The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1908-02-21
Cache County School Superintendent
j. l.. McCarry is Favorably Inn
pressed on This Question.
HAS BEEN TRIED IN
TWENTY-FIVE STATES,
Is Being Tried in Utah---Many Ad-
vantages to be Obtained--What
Late DIR. Parks Found.

, Never in the history of the worlt
has there been time when humani
ty was progressing so rapidly as /
Is today. Especially Is this true IL
school affairs. The last seventy-fivt
years have witnessed greater changes
educationally than all the centuries
before this time had known. A great
many of the fathers and mothers
know from experience that we have
advanced in one short life from the
old log school house with its slab
seats and spelling book to the mod
ern we'll ventilated brick school
house with adjustable seats and a
multitude of books. The change in
system can be better understood
when we remember, that in the days
of Shakespeare child went to school
at Z o'clock in the morning, studied
and recited until noon, came in at
l o'clock, and went through the same
routine nutil 6 o'clock In the even-
ing. When the teacher felt that a
recess In the afternoon would be a
good thing, the patrons objected.
They said that there was fifteen
minutes in the afternoon when neith-
er teacher nor pupils we're doing
anything. However, the teacher felt
the need of the intermission and
taught until fifteen minutes after
6 o'clock to make up the lost time.
Today we are accomplishing more
and better work in our schools in
less than half the time.
Educators of today note that there
Is not the same advancement in the
system Of the country schools that Is
found In the city schools. A remedy
has been sought, and as a result,
county consolidation Is agitating
almost every progressive school COM
munity in the United States In
twenty-five of the states of the union
this idea has been carried out sue
cessfully, but in no instance has
there been a return to old conditions
after having tried the new.
In the state of Utah, Salt Lake,
Weber and Box Elder counties are
consolidated, and while every mem
ber in these counties are not salts
fed with the change, consolidation
has one hundred friends to every
enemy In Salt Lake and Weber
counties every school will be held
nine months, thus giving every child
an opportunity to get full years
schooling.
County consolidation in brief is
as follows: All counties in Utah,
With school population of over
three thousand, may be united by
the county commissioners into one
district to be known as a County
School district of the First Glass.
Said school district is again sub
divided into five representative pre-
cincts, and one member is elected
from each Of the five precincts The
five members elected comprises the
County Board of Education. This
Board OF Education has powers SINH
ar to that now vested in the local
board of trustees.
The average per capita for the
county Logan not included, is
51190.50, Hyrum the lowest dis
rict in the county is $3.50, 10 below
he average. With a school popula-
ion Of 632 1t means that II the coun-
y were consolidated the children of
1yrum would have the benefit Of
1894, 402.40 more taxable property
zach year. OF course this amount of
would come from some 9TH
n districts In the county; but can we
ay that the child who is fortunate
,nough to be born near million
lollar gold mine is justly entitled to
my more advantages educationally
han the boy who is born in a power
y stricken district. The spirit of
'ur nation since its inception has
'een "All men are created equal"
We are a distinctive nation today,
ecause of our school system and we
eel that the rich and poor should be r
iven the same educational advant-
geg. !
Again our property has the value d
hat we place Upon 1t largely because s
I the intelligence OF the people. Take q
rom this county our schools and iso- q
ate US from the outside world and I