The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1909-04-09
The csnsral Wslfars.

-Four out Of every five Of the school
In Kentucky are In the rural
schools. -Four flftbs OF the citizens Of
the commonwealth must depend upon
the county schools for their education.
Thus, the general average intelligence,
and the consequent prosperity and
happiness, Of the citizenship Ia In di.
rect proportion TO the efficiency Of the
country schools.
Now, no one needs 10 be told that
the county schools is this state have
made almost no progress IN the last
twenty five years. The children are
huddled 10 little old unattraotive and
unsaDitary boxes, which are called
school houses. Here one teacher Is
supposed to teach rs TO 100 pupils In
classes ranging through the eight
grades Of the common school, often
having forty and fifty recItations u
day. No teacher In the world can do
much under such circumstances.
IL seems to me that good plan
would be to consolidate the ffty odd
schools Of the county into about TWEEN
ty five. repair or rebuild these twenty.
five school houses making them at
tractive and sanitary. Then put Two
or more teachers into each Of these
schools and let the schools be graded.
Two teachers with $50 pupils can do
much better work than one teacher
with rs pupils, for the 20 pupils will
range through as many classes rs the
$50. Lengthen the school term to
eight or nine months, then when the
pupils inish-the common school and
come up to the High School they are
prepared to take up the regular work
without the usual years delay Ia ad.
justment.
In the more populous district graded
schools with three to five teachers
should be established, and II they do
so desire two years high school
course can be maintained.
Then, at the county seat there
should be highly efficient High
School for those pupils of the county
who wish to pursue their studies fur
ther, or be fitted for entrance to COL
lege.
But, some one objects, such a scheme
calls for increased taxation. Would
that people might realize that money
paid for education is an investment
aud not taxation. No investment pays
a better Immediate return In increas-
ed value Of property wherever good
schools are located; and the increased
value OF the we'll trained, we'll edu-
Gated citizen over the illiterate can
not be estimated too highly.
A local levy Of twenty cents for the
county at large will be no burden.
The towns and cities pay from TWEEN
ty five to nifty cents for schools, In ad-
dition to the other municipal taxes of
seventy five cents to one dollar.
Scarcely atown is there In the state
which does not pay as much as two
dollars on the hundred. The state
and county tax In Garrard is only one
dollar. Twenty cents added will hard
ly be felt, and with that levy the
schools can be extended TO eight or
nine months; teachers can be paid
from $40 to $50 month thus attract
ing first class teachers, the most i'm
portant factor In any school system.
Good salaries will bring into the teach
ing profession young men ard women
OF native ability, and will enable them
to take special training for their work.
And here 1t is that the High School
will he of service TO the county
schools. For the present, at least,
the county schools must depend upon
the High School for the education OF
the teachers who will take charge
Of the rural schools. Only one In five
OF the teachers Ia the South have had
Normal School courses; many OF them
are not even High School graduates.
My plan, and 1t can be carried out In
Garrard county as 1t is elsewhere, is:
LIST, A centrally located High
School. first class In every respect.
I'd, Two or three graded common
schools at convenient localities, main
tanning a two year High School course.
Sd, Consolidation Of the remaining
schools into about half the present
number.
4 h, A tax levy OF twenty cents on
the hundred dollars to be distributed
throughout the county to supplement
the state fund. The County Board,
under the law. has the power to make
these improvements. win the people
approve? IL not, why not?
ID. W. Bridges principal,
I.aneasfar ~ radah Sohnal