Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-04-04
CONSOLIDATE SCHOOLS
Important Bill Sent to the Gov
ernor For Approval by the
Legislature
DISTRICTS MAY CONSOLIDATE
Heretofore the Law Provided Only for
Township Consolidation, But New
Measure Provides That Certain Dis
tricts May Effect Such consoIida-
ton.
[By Ora williams.l
o Times Republican.

SDpcl1l 10 III1lPS-
Des Mones, April 4.--The legislature
has just sent to the governor bill
to all persons interested in the rural
schools of the state as the bill requir
ing uniformity in certificaton of teach
ers. This is bill for rural school
consolidation. The present statute has
been found inadequate. 1t provides
merely that a township may vote on
consolidation. II means that the con-
solidation must include a township or
not be made; and it always SO happens
that there are portions of township
which will suffer a comparative in
justice, hence the vote against con-
soldation la any township is gener-
ally close. In fact, the township school
system is found. in practice. to be in
applicable to most townships. Now,
the latest idea is to provide that con-
solidation may be effected in any terri
tory of not less than sixteen square
miles, or practically four districts, and
this without regard to township or
county lines, the initiative to be a pc
tition of the residents of the district
and decision to be made by vote. In
this way an enlargement of districts
NAV be accomplished without adhering
strictly to the township unit. 1t will
permit of consolidation in irregular
forms. The idea is to have the school
officers divide up a county or town
ship, or a part of a county, into such
forms as will eliminate the small
schools. and have a vote taken all at
one time The county superintendent
must approve all plans before the mat
ter is finally submitted to the electors.
1t is believed the rights of the minority
are sufficiently safeguarded In the Dill,
so that there will never be any COM
plant. The bill went thru the house
Yesterday after passing the senate, and
there was no fight on it anywhere.
This plan is development OF the
ideas of leading educators as they have
been expressed In recent years. State
Barrett made much of
the township consolidation idea, for
that seemed the only practicable thing
and then State Superintendent Rlggs'
instead of trying to undo what his pre-
decessor had accomplished. took 1t UP
and completed it by careful Develop
ment of the independent district con-
solidation plan just put into law. IL Is
expected this will cut out great many
of the schools of the state where the
attendance is ten or less, and greatly
reduce the net cost of the schools.
An illustration Of the advantage of
two houses instead OF one was
given Yesterday. The senate had
passed a bill which was apparently in
tended to throw additional safeguards
around those likely to be swindled, ana
which would prevent the bringing OF
an action on a note or written lnstru-
ment in Justice court i'm amy county
other than that in which the debtor
lives. 1t was quickly pointed out In the
house that this would seriously inter-
fere with the banking business and
compel a change in the manner of col
lecting on small notes. especially by
banks located in towns near a county
line. Nearly everyone took a shot at
the bill and it was finally postponed
indefinitely on unanimous VOTE But
the senate had passed the Dill.
The usual effort was made by Colonel
Temple to defeat the Chassell Dill Tor
a family mileage book by having it
sent to the committee on railroads. OF
course. that committee would have
prepared for hearing on the Dill in
a hont two weeks. The house wouldn't
have If and passed the bill. The SEN
ate sitting committee will now show
what it is for.
The Teter bill to require candidates
TO indicate how much they have spent
FOR campaign purposes and how. failed
in the house. Nobody wanted such
measure.
The Cummings bill to prevent unjust
has at last passed both
branches and will go to the governor