The Dermott news., 1916-02-03
III. ADVANTAGES OF A COUNTY
UNIT.
BY J. II. Jewell. Dean School of Edo
cation University of Arkansas

BY J. X. Jewell. Dean School of Eda-
cation University of Arkansas
he most important reform needed
IN our Arkansas school system is the
abolition of the district as the unit OF
school government and the substitute
ton therefor OF lie county The school
district is an artificial unit estabs
hshed for a single and special puF=
pose, and like nothing else under
heaven consequently our schools are
governmental outGaStS bearing no re
latlon to the county government
which. for every other function. Is the
only recognized unit Il is in such
school system alone that one sees
three times as many officers as teach
ers. which is just like an army with
three times as many officers as sol
diers or business concern with three
times AS many foremen as lahorers
There should be ne words OF abuse
for school trustees MANY OF them arc
honest and honorable men But. in
selecting 5000 officers for any ad
ministratiye function. II Is folly 10 ex
pect that many OF them should hava
an intelligent conception of the dn
ties To be performed The duties Of
school officials are peculiar and re
auire culture. business acnmeu hign
aims Tor human progress and capa,
lily Tor Intelligent leadership Hqt tn
prevailing sentiment in majority Of
districts Is tia. Any body vii de- p
school trustee The school district y
SO small that lev men care te incur
the displeasurc Of taeir friends aud
neighhers II irving 10 perform the du
ties required Of school trustees
There are some Who cling 70 the
di,irict system because they assert
1t is the most democratic form ~
school government On the contrary
II Is the most auteeratie When ar
election Is held. the vote Il. by nc
means. an Indication OF the popular
Will
The school district Is democracy gone
TO seed. a worthless Inheritance from
Massachusetts. from whose system
our own WAS copied at It's beginning
But Massachusetts. after IA disastrou,
experience similar 10 our own. dis
rarded her system many wears ago
and one OF her distinguished sons
Horace Mann. had declared that the
school district is the greatest blundei
In the whole history of edueationa
legislation"
BY making the county the unit oil
al
its citizens would manifest the same
interest in the administration OF its
schools that is now had in other gov
ernmental functions In the cities tn,
best citizens are selected by the en-
tire municipality to control tn,
schools. and the whole CITY contribute,
10 their support
Under the county system there Woule
be an average OF tive or siN school OFT
cials, Surely IL would beeasier TO select
school board OF this limited number
who would have and would NANTES
an interest in popular education thar
IL would be To secure three times a.
many superior men as there ar.
schools And. too. II is equally oh
yious that since this board would he
elected by the whole municipality
the electors would hold them te
strict accountability for the success
full administration OF other county If
fairs
This matter Of a county unit is In
eNtricably tied up With the matter O
better system Of taxation, which vii
be the topic of the next article =
this series Every county in Arkan
sas presents examples of adJonlni
school districts, one OF which VIII
very low taxation can raise NOR,
money for school purposes than it ~,
stand. while the other by taxing itsel
the legal limit cannot raise enouei
TO maintain school 1T To send tn
children OF the community To 70
instance. in Monroe County. Distric f.
Ne ! has six times the assessed yalu
alton OF District No -. adjoining il
although II has only two more Whit.
Nupls. and can raise annually 10
school purposes $l,i6S u. while tn,
latter district can raise a maximum
Of $500 90 District No rs that al
Joins No 26 has n valuation OF only
$1,000 and 50 can raise maximum
Of only Sll93l Every principal q
democracy urges that every child l.
Monroe County and every other coun
IL OF our state have equal opportuni
ties for fatr oducauuu with ever,
other child How unfortunate ind,yt
are those children OF such districts