Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-05-07
LOWER RURAL SCHOOL
ATTENDANCE WHERE
ROADS ARE BAD.

Washington, d. c., April 2S,--Census
reports show that in 1909 there were "a
100000 children in the United States OF
school age. but that only 100000 were
enrolled in the public schools This
would indicate that there are several
million children who are deprived. for
one reason or another, from obtaining an
education. and there Is no doubt that
n large number of those are prevented
from attending schoo. on account OF bad
roads. Furthermore many schools in
the country districts are closed for vary
Ing periods on account Of the impossible
condition Of the roads, and many of the
schools which are not closed have a
nominal percentage Of attendance.
W lie II Is true that various factors
contribute to increase decrease tho
attendance at schools in given sections
of the country. it f. worthy of comment
that in the States having a high per-
centage Of improved roads, much larG'
or percentage Of the students enrolled,
regularly attend the schools than in the
States having a small percentage OF i'm
proved roads. In five eastern and west
ern States whoich have a large mileage
of improved roads, the average attend
ance OF enrolled pupils in 1869 was 50
per cent; while in four southern States
and one northwestern State which are
noted for bad roads, the average at
tendance for the same year was "a per
cent--S0 per cent. in the good roads
States as against q per cent in the bad
roads States. In the States first named,
IS per cent. Of the roads have been in
proved, while in the latter group of
States there are only 11a 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 1t
possible to consolidate or centraliZe the
schools and to establish graded schools
in the rural districts. Such schools CEN
trally located will accommodate all OF
tho children within radius of from
| four to 1--WE miles. In many communities
| having the advantage of improved roads
commodious buildings have bsen pro-
Vidcd, moro competent teachers have
been employed, and modern ABILITIES for
teaching have been supplied at mini
mum cost For instance, since the i'm
provem-nt of the main highways In Dur
ham county North ,'aloira. tna num-
OF schoolhouses have been reduced from
es to a, of which Il are graded and have
two or more rooms, and employ two or
more teachers.
There are at the present time about
1000 consolidated rural schools in the
United States, II appears that Massachu-
sets, Ohio and Indiana have made the
greatest progress along these lines. auG
| 4. Is rather significant to note thae in
these States about one-third of tho roads
have been improved According TO sta
tistics Of the agricultural department,
| there was expended in 1899. SO lie in
Massachusetts for the conveyance Of pu-
pills to consolidated schools, but In 1908
the expenditure for this purpose amount
ed to s292,2l3. In Indiana. the expend'-
ture for this purpose In 1904 amounted to
sss, ooc, while in 1905, $500 was expended
This expenditure for transportation re-
! fleets, in n genera: way, the exten. and
| progress OF this new educational move
mant 1t must not be understood that
this is an additional burden. as the ex-
penditure thus made Is saved lr other
directions-that - by the decrease in the
number OF schools and economy I'm their
operation
In Indiana. Massachusetts,, Ohio and
other States, the one-room. one-teacher
schools are being replaced by central
sohcolhousee. Tith IA half-dozen rooms
and as many teachers Wagons are sent
out every day 10 gather up the children
and to take them home again in the
evening. All OF the children within a
radius Of several miles are thus provided
with the most modern school facilities
| In some OF these schools, courses in man