The Churchill county standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1908-1920, 1912-12-11
OUR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
Some Pertinent Suggestions By
a Contributor of Needed I'M
provements.

IL must Dt oDNlOhS " ohgOhe Hho
has given the school situation In
Fallon and in Churchill county any
serious thought that some radical
changes should be made within the
next year or two. In the first place
the county high school building and
the grade school building in this
town are both wholly inadequate to
meet the present demands. In the
wears 1907 and 1908 when these
structures we're erected, the most
far seeing men considered they
would be ample for all demands of
the next IS or 20 years. In four
years we have outgrown them, fact
that Is IN no way derogatory TO the
men who planned the Fallon school
buildings, but rather is an indica-
ton of the sound and rapid develop
ment Of the Lahontan valley.
Thus far, the county high school
board has seen fit to give and means
at hand has been equipped for the
standard classical and scientific
courses only, designed to meet the
requirements for admission to uni
veFsity. This Is an agricultural
community and many Of the boys
and girls may not be able nor wish
TO enter a college and take up any
Of the professions. We must have
other courses and provide the nee
essary buildings. equipment and in
structors TO give the courses we'll.
Agriculture, manual training domes-
tic science and commercial work
should be offered by the county high
school as regular parts of the cur
rieulum. Other high schools in the
state are Offering them and the de-
mand for them here is growing
stronger each day. The next ses-
sion OF the state legislature should
not be allowed to go by without
some steps being taken to provide
a better high school plant.
The problem of arranging for the
grade school is much more serious
than that of arranging for the high
school. Fallon district has about
225 pupils In eight grades. They
are taught BY five teachers and the
grade building IS now too small TO
accommodate them. A room is be-
Ing rented for the ffth and sixth
grades. The supervising principal
Is compelled 10 do the hardest kind
Of teaching work throughout every
hour Of the day. The state and the
county money which the district re-
celves each year is hardly sufficient
TO pay the present teaching force for
a term Of eight or nine months.
Manilestly, these are not ideal con-
dtlons. They are not good stand
ard school conditions. The latter re-
Qulre a term of ten months, ample
school buildings. 4 teacher for each
grade. and a supervisor who could
devote most of his time to the work
alone. We must attempt TO reach
these standard conditions as soon as
We can
There are many ways, of course,
Of improving the condition Of the
Fallon school and of the schools
near It. One way that has COM
nended itself 10 the people of 9TH
er states. under similar conditions,
should be carefully studied before
any steps are taken. I. O., by eonsoli-
dating schools. Briefly stated, un-
der the consolidated rural school
system, two or more districts COM
hiae, build a central school plant,
open a graded school and transport
the children to and from their stud
les in school wagons at the expense
Of the district.
The first and greatest advantage
Of such a system is that 1t gives the
children so much better schooling
central grade school can, at the
tame salary, get better teachers
than a rural school because the work
Is pleasanter and more satisfactory
to conscientious teacher. The
Courses can be given better because
each teacher has a single grade or
special work. Extra courses, such
"a .ta1
nestle science can be offered and
The children have a wider range OF
subjects from which TO select. The
caild's community life and daily ex-
perience Is much enriched and en-
larged. Finally, his physical health
IS much better cared for because
trade buildings are more comforta-