Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1923-08-04
School Consolidation
And The Summer School

l ne OOuNCy OupC., OF queen Allie
county, who is an ardent churchman,
and a member Of the Nation Wide
Campaign Committee, has made de-
Ivelopments in his county work which
are well worthy of mention, and
which it is hoped will ultimately be
followed by every county on the Eas-
itern Shore.
In determination to give to every
child in the county an opportunity to
enjoy the educational advantages to
which it is eligible, he has devoted
the last three years to systematic
development of the county school life
which has eliminated this year in two
important moves, each of which will
mark step forward in school educa-
ton on the Eastern Shore. \
Eight bus lines were established
last year in the county, and their
route SO arranged as to touch every
town and farm in the county, draw
pg the children out of their isolation
and opening to them all the advan-
tages of the educational centers in
| their district.
The immediate result of this was
an increase in High school attend
ance. of over 80 per cent, with per-
sistency per cent of over fifty-five
FER cent. The latter percentage
would naturally be low in the first
days of this experimental work,
where distance and weather condi-
tons are very large factors in school
work. But in Queen Anne county,
the percentage for the coming year
promises an advance to sixty-five per
cent, showing how rapidly the parents
and patrons of the schools are COM
ing to an appreciation of the adyan-
tAges open to their children with this
service.
Mr.. Bennett expects to enlarge his
bus facilities for the coming year,
and hopes to be able. to reach every
corner Of the county, and to leave no
child out of reach of the new oppor-
tunity, filling the first group, first
class High schools with all the chill
dren of the county who are eligible to
the higher grades.
The Commencement exercises of
the Elementary grades, which were
held in Centreville on Wednesday,
June 10th, revealed the tremendous
value Of this movement. There were
one hundred and forty children on
the stage, all of whom had been pro-
NOTED, and who are expecting to take
up High school work next fall. A
great nrraber of these children, un-
der the old conditions would sever
their connection with public school
life at the end Of the Elementary
grades: but with the system of Bus
lines now in operation, the High
schools of the county are open to
them. The enthusiasm of the chill
dren was manifested here; and the
Importance Of the step made clear.
In preparation for the advanced
years there has been greater eff
cheney in Primary work and in the
Elementary grades; and the prepare
ton for High schools now open to
them has led to a greater attention
to the fundamentals Of our education,
and produced greater efficiency.
In addition to this, Mr.. Bennett has
turned his attention to other aspects
of our High school work, not merely
consolidating the Elementary schools
in preparation for the High school;
but consolidating the rural schools in
such way as to eliminate the small
school, gather the children in centers,
and give them the best preparation
for the advanced grades. This work Of
consolidation has not yet been COM
pleted; but it is confidently expected
that the one room school and the one
half teacher school will be an un-
known quantity in Queen Anne coun-
ty in q few years. All the children
will be brought to the district centers,
where they will have the advantage
of working under skilled and expert
enced teachers of the highest eff
cheney in their preparation for High
school and college.
But Mr.. Bennett has gone even far
ther than this. In the High schools
themselves, he is seeking for high
er efficiency and greater persistency
in attendance. To this end, he has
established the Summer High School
il Centreville, to which all children
who have lost time during the previ-
GUS year, or who for other reasons
have slipped behind in their studies,
might have, an opportunity to make
up their deficiencies by few weeks
extensive study under expert direc-
ton.