Omaha daily bee., 1916-02-13
PLAN new ROUTE
TO THE UNIVERSITY
Rural High Schools Intended to At
ford Straight Path from the
Farm to College.
STATE sUPERINTENDENTs WORK

The accompanying may shows at a
glance the progress Of the rural schools
OF the state for the year 1915. 1t Is graft
Tying indeed TO those who are especially
interested in rural Nebraska and every
Nebraskan should be. for practically
every interest within the state depends
upon agriculture. About 10000 OF the
$6,OOO children OF school age In the state
are found in the rural schools. For some
unaccountable reason the rural schools
have been chained TO elementary grades.
1t was considered heresy to talk about
providing high school facilities at home
for the boys and girls of the country
places. Yet the best schools may be es-
tablished and maintained in the small
centers and even in the open country.
Only about 1900 young people from the
country schools who completed the eighth
grade examinations took advantage of the
free attendance law to enter the estab-
lished high schools in September 1915.
The records show that a very small
per cent of the children in the rural
schools are given the privilege of high
school education. 1t would appear there
fore that both the need and the oppor-
tunity for efficient school building are
found In the open country. The country
people are not only willing but anxious
that their children shall have as good
facilities for securing an education as are
afforded the boys and girls OF the towns
and cities.
New Way to College.
The country people want an open door
not only into high school but in the col
lege and university. Conditions make 1t
necessary to modify courses. The stand
ard does not need to be lowered, but It
does need to be widened. A standard
six feet high and six inches wide will
not serve modern institutions. There is
no reason why the standard should not
be six feet high and six feet wide; not
a hlgh-narrow but a high-wide standard
Is necessary for these times.
1t will hurry any of the other states
in the union to make the showing in one
year Nebraska made In 1915. so far as
school building Is concerned. The may
tells its own story. One hundred and
ninety-one new high schools in one year
is gratifying record and all OF these
schools are operating under approved
conditions with approved courses of
study. approved teachers with as good
qualifications as are found in the towns
and cities of the state, approved buildings
and apparatus. etc.
Besides these. there is large number
of schools doing high school work which
under the conditions could not be APP
proved. but in which examinations will
be given at the close of the year. Pupils
who pass these examinations satisfac-
torily will be given proper credit there
for. OF the 1s1 high schools. twenty-one
are consolidated schools, nine of which
are operating high school only; twelve
are completed consultations and are
operating complete systems; six are
county high schools.
Causes for Delay.
The program of school building could
not be gotten well under way until the
spring months which made It too late
for the work to be completed before the
annual meeting. At the annual meeting
the districts their usual millage which
again Kindred the completion of the con-
solidated school. as no means were at
hand for distribution OF the tax from
the individual to the group district. There
are eighty-four of these uncompleted con-
solidatiOns. 1t Is expected that large
number Of these will be ready to begin
operation next year.
The new schools established In 1915
bring within the reach of 10000 children
at least a ten grade high school The
field is large and there is yet much to be
done. but a good beginning is worth
while. One hundred and sixty rural
school buildings were built. most of which
conform to the most modern ideal OF
school building, but the advancement Is
not confined to the rural schools. A large
number OF villages and towns have in
creased the number OF their high school
grades until practically $50 schools have
either established new high schools or
increased their high school advantages by
additional grades and forty-three towns
and cities have built new plants at
cost of from $4,000 to 10000 There is
not a-school shown on the map which
was in existence a year ago.