The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1914-04-18
BAD ROADS GREAT
HINORANCE TO
THE SCHOOLS
Census Figures Show That
School Attendance Is Great
est Where Highways Are in
Best Condition.

Washington. II. c., April la.-ccn-
sus reports shows thai in 1903 there
were $4,000. 600 children In the Unit
ed states of schoi 49,, but that only
1850. goo were enrolled In the pub
De- schools This would indicate that
there are several million children who
are deprived, for ono reason or am
other. from obtaining an education
aud there Is no doubt that a large
number OF those are prevented froIh
attending school on Cuun OF bad
roads Furthermore many schools In
the country districts are closed for
varying periods on account of the i'm
passablc condition oi the roads, ana
many OF the scbools which are not
closed have "a nominal percentage Of
attendance.
While IL Is true that various fac
tors contribute TO Increase or decrease
the attendance "a schools In given
sections or the country, II is worthy
uf comment that In the states having
a high percentage OF improved roads
20 much larger percentage OF the stu
dents enrolled, regularly attend the
schools han in the states having "a
small percentage OF improved roads
I'M i've eastern n western states
which have a large mileage OF Inn
proved roads, the average attendance
Of enrolled pupils IN l9OS-9 was 50
per cent. while Ia foul southern
states and one northeastern state
which are noted FOR bad roads, the
average attendance for the same year
was 81 per cent-N0 PER cent In the
good roads states as against 50 per
cent in the bad roads states. In he
states first named, 30 per cent Of the
roads have been improved, while in
the latter group Of states there are
| only ~ per cent of the roads I'm
proved.
That improved roads would benefit
our country school system there would
seem to he no doubt. Improved roads
make d possible TO consolidate or CEN
| ~tralize the schools ana To establish
graded schools In the rural districts.
such schools centrally located will
! accommodate all Of the children
within a radius OF from four To five
miles. In many communities having
the advantage OF improved roads,
commodious ~hulldings have been pro-
yided. more competent teachers have
been employed and modern facilities
for teaching have been supplied at n
minimum cost. For instance, since
the Improvement Sf the main high
ways in Durham county. North Caro-
lima. the number OF s,hoolhouses have
been reduced from 90 tu ~, OF which
II are graded and have two or more
rooms, and employ two OF more teach
crs.
There are at the present time
about 1000 consolidated rural SCHOOL,
In the United States. Il appears that
Massachusetts,. Ohie and Indiana have
made the greatest progress alonE
these lines. and II " rather signifi-
cant To note that In these states about
one-third 81 IA roads have been i'm
proved. According to statistics of the
Horticultural department, there was
expended in 1889. t22.li6 In Massa-
chusetts for the conveyance Of pupils
To consolidated schools. but In 1905
the expenditure for this purpos,
amounted to t2gg 2i3. In Indiana the
expenditure Tor his purpose In 1904
amounted 10 $50 0O. while In 1905
$3.50. 900 was expended. This eN'
penditure for transportation reflects
in "a general way. the extent and prog
ress OF this new education movement
II must not bc Understood that this h
an additional burden. as the eNpendi'
ture thus made .a saved IN other d.
rections-that ls by the decrease 10
the number of schools and economy
in their operation.
In Indiana. Massachusetts,, Obi,
and other states the one-room, one.
teacher school, are being replaced los
central schoolhouscs. with a half
dozen rooms u as many teachers
Wagons are sent out every day e
gather up the children and 10 tak'
them home again IN the evening. Al
u the children within a radius o
several miles arc thus provided will
the most modern school facilities, II
/, some of these schools courses In man
ual training. uWriculture and hom'
economies have heen introduced, sci
ontinc apparatus utilized and teach.
ers having special qualifications an'
F, training employed.