Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1907-01-04

school teachers from 40 to 1911. The
number of graded schools has increased
from 1,O31 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
it had grown to 1852, and the quality
Of the teaching had in the meantime
seriously deteriorated. In the graded
and high school the cost per pupil adj
vanced from $11.26 to $14.S1, but one
third more than the cost of the mere
elementary training received in the I'M
graded school.
The wages paid for the male in the
ungraded schools in 1890 averaged $l3
per year and $257 in 1904. For the
female the average wage in 1890 was
SIG and $24O in 1904. In the same
period the average for the graded school
female teacher was $4S7 in 1890 and
$500 in 1904. For the male it was $7ol
in 1890 and 1882 in 1904. In 1860 wom-
en- teachers in ungraded schools worked
for as little wages as 81 per month. In
1904 the lowest wage paid was $15.
80 you see," said Dean Davenport,
1.-The country school is in serious pre-
dicament. Unless something is done
shortly. many Of them must go to the
wall. Indeed, In a number of districts
there has been no school for years be-
cause of lack of attendance. Superin-
tendent Bayliss' last report shows that
1.1aO schools had less than fifteen pu-
Dis, 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 $76 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 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 eghty-three had five pupils or few
err The cost per pupil in these eighty
three schools was 5000 per pupil per
year. In the graded schools the cost per
year of ten months for each pupil was
only S194O. 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, us 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 a 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
but weak district. In its fullest sense
it meaMs 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 a por-
ton Of the pupils, and this is one of
the problems 1t is generally accom-
plished in covered wagons, artificially
warmed, holding Is or 20 children and
driven by reliable men under contract
and bonds as to regularity and good be-
havior. At first thought this would
shown that it is cheaper to transport
a few children than to build a 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 a portion to one, making a 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 is 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
80 per cent of the townships of the
State have adopted the system, with