The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1913-10-16
EDUCATIONAL COLUMN.
BY Mabel Horner, County supt.

The problem of redistricting the
county for school purposes is one
which calls for immediate considera-
ton and solution. There are dis
tricts in the county where the av-
erage attendance is from two to five,
and the average cost of tuition is
from twelve to twenty dollars. On
the other hand there are schools
with enrollments from twenty-five to
fifty that are in quarters wholly in
adequate to their proper accommo-
dations. There are other features
than those of unequal enrolment
and crowded accommodations, that
urge the consideration of this prob
lem. In order that pupils may be en-
titled to tuition in high schools it is
necessary that they furnish the
course of study approved by the State
Department of Education, which
course covers eight years, of eight
months each, or sixty-four units Of
time. Agriculture and domestic
science are to be added to the cur
riculum in 1915. Teachers must be
paid according to minimum wage
scale. 1t is manifest that the ex-
pense of maintaining an eight-month
school, providing proper equipment
| for the teaching of agriculture
and domestic science, and hir-
ing a teacher with good Sec
ond or first grade certificate for
the benefit of only one-half dozen
pupils or less, is an eXtraVagant ex-
penditure of money. And yet to de-
ny this one-half dozen pupils the adj
vantage enjoyed by the boys and girls
of other districts is manifest in
justice. $780,.
The Better Iowa School Commits
sion suggests that consolidation is
the solution of the rural school prob
lem. Whether it is or not, we be-
lieve, will always depend upon local
conditions. However, something
must be done soon to retrieve pres
ent conditions and consolidation may
we'll be considered in some parts of
the county.
The citizens of Woodland township
have arranged for a meeting at
Woodland Saturday, Oct. 18th at 2
o'clock to consider the advisability
of organizing a consolidated district
in accordance with Sec. Z794-a,
School Laws of Iowa, and then secur-
ing the state aid of from two hun
dred and fifty dollars.
Doctor Hugh S. Buffum and others
will speak on this occasion.
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The school in district No. s, of
Grand River township has been clos
ed, and provisions made for the three
pupils of the district to attend
school elsewhere.
:: :: ::
The county superintendent visited
schools in Bloomington township
last week and was. pleased to find
that the board of directors has COM
piled with the law in respect to pro-
viding flags for the schools. Some
dissatisfaction has been expressed
that the providing of flags should
have been made mandatory. But we
believe all resentment will die away
at the sight of "Old Glory futter-
ing from the flag-pole of rural
school house, in the breeze of a
crisp October day. Some may be-
hold it with eyes that see not but to
such as have eyes to see, there comes
at least, an awakening
of gentle emotions, an uplifting of
the thought, perhaps from things |
that are sordid and selfish, to the re-
aliZation of the fact that the inter-
est of school and home and state are !
one; that they must stand or fall to-
gether.
DR.. Jenette F. Throckmorton will
give free lecture on The Heredity
of Feeble indedness, Thursday ev-
ening, Oct. 30th, at 1880 at the M. E.
church in Leon. The lecture will be
followed by short discussions from
Judge T. l.. Maxwell and DR.. Geo.
Mogridge. All interested in this i'm
portant subject are urged to attend
The lecture is of special interest to
school teachers and high school pu-
pills. Given under the direction Of
the Decatur County Medical Society