The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1914-04-17
GOOD ROADS AND SCHOOLS.


there were 24.o0o.0oo children In
the United States OF school age,
but that only 17.500,000 were en-
rolled in the public schools. This
would indicate that there are sew
eral million children who are de-
priyed, for one reason or another,
from obtaining an education, and
there Is no doubt that a large num-
Der of those are prevented from at
tending school on account of bad
roads. Furthermore, many schools
in the country districts are closed
for varying 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. While II
is true that various factors contrib
ute to increase or decrease the at
tendance at schools In given sec
tons Of the country. Il is worthy
Of comment that In the states hav.
ing high percentage OF improved
roads, a much larger percentage of
the students enrolled. regularly at
tend the schools than in the states
having a small percentage OF i'm
proved roads.
In Eve eastern and western states
which have large mileage OF i'm
proved roads. the average attend
ance Of enrolled pupils in 1908 was
eighty per cent; while in four south
ern states and one northern state
which are poted for bad roads, the
average attendance for the same
year was sixty-four per cent-eighty
per cent in the good roads states
-. against sixty-four per cent in the
had road states In the STATES first
named. thirty-hve per cent Of the
roads have been improved, while in
the latter group Of states there
are only one and a half per cent
Of the roads improved. That inn
proved roads would benefit our
country school system, there would
seem to be no doubt. Improved
roads make II possible to consoli-
date or centralize the schools and
10 establish graded schools in the
rural districts. Such schools CEN
trally located win accommodate all
Of the children within radius OF
from four to FIVE miles. In many
communities having the advantage
of improved roads, commodious
buildings have been provided, more
competent teachers have been en-
ployed, and modern facilities for
teaching have been supplied at 0
minimum cost.
For instance. since the improve
ment Of the main highways In Dur
ham county, North Carolina, the
number OF school houses have been
reduced from sixty-ive TO fortytwo
Of which seventeen are graded and
have two or more rooms, and en-
ploy, two or more teachers. There
are at the present time about 1000
consolidated rural schools In the
United States. II appears that Mas.
sachusetts, Ohio and Indiana have
made the greatest progress along
these lines, and 1t is rather signi-
ficant to note that in these states
about one-third of the roads have
been improved. According to statis-
tics Of the agricultural department,
there was expended In 1899, s22,-
116 In Massachusetts for the con-
veyance. OF pupils to consolidated
schools, but in 1908 the expenditure
for this purpose amounted TO $780,
2l3. In Indiana, the expenditure for
this purpose In 1904 amounted to
$4,000. while in 1908, s29O.O00 was
eNrended. This expenditure for
transportation reflects, in a gen.
erai way. thes. extent and progress
OF this new educational movement.
IL must not be understood that this
is an additional burden, as the ex-
penditure thus made is saved in
otter directions-that is by the de-
crease in the number of schools
and economy In their operation.