Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-12-29

Is the little red schoolhouse doomedE
VIII the district school, in which so
many of our leading men received their
early education, cease to exist in Hi
nois? Yes, If the plans of Dean Day
export, Superintendent Bayliss, and
other leading educators of the State
are carried out as expected. These
men declare that the district school,
with one teacher poorly paid and fire.
quently inefficient. often with less than
five pupils, cannot meet the educationa!
requirements of today. They say that
the farmers child has the same right
to an education as the city beg or girl
What is more to the point, they de-
clare 1t is possible. at no increase of
expense, or at the most of a very
slight increase. to give to every rural
community as good educational advant-
ages as possessed by any city in the
State.
The remedy proposed is simple, yet
decidedly efficient, as demonstrated in
other States. 1t lies in consolidating
several weak districts In one strong
vigorous school, hiring competent teach
ers at living wages and transporting
the children to and from the centrally
located school In wagons. A very sim
pie procedure, certainly, but one which
declare the friends of the system. Will
revolutionizc the educational affairs of
the State.
Need of a Remedy Admitted.
The need of a remedy for existing
conditions has long been known to ed
ucators. Years ago it was realized by
those who studied conditions that the
district school had failed to live up to
its standard of years ago, but q rem
edy was slow to develop. Consolida.
ton, as practiced in twenty States of
the Union, Is believed by all who have
II knowledge of the facts to be the one
solution of the problem.
The district school has beer on The
wane since 1870. Despite the enormous
growth in population in the past thirty
six years the district school has show
constant decrease in attendance
Schools which formerly had severa
score enrolled, of ages ranging from
to p years, can now barely muster
scant half dozen, none of them over /.
years of age.
Dear Eugene Davenport of the Hi
nois College Of Agriculture, who ha
studied the situation carefully, give
the following facts concerning til
schools of the State, as proving cor
clusiyely that the district school is eT
tirely inadequate to the needs of tn
country child:
In 1880 the enrolment OF the Ill
graded or common country school wa
437,220; in 1890, 37S160; in 1900. BAG
OBI; in 1904, 31S,21S, a decrease /
twenty-four years of 119,002. In IL
same time the attendance of the gra,
Ell school advanced from 266,S21
$50 1856. The number of country schoo
in 1880 was 1888 and in 1904 1867
while the number of teachers decrease
from 1871 to 12,297. The decrease
the number of schools is but 256, whit
the decrease in teachers is $3.50. TIL
is accounted for. says Dean Davenpol
in the fact that in 1880 it was custoi
AT. for the summer session of the rur
school to ne presided over by your
inexperienced teacher, usually a gi
and the winter session was taught
an older and more seasoned pedagogy
Now the entire session Is taught
one teacher. and unfortunately it is I
more able one who has disappeared
some other occupation.
In the same period the number
graded school teachers has advapc
from Aus TO l5,l74, and the hi