Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1907-01-04


Will the district school, in which 50
many Of our leading men received their
early education, cease to exist in I'LL
nois? Yes, if the plans of Dean Dav-
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 educational
requirements of to-day. They say that
the farmers child has the same right
to al education as the city boy or girl.
What is more to the point, they de-
clare it is possible, at no Increase of
expense, or at the most Of 4 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
crs at living wages, and transporting
the children to and from the centrally
located school in wagons. 4 very sim
pie procedure certainly, but one which.
declare the friends of the system, VIII
revolutionize the educational affairs of
the State.
Need of n 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
a knowledge of the facts to be the one
solution of the problem.
The district school has been on the
wane since 1870. Despite the enormous
growth in population in the past thirty
six years the district school has shown
a constant decrease In attendance
Schools which formerly had several
score enrolled. of ages ranging from 6
to % years, can now barely muster a
scant half dozen, none of them over 10
years Of age.
Dear Eugene Davenport of the ILL
nois College of Agriculture who has
studied the situation carefully, gives
the following facts concerning the
schools of the State, as proving con
clusively that the district school is en-
tirely inadequate to the needs of the
country child:
In 1880 the enrolment of the IN
graded or common country school was
49,, 800; in 1890, 37S, 100: in 1900. 346 :
o37; in 1904, 31S,21S, a decrease in
twenty four years Of 119,002. In the
same time the attendance of the grad
ed school advanced from 266S21 to
66O, 1856. The number of country schools
in 1880 was 1888 and in 1904 1867
while the number of teachers decreased
from 1T.347 to 12.29T. The decrease in
the number of schools is but go. while
the decrease in teachers is $3.50. This
IS accounted for, says Dean Davenport.
in the fact that IN 1880 it was custom
school to be presided over by young,
inexperienced teacher, usually q girl,
and the winter session was taught by
an older and more seasoned pedagogue
Now the entire session is taught by
one teacher, and unfortunately it is the
more able one who has disappeared In
some other occupation.
In the same period the number of
graded school teachers has advanced
from 4,90S to 1914, and the high
school teachers from 40 to 1,S11. The
number of graded schools has increased
from 1851 to 2,21S and the high schools
from 10 to 406.
Cost Per Pupil STA In 1850.
In 1880 the cost per pupil enrolled in
the ungraded school was STA. In 1904
1t had grown TO $3.50, and the quality
Of tie teaching had in the meantime
seriously deteriorated. In the graded
and high school the cost per pupil adj
vanced from S11.26 to S14S1, but one
third more than the cost Of the mere
elementary training received in the IN
graded school.
The wages paid for the male in the