The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-18

1t makes possible the school garden
and the agricultural plot, and manual
training, and domestic science; that It
makes easier the study of the economic
interests Of the community by teach
ing the arithmetic, physics, chemistry,
geography, history, language, and COM
position that look towards, and not
away from, the farm; that 1t makes
possible the formation OF children's
societies. of cooperative industries for
the women and for the men, and Of
citizens leagues for the continued over
sight and Improvement of the school;
that by bringing together larger
groups of citizens, 1t tends to socialize
groups of children and larger
the isolated districts by taking the
children and their parents out of their
small aud narrow environments and
giving them an enlarged social vision
and contact; 1t, therefore, not only
makes the boy ard girl dissatisfied
with deficient or urinviting environ
ment, but it takes the next logical and
necessary STEP of giving the bov and
girl both the capacity and the desire
prove it.
Helps Community spiriI.
1t tends 20 minimize the influence
of the anti-social patron who. unless
he can control the small school, may
threaten to break it up by withdraw
ing his patronage, and 1t therefore
tends to maXimize the community life
as against the individual.
1t is great advantage OF the large
school ove% the small one that 1t Is
not dependent upon the whims and
prejudices of one parent, or of several,
in community to keep it alive. To
be able TO break UP the school by
WlthdraWing four or five children Is
more power than some human natures
can stand, A one-room school some
times makes one man larger than the
community A large school enlarges
the influence of the community and
tends to diminish spirit of turbulence
on the part OF the individual. The con-
solidated school also tends to group
homes around or near the school, thus
tending to break up the isolation OF
the large plantation,
The large centrally located school
gives opportunity for a good grading
of children. The increased number OF
children begets an enthusiasm and in
terest that are often lacking IN the
small schools. We find that in these
larger schools the behavior of the chill
dren is better; there Is more earnest
ness of purpose; the children are men,
tally more alert; they are more am
bilious. because the higher grades give
them something to look up and for
ward to; they pay more attention to
their personal appearance and dress
better.
Advantages of Large Schools.
The debating club and the library
are easy Of organization in the large
school; they are difficult In the small
one The progress OF tho pupils IN
their studies is rarely less than twice
as rapid as in one-room school. The
enrolment is almost invariably larger
and the attendance almost invariably
better whore the small schools have
been merged, Consolidation has way
of "hnding" children that We're never
heard of before, SO far as schools are
concerned. Children are gregarlous---
even more so than adults--and some
times think that we fail to realize the
depressing and devftalizing effects OF
the constant isolation of the small
school and small neighborhood
The consolidated school makes pos
sible the inclusion Of agditoriums, thus
providing meeting places for the chill