Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1919-05-13
4 SCHOOLS in
LESLIE SECTION
CONSOLIDATED
FOR PROGRESS
DeSoto, Leslie, New Hope and How
ell Join for IL Grade Course
---PIan Big Building

One of the most progressive steps
in the matter of rural education ever
recorded in Sumter county was taken
at the last meeting of the county
board of educations when petitions
we're approved and consolidation or
dered of the Leslie, DeSoto. Howell
and New Hope school districts into
one district.
Notification of the consolidation or
der was sent today by County Super
intendent E. ]. McMath 10 the trustees
of the four districts.
The plans, which as yet are only
tentative, contemplate the erection of
new school house somewhere be-
tween Leslie and DeSoto, to cost be-
tween 1000 and $4,000, and the in
stallation of full Upgrade 14-unit
school, the equal of any preparatory
school in Georgia and giving its grad
yates entry privileges into the col
leges and universities of the state. The
Leslie school now embraces only 10
grades.
The present average total school at
tendance in these four districts now is
about 275, divided as follows: Leslie,
$50; DeSoto, 40; Howell, 30; New
Hope %, Preparations will be made
to care for larger number.
The consolidation project will neces-
state the employment of trucks by. the
county to transport pupils living at a
distance from the school, but these
will be limited to the Howell and New
Hope districts, the new school being
located within walking distance of all
pupils in the Leslie or DeSoto dis
tricts. 1t is said that Cobb could cas-
! lily join in the consolidation, were it
desirable, that district being within
easy reach of the new school by truck.
However, no movement to join in this
consolidation project has yet been re-
ported from Cobb.
Sentiment Unanimous.
! The consolidation sentiment was
| declared to have been unanimous in
each of the four districts, and when
the county board of education met to
take action upon the proposal they
found before them the petitions signed
| by the patrons of each district, show
; ing no differences of opinion. Where
upon the following order was passed:
May 6, 1919.
Resolved, that the petitions of the
patrons and citizens of the Leslie, the
| DeSoto, the Howell and the New Hope
districts asking for these four school
districts to be consolidated into one
large district, the same are hereby
granted and approved.
at is therefore ordered by the board
of education that the said four districts
be combined and consolidated into
one, and that said new district en-
brace all the territory comprised in
the four named districts and one
school building be erected and main
tanned somewhere between the towns
of Leslie and DeSoto in said district.
This new district being formed of
four districts that have already voted
and accepted local taxation to main
tain the schools in same, it is the
sense of this board that the new dis
trict shall have all privileges in this
respect that were enjoyed by the four
old districts before they were consoli-
dated into one.
j. c. CARTER, President.
81. e. RANEW,
a. e. d. SHIPP,
EVANS T. MATHIS,
''E. ]. McMATH, County School Super
intendent"
2 More Projects.
1t is said the consolidated school will
not be ready for the beginning of the
fall term, but that the present schools
will be continued until the new struc-
ture is ready When it is completed the
old boards of trustees will be dissolv-
ed and one new board chosen to rep
resent the single combined district.
Two other school consolidation prof
ects are reported under way, which
may be ready for early action by the
county board. One is the consolidation
of the New Point, Fidelity and Benev-
olence schools, the school building in
the former district having burned
down a few weeks ago; and of the