The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1906-06-14

Consolidation as Business Proposition.
When a business man considers q
new plan which is to effect the cost
and returns Of his business, he wisely
considers both sides of the new pro-
posal. II It's advantages outweigh it's
disadvantages and better returns are
assured, he Is ready TO adopt 1t even II
the cost be temporarily increased.
| think We should consider the con-
solidation question as business
proposition for such 1t is, pure and
simple.
II there Is plan for educating our
boys and girls which will presumably
bring better results isn't 1t a bust
ness proposition to consider it aud see
what it has done where 1t has been
tried?
Consolidation or combining districts
to gain Capitalization and systematic
work Is not new plan. It Ia IN use
In sufficient number of states to re-
present more than half the population
Of the United States and has been
tried for years. Massachusetts, aud
California out claased Oregon In the
school exhibit at the Lewis and CLARK
exposition because OF the greater
number and efficiency of their high
schools. Consolidation is In use in
both these states and has been for
years. The plan has proven great
success where 1t has been tried. Then
why not cry itp
Some one asys 1t will cost too much.
The opposite has proven true where
the plan has been tried. Mt. Tabor
will unquestionably be consolidated
with the oity schools OF Portland on
June 1S, because 1t is by their figures
much cheaper. Some one says they
do not have that ponderous question
of transportation Of pupils to deal
with. In my judgement the best
method of handling this question,
which l assure you is not at all n seri
GUS question to those who try to solve
1t, is not to try to run wagons cover
lag all parts Of the district, but to pay
"a mileage to all pupils living more
than two miles from the school build
ing, as provided for by our present
law, and let them transport themselves
as they may choose. III the mileage
equals or exceeds the cost of boarding,
the district should reserve the right
to pay no more than the cost of board
VIII it not build up the town at the
expense of the country In one sense
Of the word every town Is built up ut
the expense of the country. There
would be no town Of Hood River II
there we're no commodities to handle
for the people of the valley, and no
one will handle the farmers products
nor sell him the neoessaries of life
without charging him for 1t. The
town and country are inseparable In
their business and commercial rela-
tions. Each is dependent upon the
other. Whatever benefits one benefits
also the other Had the town of Hood
River a 500, 900 high school and pupils
to fill it, its influence would draw a
class of homeseekers which would
benefit every landowner in the valley.
Money spent for first class school
Is always we'll spent, and 1t is general
ly the larger taxpayers, who have fig
ured the best means of getting returns
for their money that are the most ar
dent supporters of school improve.
ment and are willing to pay their
share of the tax.
This question has been discussed
and argued in all the districts pro-
posed for consolidation, and | am sure
il it Is voted down at the school cleo |
tion, it will be because some do not
yet understand the plan.
Remember 1t will improve and not |
lessen the pride in local schools |
it will give the smaller schools longer
terms and better teachers; it will give |
us one well organized instead of four
independent systems of school work |
it will increase .the number of pupils
in the upper grades; it will be the
cheapest method of getting our child.
ren through high school and at the
same time give the smaller schools the
advantage of supervision otherwise
impossible.
With the mileage plan for transpor-
tation, the only real objection | can
see to the plan is that for the first
year it may cost tritle more, but for
the first three years | am confident it
will prove cheaper plan than the old
plan we are now using. | am an ar
dent believer in the success of the
consolidation plan and hope the voters
in the proposed districts will vote in
favor of it. y
ssss.s -. ;. i gs..5..1.. - i L. A. Wiley.