The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-04-23


peared the little prince will be very
heartily welcomed by the people over
whom he will one day rule, for his
birth means that the threatened alb
sorption by Germany will be post
poned for a time at least.
CONSOLIDATE THE SCHOOLS.
State Superintendent Presents Plan
for Consolidation of the Rural
Schools.
State Superintendent H. A. Ustrud
of the state department Of education
is doing good work in calling atten-
ton to the Importance of the CEN
tralization of the rural schools of
the state. He has spent better part
OF the year gathering facts, and these
he has assembled in recently is
sued pamphlet under the title Con
solidation of Schools in South Dako-
ta." The pamphlet is exceedingly In
teresting reading and clearly points
the way to great improvement in
the rural schools of the state at a
reduced cost of administration.
The plan is to abolish the small
one-teacher country schools which
are attended by only few pupils of
all grades, and to centralize the ed
ucational effort of the township in
a graded school in each township,
to which the pupils are carried daily
In conveyances at public expense.
and where the enthusiasm of num-
bers and system are such as to bring
the results. The plan has been
worked out successfully IN many
states, and Superintendent Ustrud
is on the right track in seeking to
have the system established in South
Dakota.
This plan originated in Ohio in
1892, and it has been fully develop
ed in that state. 1t was found in
that state that better rural schools
could be maintained at one central
point in a township, to which the
pupils were transported, at the gem
eral cost, where the grades were fol-
lowed, and where systematic work
was done in building well equipped
and with the best Of sanitary and
educational environment. In such
schools attendance is more regular,
the school term is longer, the cases
of hardness are fewer, and the gem
eral grade work Is done better. In
other words it, Is a question of or
ganization, and OF focusing things.
\ which means always the biggest re-
suits from the least expense.
In Georgia, consolidation has been
accomplished in sixty counties with
the best of results. In Iowa the
plan is being worked in one-half Of
the counties of the state. Maine, Yer
mont and Massachusetts have the
plan in actual practice. while pf
course in Ohio it has become univer-
sally: popular. Indiana is fast TAX
ing the lead In Capitalization. From
1904 to 1908, about 700 schools were
abandoned, the number up to last
year being 1914. There are now
41S consolidated schools in that
state, which means that over 16, 900
rural pupils are now being daily
carried by wagons to the central
schools at cost per wagon per day
of $1.87. One teacher schools are
fast disappearing in Indiana and In
a few years the small, isolated rural
school with an underpaid teacher
and q dozen pupils will practically
disappear.
There are plenty Of advantages for
the consolidated schools. Under this
plan, It is easier to provide good
buildings. They are. lighted, heat
Led, and ventilated better. The cost
lof maintenance 10 less. It costs less
to heat. and repairs are less. The
gross expenditures for supplies, APP
Iparatus, and maintenance IL smaller.
Better teachers can be secured be-
cause better salaries can be paid.
Teachers are engaged Tor. longer
term, and being paid larger salaries.
better equipped teachers can be Sc
cured. Closer and better supervi-
lsion is made possible. and the coun-
" superintendent. having fewer
schools to visit. can work much mors
le6ectiyely. There Is hess politics N
school administrations and fewer
Iquarrels. There Il : longer term Of
school, much more interest on the
part of the pupils, more enthusiasm
lin the work more Systematic grad-
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