Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1912-03-29
THE cLAFLlN TEACHERS MEET
ING-coNsoLIDATloN.

The Teachers and School Boards
Meeting at Claflin last Saturday was
one of the best of the YEAR and was
well attended considering the storm.
An excellent dinner was served by
the Claflin ladies. 1t was a matter
Of great regret to the teachers that
the Missouri Pacific Special" would
not wait for them to get supper as
we'll.
The musical part Of the program
was furnished by Clafhn talent. Each
humber was thoroughly enjoyed, and
appreciated.
Excellent papers were read by Ed
ha Gemeinhardt, Myra Rose, o. J..
Weir and Winifred O'ConneH Miss
O'Connell's paper on The Economy
Of Good School Apparatus" received
much favorable comment, number
OF teachers asking that it be publish
ed.
Prof. Senter's talk on his trip to
visit progressive schools Of the east
was Of intense interest to the audi
ence, the school officers and patrons
being as much interested as the
teachers. His trip has certainly help
ed widen the horizon of a great
many people. All we're sorry that he
could not talk longer.
Rev. Geo. W. Durham of Ness City
gave a fine address ON consolidation
Of rural schools. Consolidation is no
theory with him as he helped to Or
ganize the first one in the state and
many more since. He states that
none OF them want to go back to
the one-room school. Among other
things he said, Eve have come to a
time in our educational system
where the One-roOm school has reach.
ed its limitations. 1t is now the cost.
Hest educational institution in the
United States" The blindest thing
In this world is prejudice and preju-
dice is the chief enemy OF consolida.
uon." He showed how the teacher
Of today has many more classes than
the teacher of a generation ago, due
to the enlarged curriculum. The av
erage rural school has about 30 reci
tations per day which gives an aver
age of about 10 minutes for each
recitation. This he Showed-and the
teachers knew-was not long enough
TO do amy amount of good. He show
ed that with consolidation the reel
tation might be increased to 80 min
uteS. He gave as his opinion that
the country schools are giving re
markable results for the plan b.
which they are run.
In order to be explicit, he applied
the question OF consolidation to tn.
Claflin district and the four districts
adjoining it. He showed from tht
reports that the cost Of sending on,
child to school for seven months il
one Of these districts was $75, il
another district it cost $17j. H
showed that a nine months grade
school including a four years Hig,
School course, and the cost Of trans
porting the rural pupils to and fror
school in wagons, could be provide
for less than the present average ia
rate OF the five districts, 2.12 milk
In one or two years the High SchoC
will be under the Barnes High SchoC
Law and then the same advantage
might be had for a levy OF about
mill, which was the lowest tax rat
In any one Of the districts.
In answer to questions he told ths
the wagons must be made to orde
and cost $3.50 each; that the report
Tor this winter from consolidated di
tricts show the attendance to be
per cent better than in rural schooI
in the same communities; that dt
trict consolidating with grade
school district having a bonded i
debtedness does not assume the bon
ed indebtedness, it must be paid f
the territory that voted it. He sa
that two wagons would be sufficiel
to transport the 20 children in Il
four outlying districts to the ClafE
school. He said that it would be e
pecially advantageous to these di
tricts to join the Claflin district 1
they would not have to help bear Il
expense Of the new building.
Parties or districts who are int
ested in having work done along tn
line will do well to write Rev. DI
ham as to the best way to go abO
it. Rev. Durham is not in this wo
for the money he makes out Of it b
from a sincere desire to make 1t p'
sible for poor boys and girls to ha
better educational advantages. 7
subject is well worth the conSide
tion nf T1lral school patrons. eSDeci