The evening herald. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1906-1942, 1922-05-02
FURTHER DISCUSSION or COrN.
: TY UNIT PLAN FOR SCHOOLS

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TY UNIT PLAN FOR SCHOOLS
ny Twyla Ferguson. County School
| vases Superintendent
Since the first article on the coun.
~ unit plan has appeared many per-
sons have formed an erroneous Idea
and u 10 hoped that II will be correct.
Cd - soon as possible. From the
wording The County Uni, for
Schools" the idea seemed TO have
sprsad that every boy and girl in
the rural districts will be brought to
some central point and one school
maintained at that place. 1t can easily
be seen that this would be physical
impossibility even II that were the
meaning Of the law which Il Is not.
Schools will be maintained Ia the
ssne places rs at the present time. Il
10 doubtful II there will be much cen,
solidation OF rural schools for the
reason that tho roads OF the county
viii net permit OF all the year trans
portaticn. and consolidation must
never 20 before adequate transporta-
tion. There arc very few portions OF
Klamath county where transportation
Ia possible throughout the school
year.
The purpose OF the plan is-the
county as the unit for admin istration
and cqualisinG and reducing the bur.
den Of taxation.
System n Deusorratic
Practical democracy means equal
opportunity. Justice demands that
byos and girls living In the country
should have as good schools as child
rem In the cities. r
The old district school system is
undsmocratic. II Involves great In.
eaualities. Il stratifies society into
classes-rich and poor.
One distifet may have a good
school house. good teacher. good
equipment. An adjoining district may
have. and oftep does have. q. poor
school house. poor teacher and poos
equipment. Every child Is now SUBJ
jsct 70 the accident Of his birth. in n
good or poor district. This Is q trag.
edy. and undemocratic.
The eosaty unit will reach out IL
strong arms into every nook and
corner. siving oil children. rich and
poor alike. first class schools.
Praeticel Democracy
The county unit will not take
away the control OF the schools from
the people. The people will elect the
school board for the large district
just rs they now elect a board Of
county commissioners TO administer
the affairs Of the entire county: and
Just a. Portland. Salem. Astoria. Eu-
gene and other cities Of the state
elect q single small board to admins
ter all the schools OF the city. This
has long since been accepted as the
most feasible plan for larger unit ad-
In the present school
emergency OF the rural schools. why
not make the same plan of high class
effective there?
Syaem In EfSicient
The county, unit makes possible a |
more efficient and economical admin.
istration OF the schools. does away
with the inconvenisnce OF artificial
district lines. permits q more busi-
nessliks accounting or school moneys.
and establishes much better schools.
with inspiration and enthusiasm OF
numbers. =.
The school Is not an institution Of
mere local interest. but one Of nation
al concern. For the good OF all. all
the schools should be good"
The county unit has been an oper-
alton In large number OF states for
many years. Not one state that has
ried II has ever abandoned the sys.
.em.
Rnsults In Other States
Actual experience with county unit
plans In other states has shown
marked improvements In the follow
Ing directions:
N (s) Avoiding waste by having all
funds handled In larger units. by sim
plifying the work Of the county asses
sor. by buying supplies in larger
quantities. and by reducing the num-