The Redwood gazette., 1919-12-17
The Advantages and
Disadvantages Of
Consolidated d Schools

lBy Edward G. Slettedahl.)
'upt. Of Delhi Consolidated School,

GuuSOl10aLIO0 Oh SCHOOLS ulC1uS Iklk
incorporating of several districts anC
their inhabitants into one larger dis.
trict for the purpose of maintaining
one larger more efficient school in 3
first class building Tt therefore con.
templates the abandoning of the many
small schools scattered through ou1
country districts or communities and
the reconstruction of the rural school
on new foundation, giving us strong
well graded schools offering country
children opportunities on par with
those of city systems. 1t means the
establishment of that ancient principle
Of equal rights to all.
The consolidated school serves the
individual of our commonwealth bet
ter than does the one or two teacher
rural school
a. 1t equalizes opportunity.
The consolidated school does not as
rule become overcrowded so that ev-
cation for citizenship.
b. 1t extends opportunity.
A child has the advantage of high
school education at home under par
ents supervision A child is away
: from the larger town or city where
vice is likely to lead them into dan
gers. This child is out in the free re-
: aim of nature where it can learn from
nature by connecting up its school
work with its environment The
home is our laboratory and it has been
made clear that the farm home is an
especially good laboratory under the
direction of a good teacher At Wal
dorf, Minnesota this was realized. from
experience. Clubwork or as it is now
called home project work gave us the
real clue We learned how to raise
pigs, corn, calves by study, lectures
from competent leaders, and club re-
ports and Immediately applied the
ideas and made careful note of resu' !
This motivation and correlation with
our subjects IN the school room led
the child to see the value of the appli
cation of knowledge Now that the
State Department has seen it advisa
BILE to require this work in all consoli
dated schools added impetus given
will mean more valuable results.
c. Teaching force is more efficient
The school attracts and can hold
more mature teachers. The grading
is much better than in a rural one
teacher school. Specialists are chosen
prepared for the particular work they
are in. The individual is therefore
better served. The larger school
building, splendid equipment, more
children and teachers is an attraction
to teachers. The larger salaries gen.
orally paid in consolidated school is
an inducement to first class teach
ers. Considering value received the
district can well afford this cost. With
better grading and classification more
needed subjects can be taught. The
period for this increased number of
subjects will even then be longer. In
addition to grammar and composition.
geography, history, and spelling we
teach and believe successfully, hy-
giene. agriculture, sewing and cook
ing, manual training, literature and
art, citizenship and penmenship. The
teacher has the advantage of super
visor that can be of material assist
ance by constructive criticism and ac-
tual demonstration of best method.
The teachers meeting give opportuni-
ty for the association and exchange
of ideas. The larger classes mean
more wholesome rivalry, interest, lde-
as, discussions and diffusion of ideas.
Good results are more easily secured
The variety of. opinions given in class
add to breadth of vision. Valuable
methods like the socialized recitation,
topical and .problematic recitatiOns
will work out more successfully.
ID. Better attendance under most un-
favorable conditions. According tic
G. G. Swains report this is true else
where as well as a Waldorf The
greater interest because of varied ac-
tivities at school and comfortable fa-
: ciiities. believe health is preserved
at less cost than when they trudge
through the weather to the "six by
four" We have an instance where
two boys lost their father. Ordinarily
they would have dropped out for farm
work. Now, however, they run a 16O
acre farm with a large herd of live
stock and attend school every day but
in the early fall and spring when they
attend every other day. One boy COM
ing every day. Queer as it may seem
they study to keep abreast with their
classes. They do all their chores ev-
cry day all the year around. This
added value of association, to them
love of association draws them.
e. School is real community cen-
ter.
Basket ball other athletics, club
work, orchestra, meetings for differ
ent purposes as farmers institute
crop Improvement or cooperative
meetings, chorus work, and now The
school moving picture show are pres
ent attractions. Bruno and Wood,
lake are the pioneers in this last val
liable movement to bring only the very
best in moving pictures to the people
Of rural communities at cost. Other
. schools are following in the wake and
we hope it will not be long before
visual presentation of subject matter
win be common practice. Because
consolidated schools are enthusiastical
ly opened to these varying activities
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