The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1923-02-27
FORMER SCHOOL
HEAD in MOSCOW
j. C. MUERMAN TELLS OF RURAL
SCHOOL PROBLEMS-IS WITH
e. s. BUREAU

Os De DU hEAO
]. c. Muerman, of Washington, D.
c., specialist in rural education, with
the United States board of education,
department of the interior, was in
Moscow Monday afternoon and Tues
day forenoon, in consultation with
County Superintendent Miss Ellen
Peterson, Phi. Soulen, superintendent
of the Moscow city schools and
with President A H. Upham, of the
University of Idaho, regarding school
matters. Mr.. Muerman, on the way
west, attended conventions of county
superintendents in Nebraska, Wyom-
ing and North Dakota. The object
of his trip is to secure data on the
possibility of consolidating rural dis
tricts
One of the great problems confront
ing the department of education is
the rural school problem, Mr.. Muer-
man stated, and in this connection
gave some interesting figures.
Vast Number One Room Schools
There are $4,000 one teacher, one
room schools in the United States
and some of these schools have but
one pupil, while in many there are
less than a half dozen pupils. The
problem now being considered is
how best to serve these children,
One of the possibilities, in some Sec
tions, is a consolidation of districts
and providing some transportation
system for the pupils. In the west,
especially in districts where the
roads are almost impossible in the
winter time, this is impossible. In
some cases it is practical, in consoli-
dating high schools, to build high
school dormitory, where the children
may be housed during the week.
Mr.. Muerman, on this trip, is going
into these matters with county sup
erintendents and other educators,
securing data, and aiding them with
their problems. In some cases he as
sists in drives for the consolidation
of districts, where conditions are
such as to make the transportation
of the children practical
"It is our purpose Mr.. Muerman
stated, "to bring about Capitalization
wherever possible, making every dol
lar count and getting the greatest
possible efficiency. This does not
mean any greater expenditure, or any
bonding to raise funds, as we realize
that taxes are now extremely high"
Consolidated Schools Efficient
Mr.. Muerman stated that there are
now 10000 large consolidated dis
tricts in the United States, which are
being operated economically and eff
and with great benefit to
he children There are over 1000
.eachers homes owned and controlled
by school districts, where the taach-
ars are comf0riaDIy and conveniently
housed during the school year, more
han 10000 teachers occupying these
homes. School districts are trans
porting more than 100000 children
o school in the United States, by
bus or otherwise and
more than $15,000,000 is being ex-
pended annually to defray this ex-
,ense of transportation. In some
EASTERN states the law provides that
school children shall be carried on
erries or street cars at half price,
hus helping to solve the transporta-
ion problem in these districts.
There are seven persons in the
'ural division of the department of
with Mrs X. M. Cook as
.hief The department is under the
of education.
Former Moscow School Head
Professor Muerman was superin-
endent of Moscow city schools from
$50 until 1901, resigning to go to
he Philippines in 1901. He was one
If the first division superintendent
o go to the Philippines and remained
n the work there until 1913, when he
'eturned to the United States to ac-
ept the position which he now occu-
,ies.
Mr.. Muerman, during his long SER
yice in the Moscow schools, made
many close friends, not a few of
whom are still residents of Moscow.
lie still retains deep interest in the
chools and in the community, and
tated to The Star Mirror that he
,nows of no place where he and Mrs.
Iuerman would rather make their
ome While here on a visit some
hree years ago he presented the
1oscow high school with his extern
i've library which had been stored
lere since 1901
From Moscow Mr. Muerman went
o Pullman and from there to Pa
ouse for a brief visit with relatives.
fter which he will go to the Occur
.Alenes and then to Duluth, Mime
ota, to attend large convention of
ducatOrS