The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1914-04-24
Lower Country School Attendance
Where Roads Are Bad.


While II. is true that various factors con
tribute to increase or decrease the atten.
dance at schools 10 given sections of the
country, it is worthy of comment that in
the States having high percentage Of
improved 70 ds much larger percentage
of the studens enrolled regularly attend
the schools than in the States having
small percentage OF improved roads In
five Eastern and Western States, which
have large mileage of improved roads,,
the average attendance of enrolled pnpils
in 1908 9 was SO per cent. while in four
Southern States and one thwestern
State, which are noted for bad roads, the
average attendance for the same year was
81 per cent-8o per cent in the good roads
States as against 90 per cent in the bad
roads States. In the States first named
IS per cent of the roads have been i'm
proved. while in the latter group, of
States there are only ~ per cent of the
roads improved.
That improved roads would benefit our
country school system there would seem
to be no doubt. Improved roads make it
possible to consolidate or ceutralize the
schools and to establish graded schools in
the rural districts. Such schools centrally
located willstccommodate all of the child
rem withina radius of from q 10 miles.
In many communities having the advan-
tage of improved roads commodious build
Jugs have been provided, more compe-
tent teachers have been employed, and
modern facilities for teaching have been.
supplied at minimum cost. For in
stance, since the improvement of the
main highways in Durham, N. c., the
number of schoolhouses have been rednc-
ed from IS TO az, of which ~ are graded
and have two or more rooms and employ.
two or more teachers
There are at the present time abont
2, 900 consolidated rural schools 10 the
United States. 1t appears that Massa
chusetts. Ohio, and Indiana have made
the greatest progress along these lines.
and it is rather significant to note that in
these States about one-third of the roads
have been improved. According to sta
tistics of the Agricultural Department
there was expended In I8oo $22. ZIG 10
Massachusetts for the conveyance of
| p pills TO consolidated schools, but in 1908
the expenditure for this purpose amount
ed to $2o2, arg. In Indiana the expendi-
ture for this purpose in 1904 amounted to
$50. 900. while in 1908. Sage. 900 was ex-
pended. This expenditure for transpor-
tation reflects, in general way. the ex-
tent and progress of this new educational
movement. It must not be understood
that this is an additional burde.,. as the
Expenditure thus made is saved in other
directions; that is, by the decrease in the
number of schools aud economy in their
operation.
In Indiana, Massachusetts,. Ohio, and
other States the one-room. one teacher
schools are being replaced by central
lschoolhouse, with halfdozen rooms
and as many teachers. Wagons are sent
out every day to gather up the children
and to take them home again in the even
ling. All of the children within radius
of several miles are thus provided with
the most modern school facilities. In
SOME of these schools courses in manual
training. agriculture. and home econo
mics have been introduced. scientific ap-
parasus utilized, and teachers having
special qualifications and training EN-.
ployed.