Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1941-01-09
PINE COUNTY RURAL
SCHOOL NEWS
A. E. GUSTAFSON, County Supt.

In 1882 the Bruno consolidated dis
trict decided to join the unorganized
district of Pine county. The school
laws prior to 1885 gave slight state
aid advantage to Bruno by joining
the unorganized district, because Of
the particular location of the school
building within the township
The new 1885 supplemental aid
/ laws, however, do not give any state
aid advantage to this area by being
a part of the unorganized district. So
we have strongly recommended that
the Bruno school district should be
reorganized as it was originally. We
believe in local control and home rule
On January 2, 1941, the final steps
were taken to reorganize the Bruno
consolidated school district. 1t will
be district No. 1877 instead of district
No. 81, as it was formerly. Election
notices will soon be posted and pub
liShed setting the time for a special
school meeting to elect officers. Watch
for these notices.
Larger Units.
There seems to be a general opinion
that, for the sake of economy and
perhaps better service, small schools
should be closed and transported
to central schools or to nearby schools.
Some claim that the entire system of
the whole county should be under
one unit and under the control of
~
ties have this plan. They claim that
the school facilities could be so re-
organized that the entire school costs
could be reduced as much as one
third
Personally, we doubt this very
much. There are some cases, how
ever, where there no doubt would be
great saving. This can, however,
be worked out by local boards. There
are two factors that most theorists
fail to consider. One factor is roads
and the other factor is,-Who would
pay for the new buildings necessary
to accommodate the increased enroll
ments in certain centers? If the state
would build the new buildings and
additions necessary, much could be
done in reorganization.
We have one-room school (107)
with only six children that must
operate because roads are impossible
and transportation there is impossible
most of the year.
We have village consolidated
school (Sandstone) that has been
forced to refuse certain elementary
rural children because of lack of
room. This is no doubt true of most
of our graded schools in Pine county.
With snow pillow service and modern
warm buses, the tendency is to trans
port to central locations whenever
practical and possible. It is definitely
an advantage to the children in cold
or bad weather. In Chisago county,
the Center City high and grade school
building now takes care of all the
elementary rural children in their
entire high school area. All the rural
schools in that area are closed and
are transported to Center City. The
parents seem to be well pleased with
the plan. The rural boards seem
well pleased.
There are many places in Pine
county where the transportation plan
is also successful. There are still
other cases where it would be practi-
cal, possible and economical There
are also some places where it would
be definitely impossible and unde-
sirable. AS for the County unit"
dream of some educators, it is a long
way in the future. Better roads,
better zoning and more definite state
aids must come first and be well |
established. This is only our person.
al opinion. Study it.