The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-08-28

erection OF buildings, tho location,
plans and specifications must be APP
proved by the Department of Public
Instruction. And we distinctly DIS
courage the erection OF any school on
less than two acres Of ground. The
larger schools usually have from three
to five acres. and sometimes more.
Two other laws are needed. at least
by the next General Assembly. One
OF these Is a law to encourage by means
OF State aid the public transportation
OF children. Rhode Jslard and New
Jersey now have such laws Tho
other is law allowing. the stan
Board OF Education to give q sufficient
sum tc mako up an cight-months term
In school districts where. after tho
local tax Is at the maximum. and when
the assessed valuation OF property ID
at least rs percenMof Its actua! value,
the school funds are not sufficient to
run the schools this length OF time.
stated awhile back that in nun.
Der OF these consolidated schools the
patrons were providing Transports
ton for their own children This
is being done In communities where
the tax 10 not sufficient to provide
public transportation. 1t Is easy to
see that in short while the very
people that are opposing higher taxes
for schools, and who now prefer to
furnish their own transportation, will
see that this is costing them more than
to pay tho extra tax for public tram.
portation. The public wagons will then
come az naturally as fruit grows from
blossoms II we find community that
can be persuaded to consolidate its
n n n ha tux IN mat 4
| amount to conduct the consolidated
gchool without transportation. and that
this same community prefers private
Transportation, we encourage that first
step. The next step will follow II
Will not take twenty parents long to
see that 1t liz much cheaper TO hire two
or three wagons at public expense to
haul fifty or sixty children than it is
to use twenty horses and twenty bug
gtcs for tho same purpose.
| In some inAtances whore we find a
tmere handful OF children subjected t.
hardship by the consolidation o,
4 schools. the local school authorities
arrange to pay a patron to haul his
children or to haul his own and his
netghbors' children.
| On some routes large boys who are
attending the schools drive the wagons
This reduces the cost for drivers con-
siderably. AS have stated above, We
have no ironclad rule. The sole objec,
! Is to get the children to the most Of
fctent school at as low cost as 1.
consistent with reason and comfort.
I In few cases only the larger chill.
dren are transported TO, or are re-.
lauired to attend. consolidated school
while the smaller children attend ths
small schools near their homes; IL
other words, the larger children ar,
consolidated
Arc there instances where public
| transportation has been started nnf
after a years trial has been stopped
There are few such instances. /,
probably half dozen cases the trans
\ portation should not have been at
not justify II. Any good thing cal
be oyerdone. { have never advocate,
| public transportation for longer dis
lance than five miles. In many case
do not advocate 1t for longer dis
lance than three miles. Yet some o
the most successful wagon routes ar
from six to eight miles in length. an,
Il IN one or two instances this distanc
4 Is exceeded
Il Again. transportation has failed 1,
q some districts on account OF lack o
Nt'os' AtSsE years trlSt. although
II was success. the district authori
ties failed to provide sufficient fund
! TO permit continuance. Public opin
lon. however. is staedny growing Il
ITS demands for taxes sufficient I
!, cover the cost ~ these needs.
take no stock In the often repeate
!. statement that children should b
! willing 10 walk from three to six mile
to school. ] believe that childre
should be willing to endure hardship
for the sake of getting good schoo
training. but 10 not beliye that nth
children from six to twelve years oil
/ should be made TO walk from ;hree t
iive miles over muddy roads and Il
| bad weather Not every parent is s
determined to give his little children a,
education as to provide way to ge
them to school; nnd some cannot afror
TO do SO. II. then. the school is IA
away and public transportation is no
provided. the smaller children too ofte
remain at home. Hence the alterna
tives-a nearby one-room school for
!, short tarm, Or transportation to