El Nuevo mexicano., 1917-05-17
CONWAY IMPRESSED
BY RURAL SCHOOLS
OF wBERNAL|LL0

VI btKHAlILlU
SPLENDID RESULTS ACHIEVED
by CONSOLIDATION POLICY
THERE BY SUPERINTENDENT
ATANAslo MoNToYA.
Even good school houses, able
teachers cooperating with an eff.
cient county school superintendent,
are OF no avail II parents do not get
their children to attend school.
This is what Assistant State School
Superintendent j. v. Conway is tell
ing teachers, pupils and parents as he
addresses meetings In Bernalillo scoun-
ty which he has been touring with
County Superintendent Atanasio Mon
toya. MI. Conway is distinctly inn
pressed with the results Of CONSOLE
dation seen in the school districts or
Bernalillo. His report on his latest
school-visiting tour, received by State
Superintendent J. H. Wagner this
morning, Is as follows:
Il have just returned from a three
day visit in Bernalillo county with
County School Superintendent Atana-
clio Montoya. The schools visited
were the consolidated districts in the
Bernalillo valley adjoining Albuquer-
que. l found these consolidated build
ings In good condition with the excep-
ton of the Pajarito School District
Mo. II. In this district they are using
ono rCorn for fu,z foalh4rc o-l An
condition is entirely unsatisfactory.
The school house Is an old dance hall
remOdeled and not fitted for school
purposes. / learned from Superin-
tendent Montoya that school bonds
have been twice defeated in this dis
trict but it is nov believed they will
carry at the next election.
We were on the 60 from the time
I arrived at Albuquerque until the
last school was visited, We attended
the closing exervices at Santa Bar
bara, North Fourth street, Ranches
de Albuquerque, Atrisco, Los Padillas,
Pajarito, CandelarIas and Los Grie-
COS. The exercises were, in every in
stance, first class, and showed good
preparation. The teachers had work |
ed hard and earnestly in the prepa-|
ration of their programs and the ex-
ercises rendered were most credit
able. The class plays, operettas and
pantimimes presented in the differ
ent schools, clearly indicated how
much more can be accomplished
where consolidation is possible. The
parents and directors appeared much
interested and aided the teachers in
every way possible. The new two,
and four room school houses
have the folding partitions which
make them convenient for closing ex-
~ercises. The closing exercises were
we'll attended and showed the parents
and school officers appreciated the
new conditions and efforts being
made in behalf Of their children.
Farmers Are Preparing
The Bernalillo county. valley is
probably the richest agricultural Sec
ion in New Mexico, and here Super
ntendent Montoya found an ideal
for consolidated rural schools,
which the people are enjoying, and
or which the tax payers responded
'eadily by voting large amounts OF
lchool bonds. AS we motored along
his beautiful valley, evidnce, was
noticeable that the farm
RS had heard the call for prepared :
less, for they appeared busily engag- !
d In the preparation of additional
and for extra planting this year. Con- +.
itions In this section, this year, judg- !
ne from opinions Of its farmers, are !,
most encouraging. ha =
Il enjoyed my brief stay in Berna- !
lilo county, and have promised SUI d
erintendent Montoya to return in the u
arly fall and make a complete educa- /,
survey Of the county. On that {
isit | shall include the mountain dis. p
lets where the one-room schools are a
and where consolidation is b
n i~mpossibility. ! addressed school
Ulcers, patrons and school children o.
English and Spanish. / made two d
idresses at each Of the schools Wis II
ed, and emphasized the necessity OF W
,gular attendance in the school. a.
AIDE it clear and evident that good o.
,hool houses, we'll equipped and II
furnished teachers and W
,od superintendent, were OF no avail G;
Id meant nothing where parents a.
lowed an Indifference about regular n
tendance. / explained school laws ~
hich now place all communities on q
Iual basis, insofar as school matters
Q concerned, and urged parents to !.
courage their children to go y
rough the higher grades. %Mr
Il shall leave early today and meet -
lperintendent Garcia and will make q
other swing of his county, visiting nj
MADEIRA, Coyote, La Gallina and I i
her schools in Rio Arriba county" a.
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