Pocahontas star herald., 1926-04-15
About Consolidation

ABOUT CUUSOAAudhAOh
In regard to rural school consolida-
tion the following questions and an
swers might prove enlightening TO
many Randolph county school patrons;
Question: -
Wbat are the disadvantages Of
one-room school?
Answer: ,.
The teacher has to teach so many
GRADES so many subjects, so many
classes and look after so many Ouds
and ends that thorough work is I'M
possible. A. Of
tendance is irregular, the term is snort,
and the recitatiOns do not average
moro than about ten minutes in length.
The course Of study is narrow
and unable TO meet the needs of the
Individual differences in children.
Special teachers Of music, manual
training domestic science, physical
culture drawing etc, are impossible.
The teacher is usually young land
getting" experience practicing on inno-
cont children. Yet she is asked to be
superintendent, principal, art teacher,
science teacher, all the special teachers
nrovided in a good consolidated school,
and perhaps janitor.
g The work is 50 hard, the hours
so long. the pay so short, and otteh
the sympathy and cooperation so little
that the well trained, successful teach
or usually accepts the first opportun-
itv 70 teach in well organized graded
school-many times for less salary.
T. The average small district is not
able TO nut up a good building, equip
if well. keep it in good condition and
employ a good teacher for a long term.
8 small community often suffers
for real leaders. The teacher is sell
dom a citizen Of the community, but
often spends her week ends in another
community.
Q. The population and taxable area
are both too small.
10. Very little individual instruction
or supervised study can be given.
II. AS a result of all this the pupils
become discouraged.
II. No high school work is possible.
Question:
What the advantages of the consoli-
dated schools?
Answer:
1. It not only holds the best people
in the community, but attracts others
like them.
2. l increases the value Of property
(Results Of No. H.
B. 1t makes possible a social life,
-. 10 sl.ss.~ ~
young people from the country. The
social life is made more attractive by
rubbing elbows" with more people,
through community singings, commun-
| ity forums (where vital issues are dis
cussed) Sunday schools and churches,
Junior S. |. AS, literary societies, or
chestras, chautauquas, athletic games,
etc.
f. Better community leaders can be
had and more can be better developed.
5. 1t gives to both children and
adults a needed training to cO-Opera-
tion, in working with and for each
other 1t causes people to think in
terms of a bigger community and about
bigger problems.
6. II makes it possible for athletics
to he well organized and supervised.
Z. 1t makes for efficient graduation
and classification of pupils.
s. 1t puts good rural high school
in reach of every home.
9. The course of study Is broader,
more vital, therefore more interesting,
md pupils are glad to remain in school
10. Better teachers can be employed,
because the work is more pleasant, the
term longer, the supervision is better
and the social life is more satisfying.
IL. IL enables a teacher to have only
one or two grades, thus making it
possible to secure teachers who are
trained for their special work
II. The enrolment is larger and the
attendance better than in all the separ-
ate schools combined.
13. 1t not only keeps children i'm the
grades longer, but 1t causes many more
to go on to the high school.
IA. Ii enables rural boys and girls
to get good high school education at
a place and in way that will not
divorce them from rural life and rural
people.
10. 1t gives pupils all the advantages
of city school without exposing them
to the glare and temptations that so
often go with city life.
16. 1t enables the County Superin-
tedent to visit the teachers more often
and to render them greater service.
IL I'm uniOn thprn iu cfranUfh Tho