The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1910-09-08
THE BRooK1NGs REGISTER, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1910
GOOD RoADs-GooD SCHOOLS.
Continued from first page

80
: illiteracy which exists throughout the
country. Our present illiteracy can
not be reduced 10 any appreciate ex
5 cept by ~marshalling all of the children
g both city and country, into he school
/, rooms. This can only be accomplish.
ed By a system OF compulsory educa
ton. Some Of our states have al
ready passed compulsory education
laws, and in many other states the
sentiment in favor of such laws Is
, so pronounced as to indicate theiI
early enactment. These laws prove
. a blessing when wisely framed and
properly administered There are no
: obstacles to their efficient administra-
ton IN our cities. Everybody is in
I, close proximity 10 the school houses
and can easily reach them with but
little exposure in the worst weather.
But in the rural districts, the oppo-
site is true. II all roads were in good
condition so as 10 remain high and
dry il would be possible TO success
fully enforce such a law eve in the
rural districts, but with the present
condition OF the most OF the roads,
IL Is ;mpractica5ie. And the states IL
their efforts TO thus bestow a bles-
sing upon their children would be at
tempting an unkind benefaction for
which they would pay by a resultant
loss in the physique and mental vigor
OF our future generations.
In addition, improved roads would
make possible a new system OF cen
trail schools, which would insure bet
ter schools at less cost. Some scheme
could be devised for carrying the
children 10 and from school, which
would be impossible over our present
bad roads and with the small and
badly located schools in most country
communities. 1t would be possible
under such a system for one school
centrally located TO receive all OF the
children within a radius of from four
10 five miles. This would make it
possible 10 establish graded schools
in all of the rural districts. Large
and commodious buildings could be
provided, more competent teachers
could be employed, ard all of the
modern facilities of teaching supplied
at . minimum cost. This would re-
duce the tax levy upon the patrons,
provide a better school for the chill
dren, and elevate the moral and social
tone OF the community.
This is being done now in some of
our states that have improved 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 replaced by a
central scboolhouse OF half a dozen
rooms and as many teachers. Wagons
are sent out every morning 10 gath
'er the children up and take them TO
school and TO .'ake lem home every
evening. All the children within a
radius of several miles are thus taken
TO one school. II is found to cos
less proportionately to build and
equip one large central schoolhouse
than it does to build and equip sever
al smaller ones. Libraries and read
ing rooms are provided for these
schools, lecture courses are easily
arranged, and the children being
brought together in such large num-
bers are properly graded; class spirit
is e~ngendered, and greater pride and
love for the school fostered.
Church attendance would also be
stimulated by road Improvement.
When one has a nice smooth road
to travel over he doesn't mind driv-
ing three or four miles to church.
Small congregations would thus be
augmented. The people would be-
come Interested and take pride in
their churches. Larger and more
comfortable churches would be built,
and both children and grown people
would attend church more regularly
than they do now with our bad roads
and distant and uncomfortable church
es; for church going is not only bene-
fetal from the religious atmosphere
which prevades them, but there is also
an attractive social feature connected
with them which is a benefit and a
blessing to the people.
The schools and churches of a com
munity are its greatest moral and ed.
vocational forces. Next T. them, per-
haps, stands rural free delivery,
which brings the people of the rural
districts in daily touch with the cities
and the business world. 1t places in
their hands the daily papers, maya
zines, and all of the current literature
OF the country, so that they may be
as we'll informed as to what is trans
piring in the political, literary and
comercial world as their brothers in
/ AAt Wy "a DNAAtilNlaA ClLtItS vi
this service upon the happiness and
home comforts of our rural population
is Unreasonable, and nothing contrib
ute to its efficiency and regularity
more than improved roads.
The Importance of improving our
roads Is so great that it demands the
most serious consideration of every
one. II should command our immed.
late and persistent efforts. Both old
and young have an interest in it.
They should all be educated to a re-
alization of It's importance and bear
ing on their welfare; the old one so
they may begin the work Of improve
ment, and the young ones so they will
be prepared and willing to take up
the work begun and carry it forward
to a high degree of perfection.
To this end it would be a wise
policy to include in u school cours-
,es, both high school and college, a
course In road construction and main
tenance. Such a course would give
our boys and girls rudimentary train
ing as to the importance and ad-
raI.ass5 of improved roads. II
would instill in them a desire and an
ambition to have them and a sufi-