The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1912-04-11
Advantages Of Consolidation for
Country Cchools

Consolidation will bring forth better
results for less money than the present
system, because, 1t will economize the
time Of the teacher, economic build
ings and equipments and will also
stimulate pupils to put forth better
efforts through the influence of classi.
flcation.
There will be saving Of money in
the time of the teacher, for teacher
can instruct a small well graded class
of eight to twelve pupils pursuing the
same work just as efficiently as she
now instructs class of two to FIVE
pupils in the isolated school, Thus
consolidated doubles or more than
doubles the efficiency Of the teacher;
and observed from another viewpoint
1t could be made to save half or more
than half the money now paid for
instruction.
Consolidation will ultimately save
money in buildings, grounds, equip
ment and incidental expenses. With
equal conveniences for heating, light
ing, ventilatlng, sanitation, and
aesthetic surroundings, the consoli-
dated plant is cheaper than the iso-
lated school plant If the one room
school appears to be cheaper than the
consolidated building it is only be-
cause the one room building lacks
many facilities which It should have
and which should be found in the con-
solidated building.
The consolidated building will have
library, apparatus, maps, charts, mu-
sical instrument equipment for man.
ual training and domestic science and
would cave the duplication of all these
things in the several isolated schools.
Such equipment is expensive but 1t
Is indispensable for the best school
work The use of this equipment calls
/ for extra rooms which rooms would
have to be duplicated in the isolated
schools.
Experience has demonstrated that
the money thus saved by consolidation
Of teaching force and equipment can
usually be made to more than pay for
the necessary cost of transporting the
pupils to the consolidated school,
However, the aim should not be simply
to reduce the cost OF the school, Tho
aim should be to make the school more
efficient-to give the child much bet.
ter equipment for life work. This the
consolidated school can do and will
do.
The consolidated school will offer
the pupil advantages that the isolated
school can never offer, such as better
supervision of work specialization in
teaching and the emulation that comes
with the larger institution.
The consolidated school will have
good domestic science teacher, man.
ual training teacher, one who can
teach agriculture, one who can teach
penmanship, one music, one art, one
reading, etc.-such a combination can
not be had for the isolated school.
Greater inspiration and interest al.
ways comes with the larger number
Of pupils working together. In the
isolated school the bright pupil Is
likely to be In a class by himself with
no rivalry to call forth his best efforts
and when in a class with a few other
pupils who are not his equal in ability
he is not stimulated as he would be
in class of pupils who are his equals
such as would be found in a consoli
dated school. In the same way nearly
all the pupils in an ungraded school
find themselves without equally
matched running mates to stimulate
them to greater exertion. Lacking the
rivalry and emulation that would come
with larger numbers and more per
, sonal attention many of the pupils In
the country school become Indifferent
lose the chance for an education ant
are doomed to pass a poor inefficient
lie.
No other investment will pay suQi
dividends as money carefully expended
for education. There is no other polit
, ical or social problem before rs today
, so important as the problem Of glvins
: better education to the rising gen
Grafton There is no other cause tina
, proposes the highest welfare or strike'
, at the roots OF social ills like til,
, cause of education.
, The schools OF today are good bu
! not nearly SO efficient as they ough
/ to be. 1t is possible and imperative
! that we do for the child so much bet
! ter than what we are now doing.
q The isolated country school coul'
, and should be greatly improved a
4 once, but 1t can never do all that IN
4 consolidated school should do.
v If you will consolidate the rura
. school, give it more money for NOR
a and better teachers thus enlarge an
A enrich the rural life the prosperit
J. and happiness OF tomorrow will bles
n you.-J. II. Bowers. Department O
4 Pedagogy and History.