The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1917-09-13
Investigations by N. A. C. Show
Need of Better Rural Edu-
cational System.
CONSOLIDATION is REMEDY
Uniting Little District Schools Into
BIG Central Schools Saves
Money and 6ullda Up
Rural Life.
BY w. II. FRENCH.
professor. OF Agricultural Education,

Professor of Agricultural Education,
Michigan Agricultural College.
East Lansing, Mich.-The clangor In
the shops OF armorers, the bugle calls
marshaling men for war. the appeals
for more food, and the endless addi-
tlonai distractions that have come with
me business of preparing for battle
have for the time being drowned out
the voices of those who speak OF and
have to do with more peaceful works
and issues. but 1t should not be for
gotten that II these issues are to be
solved they should not be neglected
even now by the stay-at-homes.
The question Of revitalizing the
rural schools of Michigan for the pur-
pose OF better fitting them for meeting
modern rural needs has been among
these problems that have attracted no
small attention from thoughtful dwell
iers In the country. The country edu-
cationaI system OF the state is well
deserving OF this notice, for II we
study the rural school carefully we
must conclude that II is ineffective and
expensive. 1t costs more per capita
TO teach children the eight years of
the rural course In hundreds Of dis
tricts than 70 does TO teach the chill
dren I'm a 12-year course. including
the high school, I'm many cities and
villages. That is, II costs more per
child per year.
We have discussed with great vigor
the question OF taxes and equalization.
yet there is no tax which the people
pay which ia so unequal and so I'M
equally distributed as is the school
tax. We have communities In Michi-
Ean where the school tax runs as
high ~ per cent and we have other
communities at the other extreme
where the primary school interest fund
from the state practically pays the
entire expense. This phase of the ru-
raj school question should receive
careful consideration ar the hands Of
our rural people.
In Vevay township, in Ingham coun-
ty. there are six rural schools and the
city schools OF Mason. The per capita
is higher than it Is In the city Of
Mason. IF these six school districts
wore all consolidated with the Mason
district we could reduce the teaching
fore" IN the township by three or four
teachers, and by transporting the pu-
pi'e we could additionally give all the
children the same educational advan-
tages. and at less expense than is now
incurred This instance could be du-
plicated In at least 800 townships I'm
the state Of Michigan.
Anotner plan would he 10 combine
the six rural schools into two or three
schools. with two teachers I'm each.
These schools would be In the cOun-
try and could take the children easily
through the first six grades. After
that they could provide their own
transportation and attend the central
school without great difficulty and at
very small expense. This plan might
not decrease the whole amount of the
tax levy. but II would distribute the
money equitably and increase the com
munity spirit. II we combine districts
10 as 10 have two teachers in every
rurnl school we would increase the
efficiency OF the school by more than
100 per cent. improve the community
spirit. and make the school more
nearly a real educational center.
These consolidated schools, and par
ticulnriy those In which an agricultural
course Ia offered, tend TO further check
the cityward movement OF farm boys.
I have made careful Investigations OF
the agricultural work In our high
schools. One year ] found 100 young
men who told me that when they en-
tered the high school they had no idea
or going back to the home farm. but
as result OF their school training IN
agriculture they had secured a new
interest and new vision OF the pOssl-
biiities OF life I'm the country and they
were going back 10 the farm. Thus.
In that year through agricultural TRIM
Ing In the high schools we saved Mt
least 100 bright keen young men for
agriculture. This year we have 300
boys studying agriculture In the high
schools. and FIVE years from now there
Will not be reputable high school in
the state which will not be teaching
this course.