Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1923-10-25
L. B. STRONG GIVES FURTHER
VIEWS ON SCHOOLS IS
McConnelsville, o.,
Oct. 10, 1923.


questions at issue in the discussion
relative to the election of two members
of the county school board. The sin.
gle question simply stated is: Can and
does the present law furnish adequate
opportunities for the education Of our
children? think that statement of
the issue is plain and clear cut We
take the negative of the question and
declare that it cannot and does not
furnish those opportunities under the
environment OF much of Morgan cOun-
ty and OF from twenty to twenty-five
similarly affected counties in Southern
Ohio. -
The folks on the other side seem to
think the law is adequate, and there
fore the issue is Joined. As standard
to judge from cited an instance in
Delaware county, substantially all
hauled to and from school; all home
at night; equal opportunity! going on
for 6 or 7,years. -
Now we are going to look over this
county bit to see how it measures up
to the Delaware standard. We are 60
ing to take the most favored portion
of our county first: NJ & M. High
School Better situated than Delaware; ;
don't have SO far to go. The rural por-
tions of the townships of Morgan and
Malta may not all be so well accom-
modated but in view of the improved
roads radiating from the two towns
the outlook is bright. | am glad the
opportunities in those two townships
are SO good.
| will next take another group which
seems to be upon about an equality:
PennSville, Chesterhill and Stockport
Each has CENTER OF POPULATION
that insures it a permanent high
school. The logical place; therefore it
is proper and right to make perma-
nent provision for high schools at
those places as fast as necessary. In
my previous article / did not intend
these villages to be included in "ru-
raj high schools" Under the present
law the townships and villages are
united for high school purposes and
owing to the amount of improved
roads are pretty well fixed for high
school opportunities to a reasonable
radius beyond each OF these villages
But how about those children OUT
SIDE Of a reasonable limit of distance?
There is a mighty difference be-
tween the level, straight improved
roads of Delaware and the hilly,
crooked, mud roads of Penn, Marion
and Windsor townships and a two
mile limit down here is as much as
four mile limit in Delaware.
There are large areas in each one
of those three townships which have
PEASnN ADJ Z hirl
tunities at the present time.
AS third group of townships, I
will name Homer, Union, York, Bris-
tol, Manchester, Center and Meigs-
Vile
These townships are of slightly diff
ferent grades, perhaps, but l am class
ing them together because they have
no centers of population and no i'm
proved roads leading to them Purely
rural. Population is pretty sparse,
very few are located in the center of
The township, and cannot very we'll be
located until the roads are improved
% a reasonable degree. All these high
schools are accommodating part of the
-ownShip. / think they are the best
hat can be done under the present
aw. But what about the large areas
n each of those townships which are
NOT accommodated by those high
schools? Are they being furnished ade-
luate opportunities for the education I
If the children? THEY ARE NOT! |
Bloom and Deerfield at the end Of nine |
years have no high school opportuni-
les outside of the four centers CT
population, M. & NJ, .Pennsville, Ches-
-erbill and Stockport, think ! am safe
IN affirming that there is at least one
half of the children not provided with
high school opportun-
titles.
i think we might better cease to de-
bate this question. Under the environ
ment we have it cannot be operated.
1t seems to me the proper thing to do
now is to seek for a remedy. Now I
do not think this county alone can Sc
cure remedy. There are, perhaps,
twenty-five counties in Southern and
ton as Morgan in regard to schools
and unfavorable environment. / am
going to suggest that two more years
be added to our grade schools, max
ing two years of high school to be
taught in the rural school that does
not have high school within reach
Secure this by an amendment to the
present law permitting any small
school in the state to add the two
years to its cOurse-this to be regulat-
ed by proper provisions. If the condi-
tions that made these "INTERMEDI-
ATE'' schools necessary should dis
appear then let them pass under the
present law. This is a very brief out
line to be worked out by the legisla-
ture.
A few good reasons for these special
1St-We have the school houses.
2nd-They are in reach Of all.
3rd-Our supply of teachers come
from high schools
4th-Very little added preparation
would qualify them.
5th-It would increase the scholars
in number.
6th-It would give the poor boy or
girl who has been quitting at the
eighth grade two more years Of school.
Much more could be said in favor Of
this but it is only suggestion of a
and if someone has something
better to offer would chserfu1ly join
in securing it.
| am working for the boy and girl
who really needs help to get an educa-
tion.
In concluding this article I would
say am in hearty sympathy with the
grading of our country schools; with
The adoption of uniform text books,
~ nf tho Ia Wy
that is functioning reasonably we'll.
,o&4 Ia Ii dOluI1---I no