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"try to teach everything;" that the children, even little girls, should walk through mud and slush and in zero weather even as far as two miles or go without education; that under the new system all high school work would of necessity be abandoned. What then would be thought of the present system if it came up as a new proposition for the consideration of sensible men?

     The arguments for such a change could not he many. It might sound well to advocate the putting of these horses and drivers to useful work, letting the children walk, but to build eight houses instead of one, and to hire eight teachers instead of three or four, all that a half dozen drivers and teams may earn something in other ways would not seem economy. The schools would certainly suffer as would the health of the little children. Let him who has a lively imagination tell us what the mothers would say whose children had always been transported warm and dry, when it should be seriously proposed that hereafter the little ones should wade while horses and mules spoiling for exercise stand in the barns and kick the boards off for sheer amusement or lack of exercise.

     Whatever differences of opinion may exist among men who have studied this question, all must agree upon the following points:

     1. That many country school districts are so small and weak that no school is conducted.

     2. That many others consist of but three or four pupils and the expense for elementary schooling frequently rises to more then $100.00 per pupil, which is higher than the tuition for collegiate instruction.

      3. That at least one-third of the country schools are too small to be even fairly successful.

     4. That when the school is of fair size, consisting of many classes of few each, with but one teacher to de the work, the time is frittered away in a large number of short recitations, often but five minutes each.

     5. That fully one-third of all the teachers have had less than one year's experience.

     6. That the best teachers are taken for the graded schools, and that of those available for country schools, from fifty to seventy-five per cent. are "young girls" who have had but little more training than Is given in the school they are to attempt to teach.

     7. That when schools are established within walking distances of each other, the above mentioned conditions are certain to fellow.

     8. That as conditions exist today little children walk long distances and suffer much discomfort and ill-health by reason of exposure to storms and from sitting all day with wet feet and damp clothing after wading snow drifts, slush, and mud on the way to school. This is especially true of young girls.

     9. That the only way ever tried or even proposed by which these schools can be made effective is to combine them into smaller numbers

with fewer and better teachers whose work can then be better divided and better supervised.

     10. That the only humane way of putting children et all ages and conditions into school through all kinds of weather is to transport them in wagons that are covered and, when necessary, warmed.

      11. That consolidation and transportation tend greatly to lessen expense so that the same grade of schools can be had much cheaper, or a far better grade at the same expense, as patrons may desire, or, if they please, a full equivalent of the best city schools may be established and conducted at slightly greater cost than heretofore and at a much lower rate than in the city.

     12. That as things are today without consolidation, country people not only pay more for elementary instruction alone than city schools cost including the high school course, but, in addition, farmers pay out vast sums for tuition and other expenses of their older children attending city schools for what is not offered at home.

     13. That this condition often results in the whole family "moving to town to educate the children," to the damage of the school left behind, to the disadvantage of the business, at the expense of breaking up the old home and at the risk of giving the family false ideas of both city and country life.

     14. That the only proper way to educate a child up to and including the high school is to do it without disturbing his home or taking him out of it, and that the country child Is entitled to as good an education as the city child and at no more risk or inconvenience to him or his family.

     15. That it is not necessary to consolidate about a village school, but that wherever it is done the result should he a country and not a city school.

     16. That consolidation is the only way of securing really good country schools, and it is the only means of introducing the study of agriculture generally into the public schools.

     17. No one can avoid the conclusion that the objections offered in advance of trial are mostly either fanciful or selfish; that they are not realized in practice; that consolidation is the only plan tried or proposed by which the country child can secure such an education as modern conditions demand, and such as Is already afforded the city child.

     18. It cheapens the expense and equalizes the cost; It protects the health and morals of the child and makes the introduction of agriculture and the other industries possible; it enhances the value of farm property as a whole; it brightens and broadens country life; It preserves its virility unimpaired and rationalizes the movement toward population centers. Such difficulties as are found are trivial or transient, or both, and are such as would not stand in the way of any commercial enterprise for a moment.

     19. Consolidation of country schools is the solution of the prob-

lem of agricultural education and it is the only complete solution that has been offered.

     Certainly no plan to change, in any manner, our present system of rural schools can make any headway unless the item of cost is thoroughly considered and understood. However, in any discussion of consolidation, and the expenses incident thereto, it should be remembered that our present system is probably the most extravagant and wasteful, from a money standpoint, that could be devised. It has already been shown that the average rural school costs the taxpayer per capita anywhere from one hundred to several hundred per cent. more than the most elaborate system of city schools.

     When we reflect further that one-half of the present number of teachers would be sufficient to teach all of the pupils of the state could they be conveniently grouped, we will readily see that the ultimate outcome of consolidation means a great saving to the people.

     In almost every plan of consolidation, the cost after consolidation for the same number of months at the same wages for teachers is considerably less. For the same cost, the term usually can be materially lengthened and the wages of the teachers increased.

     That our small schools are costing the people an amount entirely out of proportion to the results obtained or the advantages offered has already been shown in a striking manner by the tables found on pages 8 and 9.

     In support of the statement that the consolidated school is less expensive per capita, the attention of the reader Is called to the following additional facts:

     1. Under consolidation there Is no duplication of libraries, of apparatus, and of other equipment necessary.

     2. A considerable saving in fuel and beating equipment is effected.

     3. Less outlay is required for maintenance, repairs and janitor service.

     4. Less capital is Invested In buildings.

     5. In practically every case the number of teachers needed is largely reduced, thus making a definite saving.

     6. Ordinarily enough can be saved through the various means suggested to meet the extra cost of transportation. As a reward for this we have a more efficient school, better teachers, a longer term, the possibility of some high-school work and the inspiration of numbers.

     The following estimate of certain school districts may serve as a valuable illustration:

      Below is an illustration of an average financial exhibit of a proposition to consolidate in a county densely populated:

     By increasing the number of wagons to six, increasing the teachers' wages to $55 per month and increasing the length of term to eight months, the net saving is still $37.01.

      Minor items almost negligible are omitted in the mode of estimating illustrated above.

      The demand of the day Is not for cheaper schools, however, but for better schools for the money invested. The question is not so much one of cost as it is one of returns for the money invested. The present, rural school system pays very dearly for what it offers in return.

     The Sholes Consolidated School is one of which the village of Sholes and the community are proud; It is one of which the county of Wayne is proud; and it is one of which all Nebraska should be proud.

     But where is Sholes? I venture to say that every one of the readers of this article knows something about the consolidated schools of Winnebago county, Illinois. But why not direct attention for a moment to one of our own consolidated schools located in Wayne county

     The School Has Sanitary Water Fountains and Individual Drinking Cups.

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© 2003 for the NEGenWeb Project by Ted & Carole Miller