The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1913-07-17
State School Inspector
MdCd0nd|d'S Address
To Convention.

~ OUuV VD SJUiVs
Continued from Page l Section ~
plotting the eighth grade is over seven
Y, the boys going above fifty.
It Is not an uncommon thing to
i find hog or cow barn better built
and equipped for its purpose than is
the rural school for its purpose. 1t
is also not an uncommon thing to find
that the man who prepares the bacon
or the butter for the market place Is
better trained and better paid than
lis the person who prepares the. boys
and girls for that market place where
character and trained intelligence are
required. The conditions under which
this teacher works are deplorable. The
situation demands a new kind Of rural
school that will furnish just as good
educational opportunities for the coun-
try youth as are enjoyed by these liv-
ing in the urban centers.
The New Rural School.
The creation of the new rural school
most needed to meet the demands Of
today calls for reorganization along
two principal lines, viz: 'O Better
school organization which means con-
solidation; and (2) better attendance
which means longer terms and the
daily presence of all available pu-
;pils. 1t is true that We need reorgani-
xation that would give US better fnan'
eial support, better teaching, and bet
Ter supervision which includes admin.
sstration; but these will come largely
Is a part of the development Of the
new rural school.
Better school organization calls for
consolidation. One Of the two most
serious defects to be found in the one
room rural school is the problem of
the many grades and therefore too
many classes per teacher, which, un-
solves, largely nullifies the good effect
of properly built and equipped build
ings, and the best efforts of the best
trained teachers and supervis-
ors. Consolidation, however, rem
edies, this, for by the en-
ployment of two or three teach
per teacher is reduced. Experience
has shown that consolidation will in
part overcome the most serious defect
Of the old school in the matter of
Door attendance which includes the
short term, for consolidation is fol.
lowed by better attendance including
longer terms. Consolidation makes 1t
possible to secure better paid and bet
ter trained teachers and bet
bsr supervision than under the pres
snt system. 1t provides high school
privileges for the country youth while
he is undeh the parental roof. This Is
cheaper and safer for all concerned,
and it lays the foundation for rural
leadership right at home. 1t provides
the opportunity for the proper teach
Ing of agriculture, household arts and
sther subjects, and for the organiza'
ton of civic.social centers on a scale
that would make them more useful
n every way.
The chief objection offered
against consolidation is that it
costs more money than the
one-hoom system. 1t does cost
moro money in the aggregate, and
Il ought to, for it is vastly better
ystem The self.binder, too, costs
more money than did the old cradle
scythe, but no one uses that as an
argument against the use Of the self
binder. It gives greater returns for
The money invested in it. And so
ahe graded consolidated school gives
much greater returns In these vastly
better dividends, namely, more and
better trained boys and girls than
would otherwise be possible under the
old one-room system.
To hasten and extend the growth
Of consolidation, we must have better
laws to facilitate its organization, and
IA addition we must have abundant
state aid. This, too, like other re-
forms in rural school education, should
10 nationwide. Consolidation is grow
ing, for already thirty-two states have
u in operation. But experience has
shown that where the initiative is
given largely to state or county auth
GRITTY, rather than to local, and espec'
Eally where liberal state aid is pro-
siied it's growth is phenomenal. Last
yasar the state of Minnesota reported
afty cases of consolidation in one
year under this system as against nine
s;ases in eleven years under the old
system.
The matter of poor attendance which
7neludes the short term Is the greatest
defect In the rural school as we know,