February 20 1920 | Rural Schools Unable to Meet State Requirements Under System Now in Vogue
Title
February 20 1920 | Rural Schools Unable to Meet State Requirements Under System Now in Vogue
Description
Page 1 Transcript
On of the largest and most important meetings ever planned for the advancement of the rural schools of this county will be held in the Courthouse in this city, Monday afternoon, Feb. 23.
The purpose of this meeting, as it is found to be expedient, is to devise a plan whereby the rural districts of the county may be reduced in number.
Announcements of the meeting have been mailed to all the school boards and to many interested persons. The public in general is most cordially invited to attend. The meeting has been called by the county school superintendent, A. M. Shelton, after a number of requests from members of the district boards and parents.
Schools Behind the Times
The question of reducing the number of rural districts was never taken seriously when good teachers were plentiful and could be had for a nominal salary; when there were no state requirements as to heating, ventilation, lighting, seating, water supply, and toilet; when the soil was fertile and virgin and no thought was given to better business methods of farming, and to better farm life. With the coming of the automobile, the rural mail delivery, telephones, and direct competition with factory wages in the employment of farm labor, and the like, the rural school not only has not been able to cope with the situation but in fact has in itself become a problem to maintain.
It is contended with good reason that the present division of our county into districts is decidedly unfair and out of date. Today we have rural one room districts that are more than ten times as wealthy as some of the smaller ones and yet the annual expense is the same. We have school houses less than a mile apart; we have districts that have their school house so located that you can stand in the school yard and throw a stone outside of the school district, and the number of pupils enrolled range all the way down from a crowded school room to no pupils enrolled and no teacher employed. Most rural schools are not up to the state requirements to obtain the state aid money. It is a question whether or not it is good public policy to stay divided as we are now and attempt to conform with the law. By uniting two or more districts a bigger and better district could be more easily maintained.
Aid to Teacher Difficulty
The most valuable product of every farm is the children, and children should have good schools, and the first requirement of a good school is without doubt a good teacher. A good teacher is one who is well-qualified and has had sufficient experience. The present scarcity of teachers is the result of a lack of
a number of young people to enter teaching, and a similar number of resignations within the realm of teachers to enter more remunerative work. This condition has existed for a number of years and cannot be stopped except by a radical change in our school system, namely a reduction in the number of rural school houses, and the establishment of a wage that will compete successfully with other lines of work.
There has been voluntary increases in the pay of our city teachers during the year, and another increase... (Continued on Page 7).
Page 7 Transcript
in wage will undoubtedly follow at the beginning of our next school term. Yet this only temporizing with the real situation. To increase the number of teachers will require years, no immediate wage can put training and experience into the beginner. A new attitude and interest will have to be developed to induce young people to enter teaching, meanwhile a reduction in the number of school districts will have an immediate effect upon the situation, then with the new standard of wages, we can wait for the beginner to enter the profession with but little or no damage upon the present school children.
Good roads are practically here. Other states, and many counties in our own state are rapidly reducing the number of rural districts. Many of these districts are being absorbed into the adjacent town districts, thus giving the children of the farm an equal opportunity for an education with that of the city children.
On of the largest and most important meetings ever planned for the advancement of the rural schools of this county will be held in the Courthouse in this city, Monday afternoon, Feb. 23.
The purpose of this meeting, as it is found to be expedient, is to devise a plan whereby the rural districts of the county may be reduced in number.
Announcements of the meeting have been mailed to all the school boards and to many interested persons. The public in general is most cordially invited to attend. The meeting has been called by the county school superintendent, A. M. Shelton, after a number of requests from members of the district boards and parents.
Schools Behind the Times
The question of reducing the number of rural districts was never taken seriously when good teachers were plentiful and could be had for a nominal salary; when there were no state requirements as to heating, ventilation, lighting, seating, water supply, and toilet; when the soil was fertile and virgin and no thought was given to better business methods of farming, and to better farm life. With the coming of the automobile, the rural mail delivery, telephones, and direct competition with factory wages in the employment of farm labor, and the like, the rural school not only has not been able to cope with the situation but in fact has in itself become a problem to maintain.
It is contended with good reason that the present division of our county into districts is decidedly unfair and out of date. Today we have rural one room districts that are more than ten times as wealthy as some of the smaller ones and yet the annual expense is the same. We have school houses less than a mile apart; we have districts that have their school house so located that you can stand in the school yard and throw a stone outside of the school district, and the number of pupils enrolled range all the way down from a crowded school room to no pupils enrolled and no teacher employed. Most rural schools are not up to the state requirements to obtain the state aid money. It is a question whether or not it is good public policy to stay divided as we are now and attempt to conform with the law. By uniting two or more districts a bigger and better district could be more easily maintained.
Aid to Teacher Difficulty
The most valuable product of every farm is the children, and children should have good schools, and the first requirement of a good school is without doubt a good teacher. A good teacher is one who is well-qualified and has had sufficient experience. The present scarcity of teachers is the result of a lack of
a number of young people to enter teaching, and a similar number of resignations within the realm of teachers to enter more remunerative work. This condition has existed for a number of years and cannot be stopped except by a radical change in our school system, namely a reduction in the number of rural school houses, and the establishment of a wage that will compete successfully with other lines of work.
There has been voluntary increases in the pay of our city teachers during the year, and another increase... (Continued on Page 7).
Page 7 Transcript
in wage will undoubtedly follow at the beginning of our next school term. Yet this only temporizing with the real situation. To increase the number of teachers will require years, no immediate wage can put training and experience into the beginner. A new attitude and interest will have to be developed to induce young people to enter teaching, meanwhile a reduction in the number of school districts will have an immediate effect upon the situation, then with the new standard of wages, we can wait for the beginner to enter the profession with but little or no damage upon the present school children.
Good roads are practically here. Other states, and many counties in our own state are rapidly reducing the number of rural districts. Many of these districts are being absorbed into the adjacent town districts, thus giving the children of the farm an equal opportunity for an education with that of the city children.
Creator
Publisher
Woodstock Public Library
Date
2/20/1920
Format
.jpg
Language
English
Type
Text
Collection
Citation
Woodstock American, “February 20 1920 | Rural Schools Unable to Meet State Requirements Under System Now in Vogue,” Woodstock Public Library Archives, accessed May 21, 2025, https://woodstockpubliclibraryarchives.omeka.net/items/show/626.
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