Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1907-01-15

there has been no school for years be-
cause of lack of attendance. Superin-
tendent Bayliss' last report shows that
1850 schools had less than fifteen pu-
PTS, that 525 schools had less than ten
pupils. and 229 less than FIVE. Taking
$40 month as the cost of teacher,
$50 per year as cost of fuel and other
expenses, and you have for an eight
months school $3.50, which means in a
school Of five that each pupil is costing
the district S76 per year. 1t is impos-
sible for anybody to successfully teach
five pupils, especially if they are young
and unambItious, as Is usually the
case
Conditions in other States.
The conditions In Illinois are no
worse than they were in Michigan In
diana, Ohio, and Iowa a few years ago,
before these States adopted consolida-
ton. In Michigan in 1902, fifty-one
schools of the 6,452 districts had two
pupils or fewer and held no schools,
and elghty-three had five pupils or few
err The cost per pupil in these eighty
three schools was $9950 per pupil per
year. In the graded schools the cost per
year of ten months for each pupil was
only 1910. The same conditions ex-
listed in Missouri and Iowa, but in the
latter State conditions have since been
materially improved.
by consolidation of schools" says
Dean Davenport, lis meant the uniting
Of two, three, or more small and weak
schools into one that shall be strong
enough In point of numbers to be in
teresting and strong enough in the way
of money to afford q comfortable build
ing. two or more good teachers, and rea-
sonable facilities for work. 1t also
means that outlying districts with but
few pupils shall be combined with a
near by school that is strong, rather
than be organized into an Independent
but weak district. In it's fullest sense
it means the uniting of all the schools
OF a township into one or two so To-
Gated as to be most accessible.
Consolidation either in full or In
part means the transportation Of por-
ton of the pupils, and this Is one of
the problems. 1t is generally accom-
plished in covered wagons, artifcially
warmed, holding 10 or 20 children and
driven by reliable men under contract
and bonds as to regularity and good be-
havior At first thought this would
seem expensive. but experience has
shown that it is cheaper to transport
a few children than to build school
for them. This Is because a wagon is
cheaper than a schoolhouse, horses
cheaper than fuel. and because drivers
cost less than teachers
Where small districts already exist
consolidation means some changes in
buildings. These changes are sometimes
effected by moving together two or
more Of the little old buildings, or by
adding portion to one, making two
or three room house. In other in
stances, new buildings are erected. All
ways are open. A makeshift seems Of
ten best at first, until the plan ls in
full operation, when a permanent build
ing seems sure to follow in good time
Consolidation was first adopted in
Massachusetts in 1869. Now more than
50 per cent Of the townships OF the
State have adopted the system, with a
saving annually to each township of
5000. Twenty States now have con.
solidatjon, and all of them report it IN
successful operation at a big reduction
in cost. Iowa reports that consolida-
ton has been adopted in sixty-three
districts of twenty-eight counties In
diana reports that 1S1 wagons trans
port 800 children in fifty-one counties,
the largest number being in Whitley
County, where seventy-three wagons
carry liza children. In La Grange
County, Indiana. thirty eight schools
were closed and 42S pupils transported
at saving of $6,734 yearly.
From the reports of the twenty
States using the system the average
cost per month for transporting child
to and from school daily is $3.50.
Transportation Stumbling Block.
This matter of transportation has
been the stumbling block in the way
of the general adoption of the system.
Farmers say that the cost is too much
and that the roads and weather fire.
/ quently are in unfit condition for
travel. Dean Davenport declares that
it is better TO expose horses to the
elements than children. Children are
frequently made sick by exposure to
storms and from sitting all day with
| wet feet and damp clothing after wad-
ing snowdrlfts, slush, and mud on the
way TO school.
Regarding the cost OF transportation,
| be says that the farmers are already
maintaining the most expensive system
possible. He says that through the
sending OF children TO graded schools
and high schools. the farmers are
paying a double toll, not only
maintaining their own inefficient
schools. but assisting through tuition
charges In maintaining city schools. He
has secured figures which largely prove
his assertion.
Advantages of Consolidation.
| The advantages arising from consol-
idstion, according TO Dean Davenport.
are as follows:
at Is much cheaper for the same
| grade OF school.
| AT the same expense much better
schools can be provided. because fewer
teachers being needed. better grade
can be secured, division OF labor es-
tablished. and some sort OF supeivis-
ion established
1T makes possible a country school
| equal in every sense 10 the best city
schools. yet within the reach OF farm
! homes
The health OF the children Is bet
ter when conveyed In wagons and land