than TX miles from the lakewood school. and
about miles from Hyde's school the patrons as
unit object to the consolidation unless trans
portation is provided. Some of the children
would have to walk miles or more to get to the
new school. This would be going backward 40
years, when only one school was in that section.
II consolidation is carried out WITHOUT trans
| portation facilities many of the children above
| the ridge who now attend lakewood school would
| go to Sweet Air, as it is nearer. Some now at
| tending Baldwin school would go to Fork and
the parochial school at st. Johns. The total at
| tendance in the three schools is about rs, with
an average attendance of about so. Consolida-
ton without transportation would reduce the
attendance below an average of 40, so that the
consolidated school would be a one-teacher
school in modern up-to-date school house.
This is what the patrons object to, and the COM
mittee insisted that If the Commissioners would
not leave the schools as they are, but do consol-
idate them, that they provide transportation as
it is done at other points.
After hearing the committee Mr.. Arthur was
empowered to decide the matter and he has
agreed to give hearing to the people, mass
meeting will be called of the patrons the three
schools to talk the matter over with Mr.. Arthur,
SO that he may act wisely and to the best in
terest of the people.
! 1t was suggested that Mr.. Arthur go further
and include Long Green and other schools and
| transport to this central school, which would
| give fine school with corps of able teachers.
By adding more ground to the present acre and
| introducing home economics and the agriculture
features, as is now being done in other states,
will give school superior to all now in the
county, except possibly the high schools.
The School Board has about completed arrange
ments with lady of marked ability to teach
home economics in the larger schools of the
county, and we want it at this consolidated
school. Nothing is too good for us in the 18th
| disfrict Yours trulv w n RTDDTE