The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1908-02-14
Problems of Consolidation. Public
Sentiment Changing. Dry Farm
ing Will Effect Schools.
MONEY WASTED ON
SCHOOL BUILDINGS.
When Editors CritiCise, Individuals
Take Offense. Teachers Who
Can't Spell.
(By the Editor.)

Wy IhC IuieOi'V
Throughout the county there is a
prevailing spirit in favor OF good
schools, but there has always been
a serious disadvantage to combat.
The country has been settled UP by
families of small means, and school
houses have been built in little COM
munities which gradually outgreW
the capacity of the school house, and
a crowded condition existed for a
while then the problem would be set
tied by building another room, divid-
ing the district or losing the old
house and building larger one.
Each of these systems Is waste
full in some way, and the worst waste
Is the waste of the time of the child
rem in mixed schools where there are
20 many grades that nobody receives
more than smattering of any of the
branches taught
In some of the new communities
like Twin Falls, where large tracts
we're settled at one time, and by peo-
ple of more means, 1t was possible
to anticipate the needs of the school
system for term of years, and to
build to meet those needs. Central
schools were built, conveyances pro-
vided to take the pupils to and from
school, and those living long dis
tance in the country have the advan-
tages of good graded school, with
a minimum of expense for buildings
and operating expenses
On account of these conditions the
schools of this county are at a dis
advantage which they cannot recov-
er from very speedily. In some To-
ealities people have tried to consoli-
date school districts and have central
schools, but in sparsely settled dis
tricts 1t is rendered impractical by
physical reasons. Two things may
bring about a solution of the prob
lem IN these localities. Cutting up
the large farms or ranches into
many smaller farms, and increasing
the population in the given territory,
and the practice of dry farming to
ELL up unsettled spots in the district,
uy0rfh1ncc
Better Ground Needed.
Better buildings and better
grounds are needed in very many
districts, and more local pride
should be cultivated in the school.
Grounds should be fixed up, walks
built and school rooms decorated.
The fact that the school house may
be removed to some other place to
keep it in the center of the popula-
tion Is not sufficient excuse for
neglecting it and having it looking
like sheep pasture from year to
year. Cultivating the love of home,
the love of nature, and esthetic
tastes in pupils is worth the sacri-
fee, even If the site has to be aban-
doned sometime and a new one
selected
Better Houses Needed.
1t is source of congratulation to
the people of the county that the
practice of using the school house
for all kinds of parties and enter
tainments is dying out. Our present
county superintendent has taken a /
firm stand in this matter, and only
three or four districts in the county
permit this now, while few years |
ago ,it was the common practice |
This change is accounted for by rea-
son Of the country getting settled |
up more, the people having more
means to provide other places of |
meeting, and by the cultivation of
the school idea. The old idea that
the school is an adjunct of some
thing else, side consideration to
accommodate itself to any or all
other matters, is dying out, and
people are coming to look upon the
school more in the light of some
thing entitled to first consideration,
to which any and all other things
must bend. The school fund is re-
garded as an important thing, tb be
sacredly guarded as the school house
and the school sessions.
Public Sentiment Changes.
An example of the change in pub
lie sentiment in regard to school
matters is Illustrated by single ex-