The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1929-04-11
LITTLE RED SCHOOLHOUSE
Is ON DECLINE in COUNTY
Consolidation Will Eventually
Do Away With Traditional
Country School

SOuHtIy OCItUOl
The "Little old red schoolhouse,"
though still far from becoming scarce
in Garrett county, is on the decline if
the consolidation of the one-teacher
schools, which has been going on for
the past few years, is any criterion of
what may happen in the future.
Fifteen schools in Garrett county have
been Joined with other schools during
this time.
This consolidation has been in ac-
cordance with the State and County
boards of education and their pro-
grams throughout the past several
years, following the law as laid down
as follows:
Section so. The county board of
education shall consolidate schools
whenever in their judgment it is prac-
ticable, and arrange, when possible
without charge to the county and shall
pay, when necessary, for the transpor-
tation of pupils to and from such con-
solidated schools.
Among the elementary schools from
which pupils are being transported ac-
cording to F. E. Rathbun, Superinten-
dent of Schools, are the following:
l. Sharpless to Mt. Zion.
2. Strecker's to Swanton.
3. Steiding to Deer Park.
A. Brant to Oakland.
5. Thayerville to Dodge.
6. Swallow Falls to Bray.
7. Round Glade to Bray
8. Deep Greek to Accident.
9. Weir to Homecoming.
10. Blooming Rose to Friendsville.
II. Cove to Accident.
IL. Miller to Grantsville.
10. Meese to Baker.
ID. Shade Run to Grantsville.
Is. Ridgeley to Grantsville.
A certain number of these transpor-
tation lines also receive high school
pupils for Accident, Grantsville and
Oakland; other lines are no win opera
ton for high school pupils alone, and
, two others are for elementary pupils
from sections where it would have
been necessary to erect school build
ing, had not this method of transpor-
tation been available.
These additional lines include Green
to Avilton; Chaffee to VindeX; Hutton
to Oakland; Crellin to Oakland; Gne-
CIV Church to Oakland; Swanton to
Oakland, and Bittinger to Accident.
Costs Less to Transport.
All costs of the transportation lines
do not exceed $4,000, Mr.. Rathbun
pointed out, whereas formerly it cost
that much or more for instructors in
the fifteen elementary schools which
have been closed within the past few
years. "This allows seven additional
transportation lines for high school
students and provides better train
ing for the elementary children with
out any additional money outlay" he
concluded
There now remain III the county III
one-teacher schools; II two-teacher
schools and 7 three or more-teacher
schools, many of which will in the
course of time, be eliminated, if the
present program continues.
Smooth highways ana the very gen
eral use of the automobile in the
country have lessened distances and
brought widely separated families in
to closer touch, and within ten or fiji
teen years, it is predicted that one
will rarely see one of these rural
schools where the pupils cut up and
wrestled with the rudiments of the
three RS. But even that far in the
future one will be able to explore the
little-frequented dirt roads of the
county that twist their narrow, billy,
rutted courses back into the remote
sections and will be rather certain of
finding a more or less dilapidated ex-
ample of one of these school buildings.
But eventually the 'little red school