The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1914-08-28


scientific and modern methods of gov
erEmental cooperation with those
who produce our food necessities. In
fact, the most conspicuous phase OF
our whole program of legislative prog
ress seems to be it's freedom from a
provincial spirit-it reflects the very
essence of cooperation as between the
elements in city and country life so
much dependent upon each other.
That fifty-one Ohio counties have less
population than they had thirty years
ago is a circumstance that can profit
ablyexcite alarm, and it must be some
thing more than a coincidence that In
every instance it is the rural county
that shows the loss. The cost of e5u.
cation per pupil in the country is
greater than in the cities, and In most
cases the facilities are more ineffi-
cient. The little red brick school
house, so long temple to and use
full unit in civilization, must claim our
careful and helpful consideration.
Where the attendance justifies, 1t
should be maintained, but where the
average of pupils falls to six and eight
and ten, then both vast economic
waste and inefficiency are inevitable.
Better roads solve the problem Of
transportation, and consolidation
seems to be but logical develop
ment Wherever 1t has been adopted
the average attendance has increased
amazingly, and there. have been af
'orded beth high school advantages
| in the country and the tremendous
blessings of community center. In
no activity in life is the element of
success present unless systematic
supervision is adopted, and the plan Of
! placing a supervisor over every forty
!eachers in rural schools will yield re-
| suits which will in the fullest meas
ure Justify the new school code. Since
the state pays one-half the cost OF su
pervision, the expense to the counties
in practically every instance Is dimin.
shed Our universities, conducted at
public expense, have not been of such
Use to the rural communities as they
should be. The abolition OF the BCx.
we'll examinations and the restored
meaning of rural school diploma are
striking features Of the new plan. In
ne future every pupil In the country
who wins diploma in the township
high school enters, without examine
tion or tuition cost, into the state uni.
versities II 1t is his wish. This auto
matically elevates the rural school to
a most distinct agency in the rehabili-
tation Of country life.
In road improvement Ohio stands
T out conspicuous now above all other
states, and the construction OF rural
transportation facilities will give such
spur to closer trade and community
relation between the country and city
as to aid gloriously to the develop.
ment of the commonwealth.
Prison Reform.
Our prison system claims the praise
of experts in every state. In our
juvenile reformatories useful trades
are being taught. In the prisons ins
dustries afford employment, and night
schools create q moral and educations
al awakening. The spirit Of these in
stitutions has been completely trans
formed, and the improved behavior on
the part of those confined shows that
when government lends itself hu.
namely to the rerouting Of a human
derelict the result is but the natural
outgrowth Of kindness. State and
county institutions in buying supplies
from these prison industries afford
the prisoner the opportunity of turn.
ing his labors into profit, not only to
the state by the removed cost main
tenance, but to his family as well. The
working Of the states charges in pris-
ons and asylums, on the farms, has
resulted in impressive economies to
the public and distinct physical and
moral betterment to those now oc-
cupied In useful labors.
Efficiency In Taxation System.
The results Of the new taxation
laws have been so definite, both with
respect to the listing Of intangible
property that has been escaping the
assessors, and the reduction in the
rate to the individual owner Of prop
erty, that the opposition no longer at
.empts to discuss this question on its
merits. That lands and buildings have
aot, generally speaking, been In
creased In valuation-and the general
duplicate Of the state has grown al
most one billion dollars-is such in.
disputable evidence that the great
masses-particularly those whose
property is in sight-have been pay
ing the share Of public expense be-
longing in all justice to someone else,
that the taxation policies of old re-
feet more than a mere neglect Of
duty. In short, they have so grossly
trespassed on the moral code as to
render any suggestion Of a return to
the reprehensible practice shocking to
the public sense of right.
Challenge to ReaetlonarIes.
/ In the face Of these laws, and
others. equally Just, which the people
would not think Of repeating, what Is
the predicament of the opposition?