Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1907-02-07

$3.50
Der Of schools should be enough to furnish
better school accommodations to children,
better wages to teachers, such transporter
ton Of consolidation requires, and a longer
school term.
@Mr. 6. T. Fletcher, agent Of the Mass.
State Board Of Education, in a report to
said Board, says: "Just when and where
consolidation ion small scale began, we
cannot tell. The cause and the fact Of a
beginning are both evident. There came
to the people, slowly at first, realization
that the interest, economy, and efficiency
that had in many cases characterized the
large schools of former days we're wanting.
The struggle to retain the same number Of
schools as when the adult population was
greater, the property valuation twice as
large, and the township had three times as
many children OF school age was painfully
evident then as now The school bad been
the common center of interest, and the
thought Of its closing was shock to the
people. No wonder deep-seated feeling
existed, and still continues, that home
interest and property valuation would suf-
fer from the discontinuance of the local
schools"
Notwithstanding these objections, con-
solicitation and transportation have steadily
gained in the rural communities. The
amounts expended for conveyance during a
eriod of ten years show rapid introduce
ton of the new order of things. In 1888,
1889 there was expended for transportation
in Mass. the sum Of $22, 1888; while in
1897. 1893, 1923, 1924 was expended for
the same purpose. An increase of 500, GOO
in less than a single decade.
Mr., o. F. Kern, Superintendent Of Win
nebago county, Illinois, gives an interest
ing account of his visit to the centralized
schools of Ohio. AS this report gives an
excellent idea Of the practical work OF the
plan Of consolidation and transportation, ]
will quote at some length.
s.In company with State Superintendent
Bayless and Supervisor Black: OF Owen,
had the great pleasure of visiting the cen
tralized schools OF northeastern Ohio. The
first place we visited was Berry, Lake Co.,
where there is township high school. The
principal Professor Morrison, is pioneer
in the matter of Capitalization. He assured
us that the experiment was no longer an
experiment: that the new movement wiis
the logical solution OF the country sehos
problem, and that Capitalization OF districts
with transportation of pupils had come to
STAY. It gave much better schools with !,
slight, if any, increase in the cost to the
township. The opposition to the plan has
long since died out. This has been the
testimony at every place visited thus far.
At this particular place, however, there was
only one wagon drawing children. So we
drove on to North Madison, in Madison
township, where three wagons are used.
On our way there we saw the rst wage n
We stopped as the farm house and talked
with the driver He carried all the chill
lren from the district, about twenty in
number. His route was five miles long.
That is TO say, starting as the first home to
pick up child until he arrived at the CEN
bral school was five miles. Then he drove
back home after delivering the children,
bhus covering ten miles in the morning. Of
course he travelled the same ground after
school, thus making twenty miles in all.
He got ST. 20 day for his work. Wei
asked him if be made any money at it, he
said he did, as he was working small farm
shat did not require all the time and labor
Of his team. We asked him if he had any
Brouble with the children and he replied
none. He said be was employed by the
b)wnship board Of education, who put him
under bond to be careful with the Children
to have safe team; to provide suitable
wagon, covered and provided with curtains,
and containing soap stones and lap robes
for the seyerest weather. We asked wis.,
objections she parents along the route had
to the new plan. His reply was that she
only objection was on The part OF two or
three at she beginning of the route, as
they had to get their children ready some
what earlier than they used to when they
went to the district school. OF course
the children must be ready when the
wagon comes. He aimed to start at Z 30
AID arrive at the building not later than
{. As. Thus there were no children tardy;
none came with wet feet or clothing; the
attendance was greatly increased and much
more regular. The driver believed she
had come to stay; that the peo-
pie would not consent to go back TO the old
way. A short distance on toward the ces
tralized school we had very interesting
with Mr.. Fuller, a member Of
the township board Of education. Mr..
Ii r.