Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1914-06-04
Consolidated Schools

eAssS 0SSA q 6AOWAuH 0SuSllAVAS
to consolidate the rural schools.
This sentiment is 80 rapidly
crystalizing that the rural
school will soon have fulfilled
its mission. 1t does not take q
prophet to foresee that we are
facing an inevitable reform.
This trend Of educational
thought and practice has grown
out Of the idea that the rural
schools are not as efficient Is
they should be. The cause Of
this innefficiepcy is inherent in
the system itself. This is an
age of specialization and spe-
ciallzation invariably spells eff
ficlency. The rural teachers
time and energy are spread
over so much surface that she
cannot do justice to the work
undertaken
Again many of the teachers
are beginners and without any
or very little professional
training. The frequent chang
ing Of teachers is ano, her cause
rendering the schools less
efficient. A further extended
argument to show that the
child attending tie rural
schools does not share equal
educational advantages With
the Child of the city is unnec..s-
sary. The practice of many
parents at the present time To
send their children to the city
schools irrespective Of the cost
to themselves, the abandonment
Of many rural schools these
things clearly indicate the ten
dency Of the times to give to
every child his satural birth
right-a liberal and practical
education.
The problem OF Just how and
what territory to coneolidxte is
not always easy to solve. The
districts lying adjacent to the
nucleus of q graded school sys-
TEN found either in village,
town or city would find it most
practical and feasible to unite
with the said corporation. By
90 doing . efficient number of
both regular and special teach
ers could be employed to get
the BEST results. The practical
branches Of Manual Training,
Domestic Science, Drawing and
Agriculture. could be effective
" taught by specialists. Dis
tricts that are too remote to
consolidate with q town or city
system would be benefited by
the establishment Of a three or
four room school. A small sys-
ten ~ the above would probab-
" not be the most satisfactory
on account Of the necessary ex-
pense to secure 9 good library,
science apparatus, and other
facilities necessary for effective
work. When the children
reach high school age it would
be necessary for them to go
elsewhere for such advantages.
The majority of parents are
anxious to keep their children
under the influence Of home ne
long % possible. The parents
Of such districts would still
have the dual obligation Of sup
porting q graded system and
paying the high school tuition.
A movement is nuw started
! to consolidate St Johns Town
snip with the Missouri Valley
Independent School District.
Under the lew Of Consolidated
Schools the children of said
township would De transported
to and from, school under the
supervision of s readable driver.
As Missouri Valley is centrally
located the problem Of trans
portation could easily be eolved
and a large number Of children
would have access to good
school advantages. The people
in the proposed districts would
receive more than they give.
They would share the advan-
tages of the fifty or sixty thous-
and dollars already invested in
school buildings appliances.
The biggest draw back to farm
life today is the poor educa-
tional advantages offered the
children. Now is the chance
to secure the best.
Biggest stock Of Hxminis.
ter, Brussels and Velvet
carpets and rugs In the
city, a1so q complete tine
OF ltnoloum ond mating.