The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1912-02-28
J. L. Dumas of Dayton Tells In
stitute Audience Some of
the Things Attempted
EDUCATION AND CHEER
ARE THE BIG FACTORS
Movement to Make Consolidated
School Districts the Community
Centers Is an Important For
ward Step

The largest school district in the
that known as the Toppenish district
in this valley. The district owns 70
acres of land, which is one acre more
than is asked for by the Washington
Country Life commission, of which
Mr.. Dumas is a member, for each
school district in the state. Instead
of talking at the Y. M. G. A. Monday,
in the state institute course, on the
marketing of apples, Mr.. Dumas talk
ed of the work of the national and
state country life commissions. He
told how the movement of popula
ton is away from the farms and into
the cities The number of producers
is growing less and the number of
consumers is growing larger. Hence
the increased cost of living. The
country, while it has advantage over
the city, suffers because of the lack
of educational facilities and because
of lack of amusement These it is to
be attempted to supply. The school
is to be made the community center
and ten acres are desired in each con-
solidated school district to work out
the proper plans.
Some school Districts
There are school districts in this
state today which have but one, two
or three pupils and no more, They
are conducted entirely from the state
funds but as the people have moved
to the cities and demanded schools
there virtually two schools are fur
nished one in the country which is
not attended, and one in the city
which is crowded. The taxpayers of
the state are paying the fiddler The
cost per capita per pupil based on
attendance, has more than doubled in
the last ten years but the money paid
teachers, on the average, has risen
less than thirty-three per cent. The
dual school system is the cause
Mr.. Dumas briefly pointed ont what
it is hoped to accomplish with the
consolidated schools In the first
place the school building is to be a
cottage or bungalow or some pretty
design, any pretty design except the
old stereotyped box. There is to be a
teachers cottage in connection. There
will be an athletic field for the boys
and an athletic field or tennis court
etc, for the girls. There are to be
farm tracts for the working out of
the farm and such promlems. Then
there Is to DE grove and 1t Is to be
large enough to afford shade and
make picnic ground for the farm ers
for distance of 90 miles that they
can get together and have a good
time once in a while. Then, if pos
sible. there Is to be community
church. This cannot be on the school
property, but will be brought right
close up to it if possible. There is to
be farmers hall, a general meeting
place for discussion. good fellowship
and feeds
DOwntroddcn Farmer
Mr.. Dumas described a banquet at
which the downtrodden farmers get
together He spoke of the chicken
and meats, the pies and the fruits
the biscuits and the preserves and all
the good things. He had been at sew
eral of such banquets and afterwards
had seen the Salvation Army Off
GERS on hand to procure the uncut
cakes and the unused chickens and
such foods to carry into the city for
the prosperous non-producers there
who must have it or starve.
1t is the intention to make the
country life so attractive, In the COM
munity sense, and to give the coun-
try such school facilities that two
of the main causes for removal TO the
city will be done away with. Mr.. Du-
mas reported that there is a vacancy
on the commission and that Governor
Hay has promised to appoint to that
vacancy Miss Berry, who spoke at the
Y NJ. g. A. Monday on a woman's
education for women.