The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-03-07
MAKING RURAL
SCHOOLS MODERN
That IL Tendency Of Consolidation
Movement Which 10 Being Tried
out Over the
Country.
OLD SCHOOL IS PASSING
Little Red Building Of Poetic Fame
Gives Way to More Up
to-Date etruc-
lures.

| Consolidation Of schools means sew
ieraf Things that previously did not
exist It means first of all, combining
1 the territory of two or more school
districts for the support OF the school
IL means concentration Of power. II
means larger buildings. increase of
I school taxation, transportation OF pu-
! Ellis. reorganization % grade, state In
specticn and state sd. On account of
| these changes. conservative districts
have been slow TO effect consolidation
In Minnesota a few years ago. law
was passed which encouraged consoH-
dation OF rural schools to such an ex-
tent that more than one hundred have
been effected since that time. A rural
school commissioner has been appoint
ed who devotes his time largely TO
these schools.
| Indiana has made the greatest prog
Tess in recent years, and We find the
nearest approach 10 a state system OF
consolidated schools-Sa out OF 80
counties now have consolidated schools
in operation and one-half million dol
| lars is paid annually for TRANSPORTS
/ ton. Many have a four-year high
school course and as full equipment as
I a city schooi. In Montgomery county
the proportion of Its rural pupils at
tending consolidated schools is 81 per
cent against 1s per cent In one-room
schools
| Meets Objections.
1 The objections to consolidation have
been numerous but practically all have
been met, where public sentiment was
really in favor of the movement The
most serious objection raised by the
average community Is the cost The
fundamental cause OF the poor schools
found in the country as compared with
the villages and cities is TO be found
in Inc fact that the latter are willing
TO tax themselves two and one-han
times as much as the former for
schools taking the United States as
la whole.
In large percentage OF onepom
rural schools the equipment is the
same that was used when the district
was established, perhaps a map made
lin 1875 the h,ackboards, simply
boards painted black and from which
most of the paint has been worn
loi-aad the big store which SO m
leorany heats the room Likewise
there win not be more than two or
three pupils in a grade. and more
often as many different grades as
pupils
In the consolidated school a better
building can be provided. proper heat
ing, lighting and sanitation can be OBJ
tanned and in fact consolidation SIP
plies the conditions under which Ell
Cheney .n education can be achieved.
Il allows broader, richer curriculum.
Better buildings, and equipment, bet
ter teaching and wider and more
helpful range of association than are
possible in the district school Tn
less these are supplied there is little
virtue in consolidation But they are
being supplied and ii IS the demand
for them that insures the further
spread Of the consolidated system
j Mot Experimental.
Consolida ton has passed the ex-
perimentai stage. II is no longer a
question of whether the one room
schools yet remaining shall be aban-
doned-the question now Is how If
shall best be brought about and what
shall be the type OF the new school.
Legislation is necessary 10 produce
consolidation, and OF three methods
used the most effective Is state aid.
provided certain requirements are
met. Minnesota furnishes the best
recent example OF the use Of state
aid 20 encourage consolidation. .
t~o-roon school with two teachers
receives $3.50, three teachers $1,000
ard four or more teachers $500.
Furthermore the erection OF good
buildings Is encouraged By providing
aid Up to a possible maximum OF
$500.
The effects Of this financial eucour-
arement can hardly be oreT-estf-
mated. The first year under this Law
saw hsty consultations as sgains.
nine for the preceding eivyen years
Iowa has more recently passed
similar law and its effects are already
being felt
While sps-sefy settled districts ard
had roads are diGcuit factors In the
problem. they are less discourzgtrg
than the indifference end conserva-
ttsm still prevailing II many places
where all other conditions are more
favorable.
The CHIEF element tn tie success
Of the movement. Is. after all an
awakened public interest II educasic-@
and full information az 10 what con-
solfSat.s1 10 actually accomplishing
for tie communities where ft !. fully
established ft surely keeps larger
proportion Of the older children IN
school. and tkozxtttui persons every
where are cor1tlg TO realize that one
o, the Uavszt problems connected
with the education Of our youth IL
the cue.tiou Of preventing 20 many
bows ans girls from dropping out Of
school with bur a sna-te-t1G Of an
education
The success % the consolidated
school depends 81 great measure
upon TIE transportation OF TIE pupils
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