Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-04-06
WOULD CONSOLIDATE
RURAL SCHOOL
DISTRICTS
County Unit Bill Way Out Of
School Difficulties, Conten-
ton Of Legislative Commit.
tee Chairman.

The county unit plan OF consolldat-
ing the rural schools for greater IL.
ioCiivoness and as a means OF educate
ing large numbers 81 children In the
country districts Is presented by Prof.
G. AZ. Llght OF silver city, chairman
Of the legislative committee OF
New Mexico Educational association
In an address 10 the legislative assem-
oily, which has been printed and dis
tributed. II n f0rcible portrayal OF
the great difficulties which hinder af-
feciive education in the rural districts,
whore education should be most elli-
cient and explains In detail tho county
Unit plan with rs central county
school board, now used with success
In many states Of the union. The fol-
lowing concluding pages OF the adj
dress will DC interesting 10 every friend
Of tho schools In New Mexico:
Whas the Plan a.
The county unit bill. which we urge
the present legislative assembly 20
consider at this time. conforms 10
these two principles Of organization.
For administrative purposes u makes
the whole country the unit. Instead
Of the small Independent school dis
trics 4 provides for tho school com.
munity which covers larger area.
more people. and q greater valuation.
This school community may have a
Onc-room, or two-roOm. or a three
room building az the situation seems
10 demand Tho people Of each oom-
munity elect a director, who repre-
SCENTS them before the central board,
IL the custodian OF the school house.
takes the school census. ana performs
SUCH other duties as the county board
OF education may require OF him.
School district lines like those OF the
town or city are loosely drawn. and
may be altered ~ any Time 90 accom-
mOdnte school attendance. A county
board OF five mcmhers. Including the
county superintendent. olcsod by the
people, administer all school affairs
such as hiring teachers. constructing
school buildings. transporting child-
rem 10 and from school regulating the
length ana the beginning Of the
school term FOR each community. levy
ing the school tax as prescribed BY
lnw, etc They are also provided with
a formula for having the people vote
bonds FOR the erection OF suitable
school houses. These bonds may be
purchased by the state on, OF the gcn.
erai school fund Thc interest that
accumulatcs on them. n collected by
the state schonl authorities, and dis
Aursod with the general school fund
nvising from the rental of the state
SCHOOL lands. Thus all the schools Of
theoouniy would be grouped into two
elanes. those Of cities and Incorporate
townS with the adjacent country
which surrounds thom. aud the county
school district composed Of all the
school communities OF the county and
managed By this county board 81 Cd
ucatlon IA "a similar manner 90 that
Of the city on town.
Arguments for Iis Adoption.
n b. believed that this plan wlii do
more 10 solve The many peFplexlng ed
Vocational problems, with which We
contend, than ony other thus far pro-
posed. Both the plan OF consolidation
and the plan OF Capitalization have
met with woderful success in states
similarly situated. and why not unite
the two plans IN a still better system
for New Mexico? The ratio of popn-
latIon to that Of property valuation
indicates that Il property was eQult-
anly taxed, funds for the purpose
would not bo hacking The small In
dependent school district ~ the most
expensive school schcme over invented
and should be abolished. We have a
system OF certincatlon Of teachers ih
this state which enables q teacher 20