The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-08-30

III VI s - 49,
hey advance SO will our civilization.
AS they advance SO Will our entile
country, and in equal ratio.
Good roads would revolutionlze our
country schools. Contrast the lot .,
the country child on his way to schooI
in winter with that of the city child
with only a few blocks of paved streets
to ak. Our country child, Win
satchel over shoulders and lunch pas
ket in hand, must leave the cheerIul
fireside of home from half an hour
to an hour before school opens In or
der to be there on time. The roads
are wet and muddy many months IN
the year. The country is open and
the cold winds are unmerciful in their
attacks upon him. So that, by the
time he reaches the school mouse,
which is often unscientifically Ventl-
lated and poorly heated, his feet are
so cold and his body SO chilled that
he is Unfit for study OF recitation most
of the day, and the exposure and chill
ing Of the body invite pneumonia and
other diseases.
These conditions cause broken and
irregular They create an
aversion in the child for the school
room instead of a pride in punctuaI
attendance and studious advancement.
Not only this, but a mother hates to
see her chlld rem trot off to school two
or three miles away in cold, bad
weather. She fears that the injurious
effects upon the body from the expo
sure viii do greater harm han the ben
eficial effects upon the mind will do
good. She realizes that a vigorous
mind 2 only dwell in a healthy body,
and that it would be a INSTRUCTED
exercise Of maternal care to force her
children to school under conditions Of
exposure which ~endanger their bodily
health.
Improved roads would be a great
factor in reducing the percentage of
iHlteracy which exists throughout the
country. Our present illiteracy can
not be reduced to any appreciate ex-
tent except by marshalling all of the
children, both city and into
n school rooms. This can only be
accomplished by a system Of compuI-
sorry education. Some of our States
have already passed compulsory edu-
cation laws, and in many other States
the sentiment in favor of such laws
is SO pronounced as to indicate their
early enactment. These laws prove a
blessing when wisely framed and prop
eTly administered. There are no OBJ
stacleS to their efficient administration
IN our cities. Everybody in close
proximity to the schooIhouses and
can easily reach them with but little
exposure in the worst weather. But
in the rural districts, the opposite is
true. IF all Of the roads were in good
CONDITION 50 as to remain high and
dry 1t WOuld be possible to success
Tuily enforce such a law even in the
rural districts. but with the present
condition Of the most Of the roads.
it is impTacticabIe. And the cfatac
IN their efforts to thus bestow q bless
ing upon their children would be at
tempting an unkind henefaction for
winch they Would pay by q resultant
loss II the physique and mental vigor
OF u future generations.
IN addition, improved roads would
make possible a new system Of central
schoois, which would insure better
schools at less cost. Some scheme
could be devised for CARRYING the
children to and from school. which
would be impossible over our present
PAD ROADS and with the small and
paulS located schools in most country
communities It would be possible
under a system for one school central
~ located to receive all of the children
within a radius Of from four r. Ga
miles. This would make 1t possible
to establish graded schools ia all of
the rural districts. Large and COM
modious buildings, could be provided
more competent teachers could he
employed. and all the modern aci1i-
GOOD ROADS AND BETTER TWO
ties Tor teaching supplied at a mini
mum cost This would reduce the tax
ieEy upon the patrons. provide a better
school for the children, and elevate
the moral and social tone of the com
munity.
rms Is being done now in some of
or States that have improved their
ROADS Indiana and Ohio have each
improved about One-third of their
ROADS, and in these States the schools
are being consolidated. The small
Schoolhouse Of one room is being re-
piaceo by d central schoolhouse of
half a dozen rooms and as many
teachers. Wagons are sent out every
morning to gather the children up
ana TAX them to school and to take
them home every evening. All the
chlldren within a radius of several
miles are thus taken to one school
1t is found to cost less propOrtiOnately
to build and equip one large central
I Schoolhouse than it does to build and