The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-12-04

would do working alone and trying to
teach everything.
u 1t males possible the conduct of the
school with proper regard to the indus
tries and professions of life and it Is
the very best way in which agriculture,
nature study and household science can
be generally introduced into the country
schools.
"S 1t makes unnecessary the sending OF
the country boys and girls away from
home into the towns and cities to get
high school privileges.
80 1t makes possible expert supervision
on the part of the county superintendent
by lessening the number of schools.
These are a few reasons why educa-
tors believe that the best results can be
obtained from the consolidation of the
rural schools.
II. was for the purpose of studying the
practical workings of this system that
the study tour mentioned was made. The
plan has been worked out successfully in
a number of the states of the middle
west, and especially has it been success
ful in the states visited by our party.
Educators Belief
"rhe township in which the little city
of Charlottesville, InS is located is the
largest township in the state of Indi-
ana and one of the most prosperous. This
township has in 1t two consolidated rural
schools. The school buildings are five
AMI six-room brick buildings located in
the country and equipped with every
modcrn convenience. The children are
transported to the school in large covered
wagons, each holding from ii to 20 pupils.
These wagons pick up the children, bring
them to school and in the afternoon take
them as nearly as possible directly to
their homes. This is done on an average
cost of about s2.25 per day for the driver
and the wagons. The drivers are paid
by the township, which has the right to
levy a tax for that purpose. 1t was
found that in the consolidated schools of
the Charlottesville district advantages
wero offered to pupils in the country
schools equal in almost every respect to
the advantages offered I'M city schools.
Aside from the teaching of the elemen-
tary and high school academic branches,
especial attention was given in these
schools, as it was in all others, to teach
ing agriculture, horticulture. manual
training, domestic science and other
things which would inspire tie youung
STUDENT with a love for farm life. for
home life for the fresh air and the free
dom of the country.
'sWhat / have said to the schools in
the Charlottesville township of Indiana
applies to almost every district visited by
our party, except in some of the other
townships of Indiana, and In some of the
townships of Ohio and Ontario, and espe-
cially one in Maryland, the plan was more
extensive and the work done more elab-
crate
AS indicated above, the work done by
these consolidated country schools could
not possibly be accomplished by number
of one-teacher district schools. The peo-
pie find that majority of the boys when
they reach the age of 10 and 16, instead of
wanting to go to the city, either have
desire to remain ON the farm or an ambi-
ton to go to some state agricultural
school to better equip themselves for work
on the farm, and that the girls are SUI
premely happy In their fresh-air lie
around the country home. This is almost
universally true, and school officials state
that this condition has been brought
about largely through the influence of the
consolidated rural schools.
Plan the Same
1T Is not necessary for me to explain
in detail how the plan is carried out in
Indiana. Ohio, and the other sections
visited. 1t is materially the same in all.
The people in a given district or town
Shin are allowed to vote on the question
Of consolidation, and 1t is stated that al
though in the first election there may
have been some opposition to the CONSOLE
cation Of all the schools. thus taking
little school from almost every farmers
door, that after few years trial, when
the question was again submitted. there
have been few opposing votes. 1t is In
teresting to observe that 1t was rapidly
seen that the average attendance in these
consolidated schools ran between 50 and
% per cent. This may have been brought
about by compulsory education laws or
as is more probable, it was accomplished
by the interest which the parents and the
children take in the schools.
1.-THE consolidated schools are strictly
community or district schools, supported
almost entirely by the people of the dis
trict In which the schools are located