The Port Gibson reveille. [volume] (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1890-current, 1911-08-03
Opinion =
How Secure consolidation.
Or. GEORGE SMITH.

schools does not necessarily mean
the combining of all the schools of
district, or beat, into one large
school located at the geographical
center of the precinct. Two, three,
or four small district schools may
be combined into one centralized
school; there may be one, two, or
three such schools in a beat and
the other schools left unaffected by
it Except that these too will soon
want consolidation.) Again small
rural schools may be centralized
with an established graded school
in some village, but only where
conditions are very favorable and
the school must reflect country life
and sentiment. Of course COM
pIete Capitalization means the unit
ing of all the schools in one dis
trict into large graded school,
where conditions are favorable for
so doing.
Consolidation, like law, liberty,
temperance, and all other great
and good movements must pass
through a period OF opposition,
ridicule, reproach and misrepre.
sentation. People are hostile be-
cause they do not understand, and
they are skeptical in regard to the
value of strange ways and new
methods. We are over conserva-
tive; if some great advanced think
er would give us a new and really
great idea we should still call it ''a
heresy," if there would come a
man, who was as far ahead OF this
time as the "Man of Galilee" was
of his time, we would set up the
old cross and make a new martyr.
Many very conservative people
will give innumerable, and seem
ingly insurmountable, objections
why consolidation "does not suit
u.s." But time, effort, and thought
will change the opinion OF most OF
these. Sow the seed, inform the
country people of the present con-
ditions in their schools, and show
them what consolidation is, and
then encourage them to "think"
about it. Your scholastic or ped
agogical arguments may not appeal
to the farmer, these are useless and
impractical to him, you must meet
him on his own ground. If you
expect me to tell you how to do
this, l answer, 81 do not know,
there are no ready made recipes
for such problems. Local condi-
tions must be studied and these
determine the method.
Public sentiment must be edu-
Gated up to it or consolidation is a
failure; but how to educate public
sentiment is the question. We
should first make map of the
county, showing the large schools
where conditions are favorable to
consolidation, with these connect
the small schools within reach by
dotted line giving the number o.
pupils of each school and distance
to be conveyed; then decide wheth'
er transportation is necessary foi
any or all of the children Of these
: schools. Estimate the cost of th'
new buildings, transportation
teaching, ETC., and compare will
{ the present expense of the schools
, Have a good man come to you
; county and lecture on the subject
distribute bulletins, use the loca
paper, and make house to hous
canvass; then in the district mos
favorable by nature and sentiment
call a meeting; explain the plan
raise the money; start the work
! make a test. The success of thi
J school will insure the inauguratio
: Of the system. Don't try to do to
much, "make haste slowly" Be
gin with one and never try to cor
solidate in more than six places j
any session.
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