Weekly journal-miner., 1921-02-16
COUNTY UNIT IN SCHOOL WORK |S
 OBJECT 0E BILL
Economical Purchasing and Uni formity Would Be Gained by Consolidation of School Con- trol in Each County
(Journal-Miner Capital BureaW
 (From Tuesdays Daily)

PHOENIX, Feb. 1.-The county unit plan for the administration of rural schools is provided for in a bill which has been introduced in the state legislature by Senator Woodward of Gila county. This bill carries out the suggestions of Gov ernor Campbell in his opening mes sage to the legislature, relative to more efficient school government and if placed in effect will save the state hundreds of thousands of dol lars annually, it is believed
 Under this plan all of the school districts outside of incorporated cities and towns ill each county be come one district, whose affairs would be controlled and directed by a county board of education. This insures uniformity in accommoda- tions and teachers, and will be of great assistance ill raising the stand ards of the poorer country districts. At the same time tremendous say ings will be effected through the purchase Of supplies through one board instead of by each district school board as under the present system.
 Some of the further provisions of the bill are as follows:
 All districts in the state which employ a superintendent or super vising principal for one-ha1f time or more may make application to the state board of education to become a city district, and the state. board may authorize organization as such.
 For convenience in administration the county school board may subdi- vide the county into attendance Joint subdistricts may be established by the joint action or two or more county boards of and all such districts shall be under the control of the board of and the superintendent of schools of the county in which the school house IS located.
 Parts of county sub-district may be transferred to city school dis trict and vice versa upon mutual consent of the county and city boards. The initiative for such transfers may come from either board or by petition to both boards signed by the parents of twenty of school age residing in the area proposed to be transferred, but the final decision as to the de- sirability of the change shall rest with the county board.
 Each county board of education would consist of six citizens to be elected from the county at large, but not more than one from any one city or sub-district. These members would serve for a six-year term.
 Each member of the board would be paid his actual travelling expenses and an honorarium of $lOO per year
 In addition to other usual duties of any school board, the county board is empowered to act as board of control for any county high schools, county vocational schools, truant agricultural schools, training schools, county libraries or museums which may be established.
 It is also empowered to appoint, on the nomination Of the county school superintendent all principals and teachers for all schools within the subdistricts of the county and to fix and pay their salaries to con tract for all supplies, to establish separate subdistricts for the colored race as needed and to maintain all schools with as near equal facilities as possible.
 Would Make Budget
 One of the most important duties of the board would be to determine the annual school budget for school library work and other educational undertakings and determine the ap- propriations for different educational purposes under its control
 Each county would have a county superintendent of education, who would act as the chief executive of ficer of the county board. All coun- ty school superintcndents holding of flee at the time of the passage of this act would become the new coun- ty supcrintcndcnts of education con- tinuing to serve until the expiration of the term for which elected Thereafter the county board would appoint their successors. All ap- pointmcuts of supcrintendcnts of education would be for a term of four years
 Enlarged powers are given the