Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1921-03-31
CONSOLIDATED SCHOOLS
Thought They We're Dead? No the
Livest Thing Out

I have received a written report
from seven consolidated schools In
Kansas, five started last September.
They are Weskan, Holcomb, Omar
ron, Montezuma and Ingals, Kansas.
Don't take my word just write to any
of these and get it first hand. find
by comparison that 95 to 80 percent
of the patrons are satisfied with the
schools and they say they are worth
the money, the transportation is hold.
ing up good and giving general salts
faction; a small percent kick on the
transportation, but some men would
kick if playing foot ball. The one
school that shows dissatisfaction is
Montezuma. The superintendent
writes me that 40 percent are dis
satisfied, every one of them German
Mennonite. They don't want their
children to learn too much and espec-
tally don't want them to learn English
and American ways. Well, if it don't
suit them in this country the same
ship that brought them over will take
them back. Or if Consolidation and
Prohibition don't suit them there is
Mexico still open.
Some say this is new thing, but
how about Lorraine which has been
running % years, the supervisor
writes me, and the school is giving
satisfaction They use wagons and
and say they are getting along fine.
How about Burns? They have been
running since 1904. The superintend-
ent of that school writes me that less
than 1 percent are dissatisfied. They
have an enrolment of $50, 5 grade
teachers and four high school teach
ers. They use wagons but expect to
put auto busses next fall. He
says their valuation is about the
same as the valuation in the Collyer
territory They are building an $780,
10000 school house.
The written opinion of all these
supervisors is that the CoI1yer project
would not be a burden in taxes; also
of Miss Hildebrand, superintendent of
Gray Couty, Kansas. Every one of
these men report from 40 to 100 per
cent gain in school attendance over
the old system; people generally salts
| fed, tax not burden, transportation
holding up good and giving general
| satisfaction, no trouble to keep order
| in buss, don't have to wait for chill
| dren and child spends from As min
| utes to one hour and 80 minutes on
the road How do they get these
| figures? They send out questiona1res
| to the patrons and they are figured
from their answers.
My sister reports from Owasso,
| Oklahoma. She, Nellie league,
taught three years in the Owasso
grade school and is now in her second
year in the consolidated school. Four
| or five districts had % to 25 in school.
Uunder consolidation the same terri
| tory has 127- This is outside of town.
| Transportation is doing well, roads
have been improved more in the last
| two years than ever before.
| Everyone of the reports have one
| fault with the schools and that is
| that they kept growing and grow
| ing and require more teachers and
more room. They all report land
| values increased, more people NOV
| ing in, worth more than it costs, gives
the farm child equal advantage with
| the town child Community Center.
| Community Pride. We are told that
/ to every Booster in a good cause there
are three kickers. Be booster.
! Let's 60
| w F. TEA CUE Chairman