The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1938-06-02
A SITUATION WHICH PLACES

crossroads was brought into the imelight
in Redwood county last week by two de-
velopments: l. The insistence of the state
department of education that Morgan i'm
prove it's school facilities or transport its
high school pupils, placing emphasis on the
advice that thoughtful consideration be CIV
en- the latter possibility and, 2. The hearing
before the state transportation committee
at which several schools very naturally op-
posed the granting of state aid for the
transporting of pupils to Redwood Falls
from Vesta which is outside our transporta-
ton aid area.
This situation has been developing for
years, along with the system of state aid to
schools. Given the power to dispense school
funds, group of officials in St. Paul has an
extremely effective whip over the districts.
1t can enforce regulations as to facilities,
methods and enrolment and can even bring
about the closing of school if it's mandates
are not needed.
Whether this is healthy situation is
open to considerable argument. Undoubt-
edly it is powerful factor in raising the
standards of state schools, of standardizing
courses and methods and giving equal op-
portunities to pupils in large and small COM
munities. On the other hand it is another
encroachment on the power of local authori-
tical interference and arbitrary require
ments not suited to local conditions in some
instances, although to our knowledge no
such abuses now exist.
Except where districts are entirely iso-
lated, the state board of education has ruled
that no four year high school shall be &C.
credited after September 1, 1910 with less
than 60 enrolled and its recommendation is
that there be at least 80 pupils. 1t will insist
that smaller schools concentrate on grade
school work, transporting high school pupils
to other towns. It's whole policy disregards
matters of town rivalries and any effect on
trade, believing these considerations second
airy in it's aim to give every child first rate
educational opportunities, particularly in the
vocational field which has grown to great
Importance with the depression and unen-
ployment.
The state board is concerned with the
fact that the small school with three and
four teachers cannot hope to offer the varie-
ty of courses, special departments and extra
curricular fields available in bigger schools.
1t contends further that the school which
attempts to maintain adequate facilities for
handful of students is an unnecessary bur-
den upon local taxpayers.
Transportation to large centers is not
the only solution for the smaller districts.
Several small schools have joined in some
instances, Freeborn High school being an
excellent example. In 1923 the Freeborn
school had five graduates and only "a in the
entire high school. Today three other towns
send pupils there, giving the secondary
school an enrolment of 16O and senior
class this year of %. The outside towns,
some of which are larger than Freedom,
have suffered no loss of trade or property
values as result but enjoy some respite
from taxes. Freeborn has gained very little
in trade or in property values but has found
it possible to support school offering a
variety of courses far beyond it's fondest
dreams. A building which was too large
when completed in 1923 has already been
enlarged.
! Reviewing the local situation, Redwood
Falls has not long been in good favor with
the state department. Some Is years ago
our grade school was in such Anticipated con-
dition that the board insisted upon build
ing program during period when costs
were high and Indebtedness was incurred at
a high rate of interest. Our high school
facilities were mediocre and would have been
the subject of new criticism from state Off
Gals within short period had not fire and
federal grant made it possible to- build an
outstanding school for a comparatively
small local investment.
Even during the period when our bulld-
ing was very ordinary, many pupils came
here from outside the district because of the
greater size of the school and the number
of departments and extra-curricular actlvi-
ties offered. State aid was received for
them by the district in accordance with the
departments policy that pupils can go to an
accredited school from any school not fully
accredited and the school which they attend
is entitled to the nonresident aid, irrespec-
tive of school areas. The aid which is the
subject of contention in the case of Vesta is
not nonresident aid which will be paid the
district but transportation aid, matter of
about $1.10 per pupil per month"; or not to
exceed $3.50 for the Vesta pupils during the
next school year. On this there has as yet
been no ruling.
The Redwood Falls district has never
actively encouraged outside students, hoW-
ever, and does not and never has operated a
bus outside the boundaries of the district
The district sat quietly by while other towns
sent buses more than halfway into our rural
environs and took pupils from towns not tri.
hutarv tn them i'm other WAYS The foresight