Newark post., 1910-08-31
Good Roads And Better Schools

will do greater harm than the benefi
cial effects upon the mind will do
good. She realizes that a vigorous
mind can only dwell in a healthy body
and that it would be misdirected ex-
ercise OF maternal care to force her
children to go to school under con
ditlons of exposure which endanger
their bodily health.
Improved roads would be great
factor in reducing the percentage OF
illiteracy which exists throughout the
country, Our present illiteracy can
not be reduced to any appreciabe ex-
tent except by marshalling all Of the
children, both city and country, into
the school rooms. This can only be
accomplished by a system of compul-
sorry education. Some of our States
have already passed compulsory edu-
cation laws, and in many other States
the sentiment III favor of such laws is
so pronounced as to indicate their
, early enactment. These laws prove
blessing when wisely framed and prop
erly administered. There are no OBJ
stacles to their efficient administration
i'll Our cities. Everybody is in close
proximity to the school houses and
can easily reach them with but little
| exposure in the worst weather. But
! i'll the rural districts, the opposite is
| true. If all Of the roads were in good
| condition SO a sto remain high and dry
! it would be possible to successfully
| enforce such law even in the rural
| districts. but with the present condi-
| E Al 4
| practicable. And the States i'll their
efforts to thus bcstow blessing upon
their children would be attempting an
unkind benefaction for which they
| would pay by resultant loss in the
! physique and mental vigor of our flu
ture generations.
In addition, improved roads would
make possible a new system Of central
| schools. which would insure better
schools at less cost. Some scheme
| could be devised. Tor carrying the
! children to and from school, which
would be impossible over our present
badly located schools in most coun
try communities 1t would be possible
! under such a system for one school
centrally located to receive a llof the
children within a radius OF from four
or five miles This would make it
| possible to establish graded schools in
all of the rural districts Large and
commodious buildings could be pro-
vided, more competent teachers could
be employed. and all the modern facil-
tiles for teaching supplied at mini
MUM cost. This would reduce the tax
levy upon the PATRONS, provide a bet
ter school for the children, and ele.
vate the moral and social tone of the
community.
This is being done now i'll some oI
our States that have improved theil
roads. Indiana and Ohio have each
/ improved about one e-third OF theil
roads. and in these States the school.
are being consolidated The small
school house of one room is being re-
placed by d central school house o
half a dozen rooms, and as many tea
chers. Wagons are sent out every
II morning to gather the children up ano
take them home every evening. Al
the children within a radius of severa
miles are thus taken to one school [
is found to cost less proportionately
to build and equip one large centra
schoolhouse than it does to build ant
equip several smaller ones. Libraries
and reading rooms are provided fo
these schools, lecture courses are cas-
+, lily arranged, and the children being
brought together in such large mum
bers are properly graded; class spiri
is engendered an dgreater pride am
love for the school room fostered
Church attendance would also b.
stimulated by road improvement
When one has nice smooth road Il
travel over he doesn't mind drivin!
, three or four miles to church. Small
, congregations would thus be augment
: ed The people would become inter
: csted in and take pride in thei
churches. Larger and more comfort