Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1921-04-21
CHAPMAN FAV0RS
CONSOLIDATE N
(By Associated rress1

Louisville, April 2l-The one
teacher rural school can be a po-
tent factor in the development OF
rural life, but the advantages OF
consolidated schools are superior
in every way, J. Virgil Chapman,
State Supervisor of Rural
Schools, said here today in an
address before the annual meet
ing of the Kentucky Education
Association. Mistakes may be
made, as in other affairs, but no
community has ever been so re-
dictionary as to abandon a we'll
organized school Of the type icon
solidated) and return to the old
one-room single-cylinder plan OF
rural school," he said.
Mr.. Chapman spoke on Some
Phases of Rural Progress"
Every country child in the
land must first of all have real
tcacher-heaIthy, happy, we'll
trained. welI-fed, well-housed
and well-paid," said Mr.. Chap
man. Democracy demands that
the country boy and girl be given
equal educational advantages
with those of the city. 1t likewise
demands that such requisites as
agricultural vocational and high
school instruction be furnished
without severing home ties.
Common decency, sanitation and
health as we'll as the influence of
environment on social and moral
development-all suggest to in
the necessity for a cOmmodious,
attractive, properly lighted.
heated and ventilated school
building. 1t should be provided
with assembly hall, gymnasium,
library, modern equipment and
ample ground for play and agri-
culture demonstration work
when desired. For comfort,
economy, and convenience Of the
teachers, practically all of us
agree that such a school plant is
not complete without, teach
ers' cottage. 1t is, OF course, I'M
derstood that we should have
longer terms. regular attendance
richer and more satisfactory
course of study, a fine spirit of
community service-with the
school a vital and effective cen
ter of the intellectual, agricul-
tural, social and civic life of the
entire community.
at is evident that these almost
ideal conditions can scarcely be
realized except i'll those sections
of the country where consolida-
ton of schools is feasible"
at is not our purpose" Mr.
Chapman continued, ito discredit
the work of the teacher
school. Some communities. be
cause of roads. topography an
economical conditions will have
them for many years to come
and through the influence of zeal
Gus, capable teachers of person
atty and power they can be made
potent factors in tn edevelopme
of rural life. On the other hand,
history, statistics, observation,
and experience of teachers, pu-
pills and patrons in every state in
the country testify to the super
Tor advantages of typical CON
solidated schools"
The natural conservatism Of
Kentuckians has made the pro-
gress of the consolidation move
ment slow, the supervisor said.
continuing: "The tendency to-
ward consolidation or grouping
of schools in shown by statistics !:
Under the head of white schools
with two or more teachers, we
find in 1911, 631 schools; in 1915.
1868 schools; in 1919, 1922 schools.
Under white consolidated sub
district Schools meaning the
union of two or more schools,
usually without tax or Transport
tation, we find in 1911, 1917; in
1915, 209, and in 1919, 262. The
county school tax in 1915 was
S928,000 and in 1919. $1,675,OOO.