The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-02-08
Reconsideration
. OF RURAL SCHOOLS
Question viii be Voted on at Argyle
II Sufficient Number Of Names
Can be Signed to the
Petition.
MOVEMENT IS STARTED
Speaker Was at Argyle Last Week
and the Proposal Was
Freely Discussed
Then.

solidated school question mas come
to the fore at Argyle. The progress
sive group Of farmers, who have IN
stigated the community movement
here, are determined that the Ques-
ton OF education be kept before tht.
public until that question Is settled,
and settled right. These people real
ize that there can be no great COM
munity movement here without
proper kind Of school. People are
not attracted toward a community
that neglects its educational facilities.
Progressive farmers will not come,
and bring their families, to the coun-
try-side that has not good church
and school. Our progressive citizens
realize this. That is why they will
keep on -agitating the school ques'
ton, whether the proper settlement
Of It takes SIX months, oT ten years.
The present proposed settlement OF
the school question here Is by the
establishment of q consolidated
school. A goodly number of people
favor this form Of school as the solu-
ton of our educational problem.
Whether a majority does as yet, or
not, remains to be seen at an election
that will soon be held. People SIN
cerely differ in America on educa-
tional questions, and most OF our
people who do not favor the consoli-
dated school are doubtless sincere III
their convictions. The old argument
What was good enough for me, Is
good enough for the children now" Is
used only rarely by people. IN Iowa,
progressive state that she Is, that
argument has but little weight today
| Some people, too, use the argument
of higher taxes as their reason for
opposing the consolidated school.
This seems to be the strongest argu-
ment OF the opposition, as 1t Is In so
| many places. Those favoring the
school freely admit that the taxes
will be higher, but they point out
that the school tax in the proposed
district is at present much lower than
in other districts In Lee county. They
also take the broad view OF the ques
ton and say that the added advant.
ages which come to the children with
the consolidated school are worth
paying for in somewhat higher taxes.
Furthermore, they realize that the
! value of property here will increase
as better education comes. That is
doubtless one reason why many arc
ifavoring the school. Among those
who favor it, are majority OF the
largest land owners and tax payers
here.
| Advantages Of Schools.
Last week State Inspector OF
Schools Woodruff was here and adj.
dressed meeting of the citizens Of
Argyle on the advantages OF a rural
community having a consolidated
| school. He brought out some inter-
esting facts about the status OF these
schools in Iowa. There are over
two hundred of them in this state,
and they are practically all meeting
with marked success. Communities
that have them would not be satisfied
to revert to the old type Of one room
country school. Mr.. Woodruff advo-
Gated the consolidated school as the
solution of the rural educational
problem in our state. He went over
the state law which governs this
form of school. explaining 1t in de-
tall He also spoke OF the transpor-
tation used to convey pupils to and
from the school, and of the satisfa2-
ton which this gives. practically
everywhere. He went into the tax
question and said that the increase
was anywhere from five to eighteen
cents on the acre, depending, Of
course, on inc Kllu Ol UuHuAuS LAol
was erected, and on the quality O.:
the school maintained. Mr.. Woodruff
was accompanied by County Super
intendent Of Schools e. C. Lynn, OF
Donnellson. Mr.. Lynn spoke briefly.
explaining why he favors the consol.
idated school for the districts of Lee
county. He showed how we lost, from
this county, SO many bright young
men and women teachers, because Of
our lack OF adequate educational IA
cilities In the country. These teach.
ers get their training here and then
go to better positions elsewhere.
To Bring About Vote.
On Monday evening about twenty
five of our citizens met and effected
an organization for pushing the con-
| so]idated school question to a vote.