American Fork citizen. [volume] (American Fork, Utah) 1912-1979, 1914-03-07
Reasons For Consolidation
Superintendent Jensen A ellis How Con-
sOiidutien works In box
Elder County.

In response to our invitation for
communications on consolidation, we
have received a letter from Superin-
tendent Jensen OF Box Elder county.
from those who hold views against
consolidation. Mr.. Jensen's letter
follows:
since have been associated with
| the SCHOOLS oil box Elder county 1
nave Deen thoroughly convinced oil the
advantages vi CONSOLIDATION. lheie
are many reasons why consolidation 10
preleraDie 10 the oiu system OF 81
many districts. | am pleased to pre-
sent the following:
| we have a board OF five men that
operate All the schools OF our county.
ney have charge OF the nigh schools,
as wen as the common schools. there
~ no such thing as double headeu
system" IN our county; thus we have
no chance tor disagreement and con-
tention. 4 understand you have one set
OF trustees that run the high schools
ana another set OF trustees that run
the common schools. do not see how
| 1t would be possible to operate sue
cessfulIy your schools unoer sucn a
cumbersome system. Your schools
can not properly work together to the
best good Oh all II this method be long
continued. Our school board Is non
partisan ana non-sectarian and the
members are not biased or Influenced
ny petty local Jeaiousies IN the selec-
tioh OF the teachers, the improvement
OIL their buildings, the building OF new
school houses, nor III the running OF
the schools IN general. They look out
upon the county as whole ana work
upon broad business principles. They
are erected on non-partiSan lines ana
are Tree to use their best Judgment In
the administration OF AFFAIRS. They
meet once week for the discharge
or their school board duties, 30 they
can keep thoroughly alive to the needs
of the schools OF the district. The eiii-
cheney oil the services OF these tive men
is more noticeable than the unbusi-
ness-like METHODS used by many OF
the local boards under the old sys-
TEN.
| we have a clerk of the board, who
looks after our supplies and the gen.
erai business OF the district. All
books and supplies, desks and appa-
ratus, fuel ana repair materials are
| III hai 6O AOsos va uhhVi IA
grade, ana at the lowest market
prices All schools are equaily
| equipped and cared tor, even to the
remotest parts OF the district. Last
fall on one car of desks alone we
saved the district over $3.50 over the
old system. we save hundreds oil
dollars each year by buying our fuel
III carload lots ana our supplies al
wholesale prices.
The county superintendent is re-
sponsible to but one head now. where
as under the Old system he had many
masters to serve. his educational
policies are now acted upon by one
BOARD, not by forty different boards
ana when once thoroughly scrutinizeu
ana subject to the critical examina-
ton OF that board and then accepted
the superintendent can then proceed
10 carry them out without fear OF be-
Ing reversed In each separate village
or town or city OF the county. he
recommends 10 the board the teach
ers, and they hire them, thus he is
responsible Tor the men with whom
he is to work and for the results that
they obtain In the school room.
The entire teaching force is brough,
under one responsible head. The
various supervisors are working unit
eddy with him to carry out the poll
cies OF the districts. This to me IL
effective supervision and accomplish
es the best results possible
Unconsolidated counties can not
realize the great value Of coordinate
consolidated supervision. Teachers
and principals also are directly re-
sponsible to the superintendent They
carry out his policies, and as result
there Is system and order and una.
nimity OF purpose and effort. There
is stability, elevation Of tone and
breadth of view in the consolidated
/, system which teachers and principals