Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1915-01-01
More Consolidation in schools.

The interest in consolidated rural
schools Is increasing in all sections
OF Oklahoma. The school authorlt-
les are interested in these schools.
In the report Of tSate Superintendent
r. H. Wilson. just issued. that Of
fetal points out the advantages OF
consolidated rural schools and thus
reviews the herdevelopment OF the idea
that has been observed in the res
ords and statistical reports.
During the last three years de-
cided encouragement has been Civ
en- to rural school consolidation. The
fi,S: state aid was provided for by
the passage of a bill approved on
March IL, 1911, setting aside the
proceeds of section 33. Greer county
for the benefit Of the union graded
or consolidated school. but no funds
were available until the legislature
Of 1913 appropriated 100 thousand
dollars for this purpose. Since then
the applications of sixty-one districts
for ss2.204e3 have been approved
by the State Superintendent. and In
most cases warrants have been is
sued by the State Auditor.
"The legislature OF 1913. by an
enactment approved March IS. 1913
set aside the remainder of the pub
lie building fund for consolidation OF
schools. The value of this land has
been estimated at approximately 2
million dollars. None of the land has
been sold and only the rent from sec
tion S3 OF old Greer county is avail
able.
There are at this time 103 con-
solidated schools located in forty
two counties OF our state This NUN
ber shows an increase OF 80 per cent
in consultations during the school
year 1913-14. The policy of aiding
these schools has been fully vindiaat.
ed as evidenced by this notable in.
crease in the number OF consolida.
tions and the counties represented
1t is earnestly recommended that tbs
legislature continue the policy oi
aiding these schools as an effecti %
means of improving the rural CON
munities.
"The act appropriating 100 thol-
J sand dollars for aid fo~ ,ora scho ols
} contains a provision for fixing the
maximum amount that may be ap
portioned to any one district at So.
500. 1t was realized by the Board %
| Education that the amount appropr
ated would not be sufficient to en-
able each district entitled to this ait
to receive the full amount allowed b,
law. Therefore. the policy was ad
opted of paying to each district tha
met the requirements 40 per cent o
/ the maximum amour such district 1
entitled to receive. Later an addi
Z tional 25 per cent was apportione'
to each district that had met the re
5 quirements Of the law. Up to .hi
time no district has received NOR
+ the s5 per cent Of the full amount
In number of these district expen
: sive buildings have been erected an
D the State aid has helped these dis
n tricts materially. Provisions shoul
n be made to extend prompt assistanc
to those districts that have organize
d recently with the expectation OF sha
|, ing in the state aid.
vi There has been considerable in
terest aroused in the organization G
union graded or rural schools dun
:. ing the last year. In some class Q
Il communities this class OF district
7. preferred to the consolidated distrlC
because Of the law relating to tn