Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1919-02-05
REFORM
MEASURES UP
Representative f. j. Hook of Winnie.
shiek, Chairman House Com
mittee on Schools and Text
Books Engaged in
Drafting Bill.
TOO MANY SMALL SCHOOLS
SAYS SENATOR NEWBERRY
More Consolidation and Less Crowd.
ing Are Among the Measures
Advocated.

That considerable school reform,
legislation will be acted upon by
the Thirty-eighth general assembly
is the opinion of numerous senator's
and representatives, based on the
personnel of the two committees on
schools, says the Des Moines Regis
ter.
This prediction appeared to be
we'll taken Thursday afternoon
when, at the initial meeting of the
senate school committee, it's chair
man, Senator Byron w. Newberry of
Clayton county, reminded the COM
mittee that some deplOrable condi-
tions exist in some of the schools OF
Iowa and invoke their earnest CO.
operation in working out some re-
medal measures.
There are altogether too many
small rural Schools" said Senator
Newberry. "a law should be passed
fixing the legal attendance at not
less than eight pupils; whereas, at
the present time there are many
schools with only two or three pu-
pills. This should be remedied by
more general consolidation of
schools, even though some students
would have to be transported for
considerable distance.
Would Avoid Crowding.
'In other localities, excessive
crowding exists in the schools, and
many other serious conditions which
lit is our duty to try to remedy. In
view of the fact that only 10 per
cent OF our young people attend
high school. while the average child
does not get farther than the eighth
grade, it is plain that everything pos
sible should be done to perfect con-
ditions surrounding the elementary
grades"
Senator Newberry then read a
letter which he had received from
an indignant citizen, describing con-
ditions in schools Of Bussey, Marion
county, as ''beggaring description"
Among other things, the author of
the letter claimed that the schools
there are so overcrowded that many
children cannot get in at all; that
two pupils were required to occupy
the single seats, three crowd into
each double seat, and many are
obliged to. sit on boxes. That one
young woman teacher, who is al
ready greatly oyerworked, has been
asked by the district school board
to sign a contract requiring her to
do the school janitor work and pre-
pare the kindling wood; that many
of the schools have stoves without
CRATES, are without windowshades,
and that junk dealer would refuse
/, to haul away t1eir equipment, even
as a gift, is also charged. ...
+, Not an Isolated Case.
""While this situation, which l am
assured by others is exactly as this
letter describes it, is worse than the
average, Senator Newberry said,
"there are many serious conditions
to be found elsewhere, which we
must try to improve"
Senator Newberry intimated that
Representative Ellis J. Hook OF
Winneshiek county, chairman OF the
house committee on schools and text
hooIs. Representative Arthur
Springer of Louisa county and him.
self are now engaged in drafting a
tentative bill providing for greater
consolidation of schools and Tor
other reform measures, which they
hope to complete soon.
She Rented 1t Furnished.