ID .Os gi «— BB*^W ■■ ■■ ■■ W ii M i M iiii W iiii M i M l M U ii M i IH— ig-^Mi » i M M i ■■ Iji Wm MM— HlQ , * ^■i.ii»i. iiii.B. Ill ■ .1 I ■i.B.i.i.a III! ^^^^^^••.•^■^^^■-—•■mi ■- 1 ^— ^— ^— ^— — — i«^— ^^^«»— *-*^^— WiWMi*— — ^^ I RURAL CENTRALIZED GRADED AND MODEL SCHOOLS 1918 PREPARED BY E. A. DUKE, Rural School Supervisor ISSUED BY R. H. WILSON, State Superintendent OKLAHOMA ■ V : : J _ Gl»^-i« Hum M m a — ^jg^ m i i ■ ■ m -- h ii . mhhh m mm i iu — irif3 WARDEN COMPANY, OKLAHOMA CITY Rural Centralized, Graded and Model Schools Prepared By E. A. DUKE Rural School Supervisor 1918 Issued By R. H. WILSON State Superintendent, Oklahoma s b \7 e> Typical Centralized Rural Scliools in Oblaboma CONTENTS Page Chapter I. The Growth of ConsoHdation Elsewhere . 7 Chapter 11. ConsoHdation in Oklahoma 30 Chapter III. Union Graded Schools 54. Chapter IV. Transportation of Pupils 64 Chapter V. State Aid for Consolidated and Union Graded Schools 77 Chapter VI. The Transfer Law 80 Chapter VII. Model Rural Schools 84 R. H. WILSON. SUPERINTENDENT E. N. COLLETTE. ASST, SUPERINTENDENT January 1, 1918. To THE Reader: This bulletin has been compiled and issued in the interest of better rural school conditions. It deals principally with the subject of con- solidated and union graded schools and should be studied carefully by all teachers, school board members, and patrons who are interested in making the rural schools of this state more efficient. It is not our purpose to urge the consolidation of schools against the wishes of the people in any community. On the other hand, we advise that unless a community can act in peace and harmony it would be better to let the schools remain as they are. We believe that a close study of this bulletin, in which we have set forth the advantages of consolidation the plan of organization and the results obtained in many of the consolidated schools, will create a desire to provide better ad- vantages for the boys and girls now attending rural schools. We have endeavored to give you the best information obtainable from other states, in addition to the experience which we have had in our ov/n state, on this subject. We fully realize that some course must be taken by which we can give to the boys and girls in the rural districts high school advantages. To send them to town for an education means not only to educate them away from the farm (home?) but, in many instances, to educate them under conditions very much to their disliking. We do not con- tend that it is not best to send the children to high school in the town or city when there is no other high school for them to attend. The reverse is true. But we do contend that a rural high school conducted entirely for the benefit of rural pupils is far more efficient and desirable for farm boys and girls than a town high school. During my first administration, the Legislature appropriated $100,000 to encourage consolidated schools. This was exhausted, and the last Legislature appropriated $175,000 for the benefit of consoli- dated and union graded schools. This money is available when the conditions prescribed by law are met. We trust that school boards, teachers and county superintendents will interest themselves in this subject to the extent that when the Legislature meets again this appropriation will have been exhausted and we will be ready for another appropriation. We trust that the county superintendents and teachers will inform the people throughout the state as to how this money is to be secured. Mr. E. A. Duke, who has compiled the information for this bulletin, is devoting his entire time to the rural schools in the com- munities desiring to consolidate. He will be glad to answer all ques- tions and assist in every way possible tO' promote the interest of better rural school education. I trust that those who are interested will not hesitate to write to him for any information desired, but do not write until you have read this bulletin thoroughly because we have tried to cover all of the points with reference to consolidated and union graded schools in this bulletin. Yours respectfully, R. H. Wilson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction. ACKNOWLEDGMENT A short while after I took up the work of rural school supervision, Superintendent Wilson requested me to gather data and prepare a bulletin on the subject of consolidated and union graded schools. This little book is the outgrowth of that suggestion. It has been my aim to include in this bulletin the latest reliable information on the subject of consolidation. It was necessary for me to call on the state superintendents and supervisors of rural schools in other states for information concerning the centralized schools in their states. These officers kindly sent me copies of their reports and bulletins which were very useful to me in compiling the information contained herein. The county superintendents of this state furnished me information concerning the consolidated schools in their counties and in many instances furnished the pictures used to illustrate this little book. The principals and officers of the consolidated districts supplied specific information respecting their schools. Grateful acknowledgments are made to^ all who have assisted by supplying the necessary information that made it possible for me to compile this book, and to the General Education Board whose gener- osity makes it possible for me to do this work without expense to the taxpayers of the state. Respectfully submitted, E. A. Duke, Rural School Supervisor. Chapter I. GROWTH OF CONSOLIDATION ELSEWHERE During a number of years the public has been conscious of the fact that our rural schools have not kept pace with the development of city and town schools or with the rapid and permanent improvements that have been made in the commercial, industrial, and professional occupations of our people. Since the rural conditions in all states are similar the matter of rural school improvement has assumed national importance to the extent that it is the chief concern of our national department of education and of our several state educational depart- ments. For a number of years the little rural school has occupied a prominent place on the educational programs of state and national associations of teachers, school directors, welfare workers, and others. As a result, many suggestions for the improvement of these schools have been made and acted upon, but in many communities the little one-room school remains conducted and equipped as it was fifty years ago, before automobiles, rural telephones, rural mail routes, improved machinery, better railroad facilities, better public roads, better homes, and better methods of farming had transformed rural life. This agita- tion for better rural schools has led to improvements in a number of districts where better houses have been erected, planned and arranged in such a way as to make them more sanitary, more comfortable, and more suited to the needs of the present day. In these progressive dis- tricts equipment for domestic science, agriculture and manual training work has been provided and modern heating plants installed. In a large number of districts, however, buildings of the old type have been erected recently and the people have been content to leave them with- out equipment of any sort, aside from the furniture. After a better school building is provided and properly equipped, the people of the district are frequently disappointed when they find that these improved physical conditions do not solve the rural school problem, because of the natural and artificial limitations that hedge the little school about on all sides. The taxable valuation of the district and the number of educable children remain the same after the better building and more complete equipment are provided. To secure a longer term in the better building, it becomes necessary to raise the tax levy. There is no more competition between the pupils in the classes than before because the classes are no larger than they formerly were. The length of the school day remains the same, just 330 min- utes. The pupils in the first grade are assigned not more than thirty minutes of this time on the daily program — only nineteen minutes in Oklahoma — ^while the seventh and eighth grades are assigned three or (7) four times as much time because of the larger number of studies pur- sued by these higher grades. The teacher in Oklahoma cannot reduce the number of recitations below twenty-six if the eight common school grades are enrolled and all the subjects required are taught. Often the number of recitations is nearer forty than twenty-six, especially when either an inexperienced or fossilized teacher is in charge of the school. Because of the limited valuation and the unsatisfactory nature of rural school work, it is rather difficult to retain good teachers in these communities, as many city superintendents recruit their faculties by employing successful rural teachers to fill vacancies as they occur in the cities. Since the improvement in the physical equipment cannot overcome those natural and artificial limitations that beset the little one-room country school where eight grades are enrolled, and since the school day is so chopped up by short recitation periods in the effort to include all the subjects in a modern course of study, it frequently happens that the discontent of the people in the district is as great after the new building is constructed and equipped as before. It is not possible for one teacher to do satisfactory high school work, which the people in these progressive districts begin to demand for their children. Such communities realize, after a while, that it requires more than a good building and good equipment to make a good school. As a result, sen- timent for further improvement begins to crystalize in the community and an effort is soon made to secure the advantages of a graded school. In some districts another teacher is added, in other communities con- solidated schools are organized by combining several districts in such a way as to overcome those limitations of low valuation, small number of pupils, short recitations, and a course of study restricted to the first eight grades. Before building and equipping new one-room school buildings, therefore, the people in the district should carefully study conditions with a view to ascertaining whether or not it will be more economical or more satisfactory to organize a consolidated or union graded district. Consolidation of rural schools is no longer in the experimental stage. It is a proven success, and this fact should be borne in mind in all of our discussions. We should also bear in mind the fact that the progressive districts are the ones that consolidate. Massachusetts, the state that first developed the small district school, was, also, the first to begin consolidation. In the year 1847 a rural school in eastern Massachusetts was closed and the children were transported to an adjoining distict, though this was done without ex- press authority of law. Twenty years later, in 1867, the legislature of Massachusetts passed the first law authorizing consolidation. Inas- much as no transportation was provided for under this act, no districts were formed until after the legislature amended the law to provide for transportation, 1869. The district at Montague, Massachusetts, was the first to organize under this act, 1875, and the second was organized at Concord, 1879. Since that time consolidation has spread, slowly at (8) first but more rapidly lately. The following letter from the United States Commissioner of Education describes the present development attained in this movement and the recent activity along this line : "On February 13, 1917, a request was sent to each State Superintendent, asking the number of consolidated schools in the State at that time and the number that had been established during the past three years. Answers were received from all except Arizona. The following is digested fron; the answers received from 30. The 17 not included reported that no data was available or their answers were too indefinite to be used. These 17 included Connecticut, Idaho, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming. Of the 30 mentioned below, 26 report 5,132 consolidated schools. The number in Maine, Florida, North Carolina and West Virginia is not given. These latter three, together with Massachusetts, New York, Texas, Utah, Vir- ginia and Wisconsin, have many consolidated or schools similar to consolidated schools. A conservative estimate of the total number in the United States, including 'Consolidated', 'Centralized', and 'Union' schools is 7,500. Alabama. Total, 69 consolidated schools, 61 of which were established during the past school year; 168 schools were abandoned in making these con- solidations; 48 of the consolidations were effected by bringing together two schools, 16 by three schools three by four schools and two by five or more schools. Arkansas. Total, 125, of which 86 were established during the past three years. California. Total, 27. Colorado. Total, 21. Delaware. Total, 1. Florida. The State Department has no record of the total number; ap- proximately $50,000 was paid in 1915-16 for transportation to consolidated schools. Georgia. In 1915-16 there were 159 consolidated schools to which 3,123 pupils were transported at public expense. ' The number of consolidated schools is increasing approximately 25 per cent each year.' Illinois. The State Department reports 10 consolidated schools, three of which were established during the past three years by abolishing 11 district schools. Indiana. Total, 706, 41 of which were established in the past two years. Iowa. Total, 214, 181 of which were established in the past three years. The number of schools abandoned for consolidated schools is 1,284; the average area for consolidated districts is 24 sections. Kansas. Of the 94 consolidated schools in the State 12 have been estab- lished during the past three years. Two hundred and thirty-six districts were consolidated to form these 94. Kentucky. Total, 41, 36 of which were established during the past three years. The 36 replaced 120 one-teacher schools. Only 14 of the consolidated schools furnish free transportation. Louisiana. The State Department reports 818 consolidated schools, of which 580 were established during the past three years. Included in this number, however, are 'all rural schools having two or more teachers; that is, all such schools located in communities of 2,500 population, or less.' Maine. No statistics are available relative to the total number; the number of one-room rural schools has decreased in the past three years from 2,459 to 2,358. Michigan. Total eight. Minnesota. In 1916 there were 220 consolidated schools of which 140 were established in the past three years. The consolidated schools replaced 454 schools of the old type. (9) Consolidated School and Teacheragfe, Mississippi Mississippi. Nearly all the consolidation has taken place in the last five years. In 1916 consolidated schools were found in 64 counties. There were 290 schools with 977 teachers, 725 wagons, and 14,643 pupils transported. The enrolment in the schools was 33,037. Missouri. Total, 122, all consolidated within the past three years. Nebraska. Total, 28. Nevada. Three consolidated schools effected during the past three years take the place of six schools of the old type. North Carolina. In the year ending July, 1916, 84 districts were consoli- dated into 36 new districts. Since 1913 the number of one-teacher schools has decreased 516, or 14 per cent. North Dakota. Total, 401, 211 of which were established in the past three years. The 401 replace approximately 1,200 schools of the old type. Ohio. Ohio in 1914 had 358 consolidated schools; in 1915, 468; in 1916, 539. Oklahoma. Total, 103, of which 19 were established during the past two years; 77 of these consolidated districts replace 215 old districts. Rhode Island. In the State there is one consolidated school established by the union of four ungraded schools; 23 other ungraded schools have been closed and the pupils transported to graded schools already established. South Carolina. Four hundred 'rural graded schools' were in operation in 1914-15, 562 in 1915-16, and 700 in 1916-17. These are the schools receiving special State aid under the act of the State legislature of 1912 to encourage consolidated and graded schools in country districts. South Dakota. Total 24, of which 20 were effected during the past year. Tennessee. Total, 404, of which 261 were established during the past three years. Washington. June 30, 1916, there were 161, 39 of which were established during the past three years. West Virginia. There are 24 consolidated schools which provide trans- (10) portation, and a considerable number of others without transportation. In 1915-16, 250 one-room schools were abandoned and consolidated into small graded schools. In Wayne County, in six years 60 one-room schools have been consolidated into 26 graded schools of from two to four rooms." The following extracts from letters received from state superin- tendents and supervisors throw additional light upon the subject of consolidation and the progress being made elsewhere in this respect : "Eeplying to your inquiry concerning school consolidation in this State, beg leave to say that we have, as yet, made very little progress along this line, there being only eight consolidated schools in this state." — -C. O. Case, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Phoenix, Arizona. The eight consolidated schools in Arizona are located as follows : Four in Maricopa County, two in Greenlee County and two in Pinol County : "Each year a few consolidated schools are being established. In this state, however, a consolidated school becomes a state graded school and is not known by any particular name. Many of the state graded schools are really, to all intents and purposes, consolidated schools, although we do not call them so. Transportation is being carried on in a number of localities. In one locality. North Crandon, they have now transported the children to their cen- tral school for 10 years. Consolidation has made greater progress during the last few years on account of a law that offers special state aid to consolidated districts. ' ' — C. P. Cary, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Madison, Wis. "I am glad to say that the progress being made in consolidation in this State is very encouraging. Within the past year or so we have abandoned about 100 one-teacher school districts and within that time have increased the number of two-teacher schools to approxomately 35%. The sentiment for consolidation in this State today is stronger than ever laef ore and I confidently expect to see it continue in its momentum for some years to come." — L. C. Brogden, Sate Supervisor Eural Schools, Ealeigh, N. C. "We are uniting districts where this is the best policy. We provide transportation and it is not limited to two miles or any distance. Sometimes all the children who live more than one mile from the school are conveyed to school." — Charles D. Hine, Secretary State Board of Education, Hartford, Conn. "Last year 67 of our 100 counties expended $83,569 for transportation of pupils, and this fact indicates in a general way the amount of consolidation in Virginia. ' ' — W. T. Hodge, State School Inspector, Eichmond, Va. ' ' The schools in many of the towns have been consolidated. In some of these towns consolidation has been complete. In others, the distance and character of the roads make transportation of pupils difficult and the consoli- dation of schools impracticable. Some of the best schools in our State are conducted in one-room buildings and in some of these schools, in addition to the usual subjects, agriculture, cooking, sewing, and other forms of practical arts are taught with very satisfactory results. At the present time, however, there are only 965 one-room buildings in use in the State. Of this number, 478 provide for the education of children of all grades below the high school and 544 provide for the education of children below the seventh grade, the older children being transported to central schools. The township is in every case the unit of supervision. The school dis- tricts were abolished many years ago in Massachusetts. The consolidated school is usually situated in a village, Eural schools — one or two-room buildings — may be distributed in portions of the township remote from this (11) village, or, in ease of complete consolidation, vehicles of various kinds bring the children in from the remote parts of the township to the central school. In most places where consolidation has taken place, the people are well satisfied with the results. There are a few places, however, where the dis- tances were too great, and the character of the roads too bad for consolidation. In these cases, one-room school buildings have been reopened. The chief advantages of consolidation of schools in Massachusetts have been: 1. The opportunities to grade the schools, in many cases giving a single grade to a teacher chosen for her ability in handling a given grade. 2. Improvement of teaching service. 3. Increasing recitation time per pupil. 4. Enlarging the opportunity for social training. 5. Making possible the development of practical arts and house- hold arts courses. 6. Providing opportunities for the development of organized play. It is not, as a rule, cheaper to consolidate the schools, although more children are in most cases assigned to a teacher. Transportation, in many cases, makes consolidation more expensive per pupil. The progress of con- solidation in this State is indicated by the increase in the amount paid for the conveyance of school children, as noted in the following table: Expenditures for Transportation of School Children in Massachusetts Public Schools 1900-1915. 1900-01 $151,772.47 1908-09 $292,213.33 1901-02 165,595.91 1909-10 310,422.15 1902-03 178,297.64 1910-11 322,857.19 1903-04 194,967.35 1911-12 353,185.09 1904-05 213,320.92 1912-13 384,149.45 1905-06 236,415.40 1913-14 426,274.11 1906-07 252,451.11 1914-15 467,196.10 1907-08 265,574.09 May I say further that as roads improved and new trolley lines oj^ened, the opportunities for the consolidation of schools thus afforded are utilized by the communities. While such rapid progress cannot be expected in the future as in the past, the tendency toward consolidation has gained such headway that gradually the outlying schools with small enrolments will be closed and the pupils conveyed to the central school. ' ' — Massachusetts Board of Education, Boston, Mass. "We are seeking at this session of the legislature to get a stronger law on the consolidation matter." — Francis Gr. Blair, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Springfield, 111. "As you know, our progress has been phenomenal. Less than one-fifth of the teachers of our State and the pupils, as well, attend one-teacher schools. Many parishes have less than five per cent of the pupils in such schools, while two or three parishes composed of agricultural people have entirely eliminated this inferior type. This brief statement is about as effective for the purpose you have in mind as a much longer one." — C. J. Brown, Kural School Agent, Louisiana. "For your information, I will say that the last legislature in Alabama enacted a law, designated "The County Board Law", which authorizes the consolidation of schools and transportation of pupils at public expense. Up to the time of the passage of this law, public funds could not be used for transportation purposes and there was a great deal of red tape necessary to change district lines. Since the passage of our new law, we have effected 61 consolidations in this State. The number includes the consolidations made on small as well as large scales. (12) Hig-h School Boys' Basketball Team, Amber Consolidated District, Grady County There is a great deal of interest being manifested in the various counties of the State in this movement and we expect quite a bit of progrss during the next two or three years. We feel especially encouraged in that the last legis- lature increased the amount of State aid for the erection, repair and equip- ment of rural school houses from a maximum of $200 to $1,000 in the ease of buildings of a large type." — J. B. Hobdy, Eural School Agent, Alabama. "Centralization of schools began in Ohio in 1890. Since then the move- ment of centralization and consolidation has had a steady and rapid growth. Last June, there were in the State of Ohio 354 consolidated schools and 185 centralized schools. By a centralized school, we mean one in which all the children of a rural school district are transported to one central building. In a consolidated school, all of the pupils, with the exception of one or two out- lying districts, are transported to a central building. One noticeable feature in the spread of centralization has been its appar- ent contagion. Where centralization is tried in a new section, it is noted that within a few years school districts contiguous to the centralized district begin to consolidate. This centralization appears to be 'caught' through acquaintance with the system. The strongest opponents of centralization have been and are those who are the least acquainted with the actual workings of centralized schools. Communities becoming acquainted with centralization are much more likely to adopt it as a plan of organization for the schools. Another significant fact in regard to the centralized schools of Ohio is that where once centralized the schools have never voted back to the one- room plan, although the statutes of the State give opportunity to do this any time after three years have elapsed from the time the schools were centralized. Eural school men in Ohio are decidedly of the opinion that consolidation or centralization is an indispensable element in the progress of modern rural schools. Every desired reform in rural schools either depends partially or entirely upon centralization or consolidation for its complete and permanent success." — F. B. Pearson, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Ohio. Under date of April 24, 1917, Hon. J. V. Chapman, State Super- visor of Rural Schools, Kentucky, reported 53 white and 17 colored consolidated schools in his state, or a total of 70, representing an in- (13) A Consollclated School at Mtayslick, Kentucky crease of 65 during the past three years. It appears that 29 consoli- dated districts were organized in Kentucky between February and May, 1917. . It will be observed from the foregoing that interest in consolida- tion is nation wide. In some states it has progressed farther than in others. In Indiana and Massachusetts, for example, great progress has been possible because the schools in those states are organized with the township as the unit. In Indiana, the township trustee controls all the schools in his township and he has been a potent factor in bring- ing about consolidations. In Louisiana where a county board of edu- cation has control of all the schools in the county unusual progress has been made in uniting weak schools and building up a strong system of rural schools. On the other hand, Illinois, like Oklahoma, has its schools organized on the district as a unit and it is much more difficult to organize consolidated schools in these states. Until July, 1917, the law did not authorize transportation of pupils at public expense in Illinois, and, as a result, fewer consolidated schools were organized in that state than in those adjoining. There are many successful consolidated schools in Canada and foreign countries operating under all kinds of unfavorable and favor- able weather conditions. BENEFITS Wherever consolidation has been tried, the following advantages have been noted: ADVANTAGES TO PUPILS 1. Larger classes result in keener rivalry among the children and cause subject matter of recitation to be more fully developed be- cause of different viewpoints. (14) Hig-h School Girls' Basketball Team, Amtoer Consolidated District, Grady County 2. Better grading and classification, a larger number of recita- tions and more personal instruction from the teacher. 3. Longer time for each recitation. 4. A longer term of school follows consolidation because the people in the district demand that the better school be kept open longer each year, 5. Extends the circle of acquaintances and broadens the ex- perience of children. 6. Increases enrollment and attendance. 7. Attendance more regular because child can go to school in district wagon ; whereas, at present, under the small district plan, chil- dren living at a distance from the little one-room school depend upon the convenience and caprice of parents who may or may not furnish them a team and vehicle during bad weather, or during the busy season. 8. Because of better grading, longer recitation periods and terms, and more regular attendance, pupils complete the high school course at approximately the same age they now complete the eighth grade in the one-room rural school. This saving in time has a value that cannot be estimated in dollars and cents. 9. Athletics and literary societies for boys and girls are possible because of the larger enrollment from which to draw. This results in better training, better health and better school spirit. 10. Pupils like the school because of superior advantages. 11. Have advantage of thorough training in special subjects such as drawing, music, etc. 12. Trains country children for success on farm and elsewhere by offering a practical course of study under favorable conditions. 13. Taught by teachers trained for their work. (Because of im- proved conditions in a number of our consolidated schoolsythe Boards (15) have been able to secure as grade teachers some of the best and most successful city teachers, thus beginning a back-to-the-country move- ment on the part of teachers. Such schools can and do compete with city boards in securing a trained principal.) 14. Pupils who ride to school form habits of promptness and punctuality. 15. Better health of pupils who are furnished transportation. 16. Reduces quarreling on the road to and from school, because pupils are under supervision from the time they leave home until they return. 17. Smaller children are protected from the district bully. 18. Have advantage of a better building properly lighted and heated. Ride in vans built for hauling pupils and are, therefore, more comfortable than the discarded vehicles which are usually furnished children by their parents. 19. Makes high school training for rural children possible. 20. Provides departmental work and laboratory facilities for advanced pupils. 21. Practical courses in Agriculture, Domestic Science, and A'lan- ual Training furnish incentive for pupils to complete the high school course. Also possible in a consolidated district to organize and direct the playground activities of the pupils, thus making the school work more attractive and beneficial. 22. Pupils of high school age remain at home under the watch- ful care of parents, while receiving their high school training. 23. A larger number of pupils complete the eighth grade in the district because of the better school and the opportunity to secure high school training at home. 24. All pupils in the school have advantage of better equipment, larger and more varied library, and a country school equal in all re- spects to the best city school. 25. It gives an opportunity to the promising, ambitious boy or girl, regardless of wealth. ADVANTAGES TO TEACHERS 26. Close supervision by trained and experienced principal. 27. Fewer grades to teach, larger classes, and more interest, therefore, work can be done with more satisfaction to all concerned. 28. Lessons may be planned and prepared in advance. This is almost impossible in the one-room school where the teacher has from 26 to 40 recitations to hear each day. 29. Teacher is assigned to grade to which she is adapted by nature, training and experience. 30. Inexperienced or weak teacher has the support of the prin- cipal and other teachers in the school. 31. Teachers can confer frequently, hold faculty meetings and promote efficiency of the school through the co-operation that follows organized effort, team work and close association. (16) Senior Class, Amber Consolidated School 32. Social advantages are similar to town environment and teach- ers are more contented. 33. Teachers' home or teacherage may be provided. 34. Teachers can save more money w^hen teaching in a consoli- dated district and living in the teacherage. 35. The problem of discipline is made easier. 36. Proper methods of instruction may be employed, thus giving the teacher an opportunity to improve professionally. 37. Longer tenure on the part of teachers. ADVANTAGES TO PARENTS 38. Do not have to move to town to educate their children and leave their farms to depreciate in the hands of tenants. 39. It is not necessary to break up the home circle by having the mother and children move to town to secure school advantages while the father remains on the farm to earn a living for the family. 40. The consolidated school properly conducted is a school for adults as well as for children. Farm experiments can be tried out on the demonstration farm. Milk and seed can be tested and orchards sprayed by the class in Agriculture, while farm machinery can be re- paired by Manual Training Class. The school should be made to serve the community that supports it. 41. Through the practical teaching of Agriculture and Domestic Science, pupils become more intelligent and interested helpers on the farm and around the home. 42. Saved the annoyance and inconvenience of transporting their own children to school during the bad weather or sparing a team for the children during the busy season. (17) 43. Can provide children with better education than possible un- der present condition. 44. Know their children are under supervision from the time they leave home in the morning until they return at night. 45. Parent of large boy can take contract to haul pupils and fur- nish the boy with employment as driver, thus making it possible for him to remain in school. (A great many large pupils are driving transportation wagons in Oklahoma consolidated districts.) ADVANTAGES TO COMMUNITY 46. Consolidation leads to better roads. 47. Better homes. 48. Increased land values. 49. Pride in community and civic improvement. 50. Prosperity through improved methods in agriculture. 51. The consolidated school becomes the community center and leads to improvement through lectures, debates and other forms of entertainment. 52. Has broadening influence on the people, as they become ac- customed to thinking in terms larger than the one-room school. 54. Leads to co-operation, along other lines. 55. Provides high school opportunities for the children whose parents cannot afiford to send them to a town school and pay tuition for them, thus making the community a desirable place in which to live. 56. School library is available for entire district. 57. Farms abandoned before consolidation are occupied after- wards because, of the school. 58. The tenants attracted to the district are of the best type, parents who are ambitious for their children. 59. Money now transferred to other districts is used to build up a good school in the consolidated district, a school that is controlled by the people in the community and made to meet the needs of the people who support it. 60. It enlarges the unit of taxation, and thus distributes the cost of the schools more equitably. 61. Because of the larger area there is less variation in the en- rollment and attendance from year to year than in the smaller district hence community maintains a school of uniform standard. 62. Money is saved in incidental expenses, and the people un- doubtedly secure larger returns for the money invested in the school. 63. The central school has more dignity, more character, more force than the rural school, and evokes more pride, interest and sup- port on the part of the people. At every point of comparison the con- solidated school is superior to the one-room school. 64. The consolidated school goes a long ways towards the solu- tion of the problem "How to keep the boys on the farm." (18) 65. When the people realize that they are providing advantages for their children equal to those of any other district, self-respect and respect for the community increases many fold. 66. "Religion, morality, and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged." Article III, ordinance of 1787. 67. "What the best and wisest parent wants for his own child, that must the community want for all its children. Any other ideal for our schools is narrow and unlovely; acted upon it destroys our democracy." — Prof. John Dewey, Chicago University. 68. "It is my hope that the time may soon come when the poorest child, living in the meanest hovel on the remotest mountainside, or in the most secluded valley in all this commonwealth may enjoy every educational advantage he is willing to improve." — Governor Martin G. Brumbaugh, Pennsylvania. (19) Chapter II. CONSOLIDATION IN OKLAHOMA The causes that have led to consohdation of schools in other states exist in Oklahoma where they are gradually producing the same effect. In this state our rural schools have been improved rapidly. More sub- a % * • • • • t z o S o (20) stantial buildings and better equipment have taken the place of the rude school houses and meager equipment that satisfied the earlier settlers, but in too many instances the new buildings have been poorly planned. The qualifications of the teachers have been raised by law. The supervision of the rural schools has been strengthened as the roads have been improved and automobiles have become common. Each year an increasing number of pupils complete the eighth grade and enter the high school, making the demand for high school facilities greater than at any time in our previous history. The legislature, by amending the transfer law, has placed the responsibility of furnishing high school instruction squarely upon the district in which the pupil lives, making it mandatory that the district furnish this high school training in the home school or pay the tuition of the child in the high school of another district. Two types of districts known as the Con- solidated District and the Union Graded District have been devised to meet this growing demand for rural high school education. Consolidated School at TeKhoma, Texas County The same limitations that beset the one-room rural schools in other states apply with equal force to Oklahoma. As the physical conditions have been improved, parents and teachers have come to realize that these natural and artificial limitations to the growth and usefulness of the one-teacher school are not overcome because the schools remain ungraded and the country children are not given op- portunities equal to those furnished children in the consolidated, town and city schools. Therefore, there is a growing demand for consoli- dated and union graded schools in which children living on the farms may be prepared for their life's work. The first consolidated school in Oklahoma was organized in 1903, (21) fourteen years ago. The county superintendents of Oklahoma in 1916 reported 103 consolidated schools in this state, 19 of which were or- ganized during 1915 and 1916. More detailed reports received during the summer of 1917 show that a number of the so-called consolidated districts are, in fact, union graded schools. This mistake arises through misunderstanding, many superintendents having confused the two types of districts. A consolidated district in Oklahoma is a school district formed by uniting two or more districts, or parts of districts. Only one school is maintained in the district and all pupils living two miles, or more, from the school house must be furnished transportation to and from the school at the expense of the consolidated district. The law pro- vides that newly organized consolidated districts must have an area of not less than twenty-five square miles and a taxable valuation of not less than $200,000. An exception is made in cases of districts M 1 «^ -^ '■^V>i^' _.^f^^;^-: ^ vv, -«3 ps £i,3.k'^'i ill' •^fililLv:-! III ''*""'"^^H If ^vx,: ^BagB ijaiMiMii -'i§~i7i I' ■J:::- . . PSr? IBfUrti w*'-^ spi^'-« <- ^m^mm ^fm ■i^ w ^m ^S ■-■- ■.■H«C- •-';;;:_>•; ■ ■ . »3^^^^H .^- nt^eti^k — ^■■1 School Building' Consolidated District No. 2, Harper County having $500,000 of taxable valuation, as such may be formed with less than twenty-five square miles of area. A Union Graded School District in Oklahoma is formed by the union of two or more districts. The first six grades are taught in the several one-room buildings in the Union Graded District and the seventh, eighth and high school grades are taught in the central school. No transportation of pupils is required in a union graded district and there are no limitations as to area and taxable valuation. (22) The consolidated districts reported in Oklahoma prior to 191? are located in the following counties Alfalfa Beaver Beckham Blaine Caddo Carter Cleveland Comanche Cotton Custer Dewey Garfield Grady Reports received from the county superintendents during the summer of 1917 show that the following consolidated districts have been organized since December 1, 1916 : Grant Okmulgee Greer Osage Harper Pawnee Jackson Payne Johnston Pottawatomie Kay Pushmataha Kiowa Eogers Latimer Sequoyah Logan Texas Muskogee Tillman Okfuskee Washington Oklahoma Washita Blaine Caddo Custer Greer Johnston 1 Kingfisher 1 Oklahoma 3 Okmulgee 1 Stephens 1 Texas 1 Tillman 1 Comparing the foregoing lists, it will be observed that with two exceptions the new districts are in counties that already had consoli- dated schools. Consolidation spreads most rapidly in those counties where it has been tried, and this is the greatest recommendation that can be given schools of this type. Consolidated School at Chelsea Rog'ers County (23) COMPARISONS Attention has been called to the limitation as to time the teachers devote to each grade in the ordinary one-room school. To make this illustration concrete, let us compare the following daily programs of recitations actually used in two Oklahoma schools during the year 1917-18: Time DAILY PEOGRAM OF RECITATIONS 1917-18 In a One-Teacher School — Beckham County- Subjects Grade 10 min 8:50- - 9:00 Music General Exercises All Classes 7 " 9:00- - 9:07 Eeading First Year 8 " 9:07- - 9:15 Beading Second Year 12 '' 9:15- - 9:27 Beading Third Year 13 " 9:27- - 9:40 Beading- Fourth Year 12 " 9:40- - 9:52 Beading Fifth and Sixth Years 13 " 9:52- -10:05 Eeading Seventh and Eighth 10 '' 10:05- -10:15 Geography Fourth Year 15 " 10:15- -10:30 Writing and Drawing BE CESS. All Classes 15 '' 10:45- -11:00 Arithmetic Fifth and Sixth Years 20 " 11:00- -11:20 Arithmetic Seventh and Eighth 5 " 11:20- -11:25 Numbers First Year 5 " 11:25- -11:30 Numbers Second Year 15 " 11 : so- -11:45 Arithmetic Third and Fourth 15 " il: 45- -12:00 United States History NOON. Seventh and Eighth 7 " 1:00- - 1:07 Beading and Language First Year 8 " 1:07- - 1:15 Eeading and Language Second Year 12 " 1:15- - 1:27 Beading and Language Third Year 13 " 1:27- - 1:40 Language Fourth and Fifth Years 15 " 1:40- - 1:55 Grammar Seventh and Eighth 20 " 1:55- - 2:15 Language Sixth Year 15 " 2:15- - 2:30 Physiology or Domestic Seventh Year Science BE CESS. 15 ( i 2:45— 3:00 Geography or History Fifth Year 15 1 1 3:00— 3:15 Oklahoma History and divics Eighth Year 15 i I 3:15— 3:30 Geography or Hj^giene Sixth Year 15 C i 3:30— 3:45 Geography & Agriculture Seventh Year 5 C i 3:45— 3:50 Spelling Third and Fourth Years 5 < ( 3:50— 3:55 Spelling ^ Fifth and Sixth Years 5 1 1 3:55— 4:00 Spelling (24) Seventh and Eighth DAILY PROGRAM OF RECITATIONS 1917-18 (First Eight Grades) In a Consolidated School District, Four Teachers in the First Eight Grades, and Three in the High School, Beckham County First and Second Grades Opening Exercises 15 Primary Beading 25 Second Eeader 20 First Eeader 30 RECESS Primary Numbers 20 Second Grade Numbers 25 First Grade Numbers 15 NOON Primary Eeading 20 Second Eeader 25 First Eeader 15 Writing — All 15 EECESS Second Grade Spelling 15 First Grade Spelling 15 Music, Story-Telling and Games — All 30 Fifth and Sixth Grades Sixth Eeader 30 Fifth Spelling 15 EECESS' Fifth Eeader 25 Sixth Grammar 35 Fifth Geography 25 Miscellaneous 10 Sixth Spelling 20 NOON Fifth Arithmetic .-.- 30 Sixth Arithmetic 30 Fifth Spelling 20 EECESS Sixth Geography 25 Fifth History 25 Hygiene — All 25 Third and Fourth Grades Opening Exercises 15 min. Third Eeader 30 " Fourth Eeader 30 " Third Arithmetic 25 " EECESS Third and Fourth Penman- ship and Drawing 15 " Fourth Arithmetic 25 " Third Spelling 15 " Fourth Spelling 15 " NOON Third Language 25 " Fourth Language 25 " Third Eeader 30 " EECESS Fourth Geography 30 " Nature Study — All 20 " Physiology — All 20 " Seventh and Eighth Grades Eighth Arithmetic 25 " Seventh Arithmetic 25 " 7th and 8th Geography 20 " EECESS Eighth Okla. History 25 '' Seventh Physiology 20 " Eighth Grammar 30 " NOON 7th & 8th Domestic Science.. 25 " Seventh Grammar 25 " Eighth Spelling 20 " Seventh Spelling 20 " EECESS 7th and 8th Agriculture 30 " 7th and 8th U. S. History 25 " 7th and 8th Eeading 20 " The schedule of recitation in the high school is not given because there is no high school work offered in the little one-room school with which the following comparisons are made. In making the comparisons, it will be observed that the first grade in the consolidated district recites seventy-five minutes, while in the one-room school this grade recites only nineteen minutes. In other words, the first grade in the consolidated district receives four times (25) as much attention from the teacher as the same grade in the one-room school receives. Making the same comparison for the other classes, we find that the second grade in the consolidated district receives almost six times as much time and attention as the second grade in the one- room school ; the third grade receives four and one-half times as much ; the fourth grade four times as much; the fifth grade four times as much; the sixth grade almost three times as much, and the seventh and eighth grades more than twice as much time. In addition to this, we find that arrangements for furnishing high school instruction have been provided for the pupils in the consolidated district, while no such instruction is provided for the pupil in the rural school. This increase in the amount of time devoted to each grade has a value that cannot be measured in terms of dollars and cents. Consolidated School at Yale, Payne County However, for the sake of comparison, let us examine the cost of these two schools. Last year the entire expense of operating the one- room rural school for a term of 140 days was $762.29. The average daily attendance in the school was 21 pupils. The cost per pupil per day was, therefore, 25 cents. The consolidated school was in session 160 days and operated at a total cost of $6,934.30 with 162 pupils in average daily attendance. The cost per pupil per day was, therefore, 27 cents. In other words, 19 minutes of the teacher's time and at- tention cost the child in the first grade of the one-room school 25 cents while the child in the first grade of the consolidated school received 90 minutes of time and attention at a cost of 27 cents. Bear in mind that the cost of the high school is included in the total per capita cost of the consolidated school and that the high school costs more than the grades. (26) Deducting the cost of the high school department, we would probably find that the first eight grades in the consolidated school were not only taught better but they were taught more cheaply than the eight grades in the one-room school. It follows that the child attending the consolidated school where he receives from two to five times as much of the teachers' time and attention, will complete the course of study earlier than it will be completed by the child attending the one-room school, thus saving the district the expense of keeping him in school longer than necessary and making it possible for the child to get more schooling in the same length of time that he now spends in the one-teacher school. Measured in terms of time, or efficiency, or interest, or oppor- tunity, or dollars and cents, the little one-room school is our most ex- pensive and" extravagant educational institution. THE SCHOOL BUILDING It is not necessary to build an expensive school house at the time the consolidated district is formed. In fact, some of the consolidated Front and Bear View of Goltry School, Alfalfa County. This Type of Buildingf Is Suitable for Consolidated and Union Graded Districts as It Can he Added to at Small Expense and Without Destroying the Archtectural Beauty (27) districts in this state and elsewhere have very ordinary buildings, while several have moved the one-room buildings to a central point and are still using them. The State Department of Education recommends that in organiz- ing a consolidated school district no attempt should be made to trans- plant to the country a city school system offering the conventional city course of study. The consolidated school should meet the needs of country life, offering a course of study that will fit the boys and girls for work in the country, just as the city schools attempt to fit the city boy and girl for work in the city. An ideal consolidated district will contain not more than 36 square miles with a valuation sufficient to maintain a good school on a levy not in excess of ten mills. The building should be sufficient for the present needs of the district and so planned that it can be added to from time to time as the school develops. The school site should consist of at least ten acres, at least five acres of which should be used as a demonstration farm. A teach- erage sufficient for the needs of the principal and his family, with rooms for the other teachers, should be provided. The principal should be a man who has had extensive training in agriculture and he should be employed for twelve months. No child should be located farther than seven miles from the school house in districts where the roads are unusually good; not so far in districts where the roads are poor. Inspection By Persons Interested There are few communities situated so far from a consolidated school district in this state at this time that a committee of citizens cannot visit and make a personal inspection of the practical working of the consolidated school ; but it is ofttimes difficult to persuade per- sons living within a half dozen miles of one of these districts to go and see for themselves whether or not it is the type of school they desire for their children. A personal inspection will convince one that the objections usually offered are largely based on hearsay, that the dif- ficulties are largely imaginary, and that those who opposed the or- ganization of the district in the beginning are frequently loudest in their praise of its benefits. In making a personal inspection the com- mittee should visit the school and compare the work being done with the work usually done in the one-room rural schools. They should converse freely with the teachers, pupils, drivers and members of the district board, in order to get from them as much information as pos- sible concerning the cost of operation, the nature of the roads, the' course of study offered, the time when the first pupil enters the wagon and the average time each child spends in the wagon, the health and punctuality of children who are transported to and from school, their regularity in attendance as compared with those who walk, their prog- ress in studies, the percentage of children enumerated actually en- rolled in the school and the number transferred from adjoining dis- tricts, the number of pupils who have completed the common school work and the number who are doing work in the high school. The (28) School Building- Consolidated District No. 8, Kiowa County wagons or auto-busses should be examined and the cost ascertained. In many districts in the state wagons have been provided by building bodies and mounting them on regular farm wagon running gears at very reasonable prices. The Ford truck is also coming into use as a means of transportation. After thoroughly inspecting the school plant and its operation, the committee should then go to various parts of the district and interview as many of the fathers and mothers as pos- sible to ascertain at first hand their attitude toward the school. Do not trust to hearsay evidence, when in these days of cheap automobiles and improved roads it is so easy to find out the facts in the case by going and seeing and believing. This suggestion is made in all confidence, because after a care- ful investigation of consolidated schools in this state I am firmly con- vinced that, with the possible exception of two districts of the 103, nine out of every ten patrons are satisfied. This was not true of the original districts, because more than one-half were dissatisfied with the little one-room schools, else they would never have consolidated. And why should they not be satisfied with the better school, even though it may cost them a few dollars more ? Let us suppose that we start out to secure signers to a petition asking that the consolidated district be dissolved-. We approach a patron and say in effect, but perhaps not in these words: "We want you to sign this petition for the abandonment of our graded school so that each of the little school houses which we closed several years ago may be opened again and all children may be required to go to these little schools where they will (29) be given less of the teacher's time, where they will be in smaller and less interesting classes, where they will have no equipment beyond the bare essentials, where they cannot have interesting athletic con- tests, or live literary societies, where no high school work can be promised or given ; in short, let us put our children back into the little schools such as our great grandfathers attended one hundred years ago and such as we attended twenty years ago, because what was good enough for us is good enough for our boys and girls. Let us do away with this transportation and leave the horses now drawing the wagons in a warm dry barn on cold and rainy days, kicking up their heels for the want of better exercise, while our children trudge to school through the dust, wind, heat, cold, snow, slush, or mud, and sit in the cold school room with wet clothing and shoes during the day. Let us do these things in order to save a few dollars in taxes." Of course, very few signatures could be secured to a petition presented with such arguments or reasons behind it. However, it is interesting sometimes to look through the other end of the telescope just to see how different everything appears. If our districts had been organized as consolidated districts in the beginning and we had now accustomed ourselves to them, what arguments could be used to induce us to abandon them for the little one-room schools such as we have throughout the state today? General Consolidation Not Recommended Although our consolidated schools are. located in all sections of the state and have proved eminently satisfactory wherever given a fair trial, it is not recommended that each community try to consolidate fej^' jis^.^l^'W^r^ -.: is"^ ,:• m&mmim^ ■' Consolidated School XTo. 1, Oklahoma County at this time. As a matter of fact, there are communities in this state that should have good consolidated schools, but where it cannot be recommended that such schools be organized, because the people in the communities have not yet learned to think in terms larger than the small district school. Other communities having people with broader vision are so rough in topography, poor in valuation, sparse in popu- lation, and have such poor roads that it would not be advisable for them to undertake consolidation just now. But there are many com- munities where the people are earnestly craving better schools for their children and where all the conditions for success are present. . County Plan It is only a question of time until a majority of the rural dis- tricts in the state will desire to organize consolidated or union graded districts. Therefore, a county-wide plan or suggestion for each county should be carefully worked out in advance by the county superintendent and school officers' association in order that all districts may be protected. It is a mistake for a superintendent to sit idly by and allow certain groups of districts to organize as consolidated dis- tricts, leaving some of the adjacent districts situated so that they can never consolidate. A definite plan or program should be mapped out for every county in the state before reorganization proceeds further, and an effort should be made to educate the people of the county to an appreciation of the reason and justice of the plan. How to Organize After making sure that the interests of no districts will be ad- versely affected by the organization of the proposed consolidated dis- "Wainwrig-ht Consolidated School, Muskog'ee County (31) trict and that it will not interfere with the county program, the people are then ready to organize the district. In the first place a preliminary survey should be made to de- termine the resources of the districts which it is proposed to con- solidate. The valuation and area should be inquired into for the purpose of ascertaining whether or not the legal requirements may be met and, also, whether or not the valuation is sufficient for the needs of such a school as it is desired to establish and whether or not the area is greater than practicable in that section of the state. It is not recommended that a district be formed with only $200,000 valua- tion unless the roads are exceptionally good and the area somewhere near the minimum required. Such communities should organize union graded schools instead of consolidated schools. Only in exceptional cases and under the most favorable of conditions should districts hav- ing an aggregate valuation of less than $300,000 unite and assume the duties of transportation. The legal steps to be taken in perfecting the organization of a consolidated district are outlined in Article VII of the Oklahoma School Laws, 1917, a copy of which can be secured from the county superintendent. It will be noted that such district can be organized only by the people in the districts and parts of districts affected. A separate petition must be circulated in each district and part of dis- trict to be included in the proposed consolidated district, there being as many petitions as there are districts and parts of districts seeking to consolidate. The petition must be signed by at least one-half of the legal voters residing in the district or part of district in which the Boone Township Consolidated School, Caddo County (32) Consolidated Scliool No. 6, Tillman County petition is circulated. Legal voters who must be counted are men and women twenty-one years of age or above, who have resided in the district long enough to be entitled to vote at a school election. It is recommended that all voters in the district be secured as signers to the petition if possible. Each petition must set out in detail the districts and parts of dis- tricts proposing to consolidate. The petitions should be prepared by the county superintendent on blanks which are furnished by the state department of education, as this will insure uniformity. The consolidated district must have an area of 25 square miles and a taxable valuation of not less than $200,000. An exception is made in favor of proposed districts that have $500,000 or more of taxable valuation, these districts being allowed to organize even where they have less than 25 square miles of area. Before beginning to cir- culate the petition, the county superintendent should be consulted to find out whether or not the proposed district will meet the requirements of the law as to area and valuation. The county superintendent will post the necessary notices calling an election at some convenient point named by such superintendent as soon as the petitions have been received from all of the districts and parts of districts proposing to consolidate. A list of legal voters in the district with the postoffice addresses should be filed with the county superintendent at the time the petition is filed. The list should be absolutely correct as notice of the calling of this election is sent by mail to each voter in the several districts and parts of districts. (33) Iiake Valley Consolidated School, WasMta County Only one meeting is held. Inasmuch as this meeting is not a meet- ing of the people of any one district, but of the people of all the dis- tricts and parts of districts proposing to consolidate, it is necessary for those present to elect a chairman and secretary when the meeting opens. The duties of these officers are defined by the law. If a ma- jority of the votes cast are in favor of consolidation, the people at the special meeting shall then proceed to elect a director, a clerk, and a member of the consolidated district board. Where more than two districts consolidate, not more than one member of the board may be elected from one of the districts. It is recommended that where the voting is by written or printed ballots a voter should cast two ballots, one on the organization of the district and another for the three per- sons he desires for school board officers in the event the district or- ganizes. When more than two districts consolidate not more than one school officer can be elected from any one of the districts. These ballots should be deposited in separate boxes. Votes on organization should be counted first. If the chairman declares that a majority voted for the organization of the consolidated district the votes for school officers should be counted, first allowing all persons, if any, who did not vote for officers to deposit their ballots. The secretary of the meeting should certify to the county super- intendent the number of votes cast in favor of consolidation, the num- ber of votes cast against consolidation, and the names and postoffice addresses of persons elected as members of the consolidated school (34) Canute Consolidated District No. 1, Washita County district board. Upon receipt of this report the county superintendent will proceed to declare the old common school districts disorganized and the consolidated district organized. The newly elected officers should take the oath of office and qualify. They are then ready to assume all the powers and duties of the school iDoards in the disor- ganized common school districts, together with such additional powers and duties as the law confers upon school boards in consolidated dis- tricts. The county superintendent should make a careful record of all proceedings had in the organization of the district. This is important. """ Payment of Outstanding Debts If any school district uniting to form a consolidated district has a warrant or bonded indebtedness, the cash on hand and money de- rived from the sale of the school building, site and other property belonging to such district must be applied on the payment of such in- debtedness. If this is not sufficient to pay the outstanding indebted- ness, the county excise board must levy on the property of such original common school district each year, a tax sufficient to pay the interest and provide a sinking fund for the payment of such indebtedness at maturity. The consolidated district does not assume the indebtedness of any district or part of district that enters into the combination. If the disorganized common school district has money or other property on hand after all debts are paid, this money or property belongs to the newly created consolidated district. (35) REPORTS OF TWENTY-SEVEN OKLAHOMA CONSOLIDATED SCHOOLS For the benefit of persons interested in consolidated schools oper- ating in Oklahoma under conditions such as are found in all parts of the state, the following brief reports of certain typical districts have been prepared from reports on file in the oflfice of State Superintendent R. H. Wilson. Inasmuch as all information called for was not given by the principal of the school in each case, it has not been possible to make these summaries uniform. They are ofifered in this form, how- ever, in the belief that such information will be of value to persons interested in better schools. BROXTON CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL District No. 68, Caddo County This is a rural district having an area of 40% square miles and a taxable valuation of $450,000. The levy for general purposes last year was 12 mills and the approved estimate was $5,250. Five wagons were run at a total cost of $1,500. This district was organized in 1913. The wagons were secured for $75 each, being built by a local blacksmith. The routes range in length from six to eight miles and from 25 to 40 pupils are hauled in each wagon. The drivers cost from $35 to $45 per month last year, one of the drivers being advanced pupil in the school. Five teachers are employed. There were twelve graduates from the eighth grade last year, and one from the high school department. The district clerk writes: "The patrons of the district sure are proud of its success. Our children have the advan- tage of a graded and high school at home." Broxton Consolidated School, Caddo County (36) LIBERTY CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL District No. 1, Sectuoyali County October 23, 1912, two districts situated in the hills and timber of Sequoyah County were united in a consolidated district. The area of this district is 25 square miles and the valuation is only $65,000. As a result of the low valuation, it is necessary to levy 15 mills to meet the expense. Three teachers are employed in the district. Two wagons furnish transportation. These wagons do not call at the homes of the pupils but pick them up at such places as they assemble along the route. In this way the expense of transportation is kept down. It cost $2,500 to run the school last year, $500 of which amount was spent for transportation. It would be impossible to organize a consolidated district having such low valuation under the present law. The building cost $3,500. FOEGAN CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL District No, 123, Beaver County The Forgan District was organized in 1912 by combining four districts having a total area of 34 square miles. Only one wagon is used in this district. The school house is located in the town of For- gan. The district is level. Last year $495 was spent for transporting pupils and $7,941.00 was the total cost of running the school. Eight teachers were employed to teach the 273 pupils enrolled in the grades and high school. Although the district has a large area, the quality of the school is such that 18 pupils were transferred from adjoining districts for the purpose of attending the grades and six others were transferred for high school purposes. The people in this district are reported well pleased with their school because by means of it they have access to a full four-year high school course. RETEOP CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL District No. 80, Beckham and Washita Counties This is a joint district with building located on the prairie in a strictly rural environment. The valuation of the district is $396,000.- Three districts having a total area of 32% square miles were united to form this district. The district owns six wagons which were built by a local blacksmith at an average cost of $110 each. The average cost of running these wagons during the year ending June, 1917, was $37 per month. The length of the routes ranges from six to nine miles, and an average of 25 pupils are hauled in each wagon. A total en- rollment of 251 pupils in the grades included 14 from other districts, and 6 of the 28 high school pupils were residents of adjoining dis- tricts. Four teachers were employed in the grades and three in the high school department. Total amount spent for running the school was $7,034.50, of which $1,800 was spent for transportation. The levy for all purposes was 14 mills. This school has a site containing four acres, the clerk reports that the people are well satisfied with the school and that the attendance of the pupils who are furnished trans- portation is better than that of the children who are not transported. (37) Retrop Consolidated School, Beckham County BLUE MOUND CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL Dis'trict No. 74, Beaver County Situated on the level prairie in the open country, with an area of 36 square miles, a taxable valuation of $245,976, and a faculty of only three teachers, the Blue Mound school is one of the good consolidated schools in the state. The enumeration of the district is only 117, but the enrollment in the school last year was 118. The principal of the school says : "It seems that the smaller schools look to us as leaders in debates, basketball and other athletics as they seem eager to get on our schedules. We also have success in getting our pupils accredited in larger schools, which goes to show that we are doing efficient work. Pupils coming from small district schools do not, as a rule, hold their own class standing in our school." A levy of 7.3 mills was all that was necessary to provide this excellent school for the country boys and girls of the Blue Mound District. CARTER CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL District No. 50, Beckham County The Carter school, located in the prairie section of Beckham County, has an area of 25 square miles and a taxable valuation of $377,688.00. During the year ending June 30, 1917, the expenses of running the school amounted to a total of $4,717.00, of which amount $1,365.00 was spent for transportation. The district owns four wagons which cost $75 each. Drivers for these wagons were employed for $50, $50, $42.50 and $40 per month respectively. Five teachers are employed in the grades and one in the high school department. The enrollment in the grades was 322, four of whom were transferred to the district from adjoining districts, and in the high school there were 45, (38) eight of whom were transferred from outside the district. One wagon covers a route of six and one-fourth miles, the others cover routes six miles long. The wagons were built by a local blacksmith. The clerk reports that the attitude of the patrons toward the school is friendly and the attendance of pupils transported is much more satis- factory than those who are not transported. The levy for all purposes was 8 mills. , , ! ;*^i COUNCIL HILL JOINT CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL District No. 1, Muskogee and Mcintosh Counties This district having a total area of 25% square miles was formed in 1913 from three common school districts. It has a taxable valua- tion of $850,000 and makes a levy of 6% mills for general purposes. Two wagons covering 11 and 12 miles, respectively, at a cost of $60 per month for drivers, furnish conveyance for the 46 pupils who are provided transportation by the district. Ten pupils who are entitled to transportation at the expense of the district voluntarily furnish their own conveyances. Five teachers are employed in the school to teach the 142 pupils enrolled, four being employed in the grades and one in the high school. Six pupils graduated from the eighth grade last year and one completed the high school course. The school building is located on a three-acre site in a small town. For the year reported the school was kept open during a term of 9 months. Council Hill Consolidated School, Muskog'ee County (39) INOLA CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL District No. 22, Rogers County The taxable valuation of this district is $631,153, and the area is 35 square miles. The approved estimate last year was $6,586.16, se- \cured by a levy of 9 mills in addition to the state and county funds. The school is located in a town. The topography of the district is partly hilly and partly prairie. Three wagons costing $200 each are used to transport pupils to the school. The drivers are paid $40, $45, and $49, respectively. The routes are from seven to ten miles long. Some of the children are required to walk a short distance to the routes laid out by the board, but this is not a great hardship since the wagons run on a regular schedule and the children know how to time their arrival. Seven teachers taught the 234 pupils who enrolled in the school last year. The average salaries paid the grade teachers was $50 per month and the two high school teachers were paid salaries that averaged $97.50 per month. The eighth grade graduates numbered 12 last year and three finished the high school course. Of the 34 pupils enrolled in the high school, six were from other districts. PRESTON CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL District No. 5, Okmulgee County This district, formed by the union of three common school dis- tricts, has an area of 29 square miles and a taxable valuation of $942,568. This large valuation and comparatively small area makes it possible for the district to run five wagons at an average cost of $65 per month for drivers' salaries and covering routes ranging in length from 3y2 to 6 miles. The 285 pupils enrolled in the school were taught by 12 teachers. Of these pupils 22 completed the eighth grade work during the year and one completed the high school work. One of the wagons was driven by an advanced pupil. The school is located in a village. It has laboratory, manual training and domestic science equipment. A strong rural course can and should be offered in this school in order to prepare the rural children for their future work. CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 1, TILLMAN COUNTY Three rural districts were combined in 1912 to form Consolidated District No. 1. The area of the district is 28 square miles, the valua- tion is $391,065 and the levy for all purposes, including bonds, is 11% mills. The approved estimate last year was $5,035. Four wagons are used to transport pupils, from 35 to 40 pupils being furnished trans- portation in each wagon. One advanced pupil and one teacher are employed as drivers. Some of the pupils are required to walk one- half mile to the route. The routes which were established by the board range in length from 4 to 7 miles. The wagons were built by the local 5.mith at a cost of $125 each. Five teachers are employed. This dis- trict furnishes a teacherage, or home for the teachers, and the county superintendent who was formerly principal of this school reports that the people are well pleased with their school. There are many other communities in the state that could maintain a school of this character. The school building in this district cost $7,000. (40) Consolidated Scliool and Teachers' Cottagfe, District No. 1, Tillman County. There Are Kow 168 "Teacheragres" in Oklahoma DALE CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL District No. 3, Pottawatomie County This district has an area of 23% square miles and a property val- uation of $773,685. The school building is located in the village of Dale on a site containing two acres. Four wagons are run by the dis- trict at a cost of $42.50 to $65 per month for drivers, over routes ranging from 7 to 11 miles each. The wagons are owned by tlie school district, having been built by a local blacksmith to order according to designs prepared by the board. In this way, one-half the usual price of school wagons was saved. Six teachers are employed to in- struct the 142 pupils enrolled. Two of these teachers devote their time to high school work. Teachers are paid average salaries of $59.25 per month in grades and $87.50 per month in high school. With a levy of 8% mills, the school was run 9 months last year. Transporta- tion cost was about 30% of the entire amount spent for all purposes. EBAM CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL District No. 3, Okmulgee County This district has an area of 28 square miles and an assessed property valuation of $567,711. The levy for general purposes last year was 9.54 mills, and the approved estimate was $6,000. Four wagons were used to transport pupils over routes from 5 to 6 miles in length, one of the wagons being driven by an advanced pupil. Sal- aries of drivers range from $45 to $60 per month. Four teachers are employed, three in the grades and one in the high school. The en- rollment in the school was 163, which represents 84% of the educable children living in the district. As the high school department is im- proved, the percentage of enumerated persons enrolled in the school will, no doubt, be increased very much. The principal reports that (41) Hitchcock Consolidated School, Blaine County the Board of Education is considering the matter of improving the equipment of the school so as to make it possible for it to serve the community better than it has ever done. HITCHCOCK CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL District No, 29, Blaine County- Six common school districts were combined to make this consoli- dated district having an area of 54 square miles and an assessed valua- tion of $827,304. The district is located in the rough, or hilly part of Blaine County and the school is situated in the town of Hitchcock. The approved estimate for 1916-17 was $6,050, this amount being raised with a general fund levy of 6.4 mills, in addition to state and county school apportionments. Five wagons are used to transport pupils over routes 6 and 7 miles long. Some of the children are re- quired to walk not more than 1 mile to points on the route established by the board. No child is required to leave home before 7 :30 a. m., and no child reaches home later than 5 in the afternoon. Four wagons are driven by advanced pupils. The average cost of the 5 wagons for drivers was $40 per month during 1916-17. The school site consists of. 4 acres. Almost one-half of the high school enrolment was drawn from adjoining districts and the average daily attendance in the high school was exceptionally high. Fifteen pupils completed the eighth grade in this district last year and 5 graduated from the high school course. The enrollment in all grades was 217. The buildings, ground and equipment cost the district approximately $25,000. (42) EUREKA CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL District No. 2, Payne County This district was organized in 1911 by uniting four districts con- taining an aggregate area of 30 square miles and a taxable valuation of $641,618. Six wagons are used to furnish transportation for the pupils in the district. Drivers for these wagons are secured at an average cost of $40 per month each. The routes range from 5 to 6 miles in length. This school is located on a site containing 5 acres and situated in a strictly rural community. Some high school work is done. Slightly more than half of the cost of the school last year was spent for trans- portation,, this being an unusual condition. Only four teachers were employed to teach the 183 pupils enrolled. A levy of 4.8 mills was sufficient to run the school last year. A larger levy should be made and the high school work of the district should be encouraged. P^ ■ ■m n ■ liv^mRM « a tili ^ 1 ^ .;. -. -.--."-/..-Irrl^; -^ ^■- — -.l.«i*b#sU,3E.V spPWH '■ ■^.^-^^>.-^.-^ ■ :'-A# ri^^^M£^.r: -;;-««•„■,.. ^ .^.,... •'"■ ^^tt^^i^a£.-' ' " Consolidated School No. 5, Tillman County LOVELAND CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL District No. 5, Tillman County During the spring of 1916, 5 common school districts having a total area of 36 square miles, consolidated about the little village of Loveland. The taxable valuation of this district was $550,000 during the fiscal year ending June, 1917, and a levy of 12^/^ mills produced, together with the other revenue of the district an approved estimate of $6,500. Five wagons were purchased, 4 at $250 each and 1 for $100. Three drivers are secured for $50 each per month, one for $40 and one for $65, according to the routes which are from 5 to 7^ miles long. Five teachers are employed to teach the 221 pupils en- rolled. The school site consists of 5 acres. The principal of the school owns his home near the building, so it is not necessary at present for the district to build a teachers' cottage. The principal of the school (43) reports that practically all of those who formerly opposed the organi- zation of the district are now warm supporters of the consolidated system. I'he school building cost $11,000. McLOUD CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL District No. 1, Pottawatomie County This district was organized in 1911 before the law required an area of 25 square miles. It is one of the small consolidated districts, having an area of only 15 square miles. The taxable valuation of the district is $535,000 and a levy of 5 mills is sufficient for general pur- poses. Only one wagon is used to transport about 25 pupils who live 2 miles or more from the school. This wagon which is owned by the district, covers a route 8 miles long at a cost of $48 per month for driver's salary. The school building is located on a site of 5 acres, 3 acres being used as a demonstration farm. The principal of the school reports that the enumeration of scholastics in the district last year was 250, while the enrolment in the school was 269. Seven teachers are employed to teach these pupils, three of the teachers being employed in the high school. Last year 12 pupils finished the eighth grade course and 7 graduated from the four-year high school course offered in the school. ROCKY HILL CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL District No. 4, Okmulgee County The general topography of this district is hilly and the school is located in a rural environment. The taxable valuation is $331,831 and the area is 34 square miles. Five wagons are used to transport pupils, from 9 to 20 pupils being hauled in each wagon. The drivers are paid $65 per month. The routes are from 7 to 10 miles long. It is prob- able that the board sets a fixed price, instead of advertising for bids for drivers. The wagons follow the section lines and children living off the road meet the wagons at the nearest point on the established route. Only three teachers are employed in this school and no high school work was attempted in the district last year. One of the teachers also drives a wagon. The principal reports that pupils living at a distance are more regular in attendance than those who live only a short dis- tance from the school house and who walk. "The conduct of the children on the wagons under supersivion of drivers was above re- proach, while in a few cases children who walked to and from school not only fought but were guilty of worse conduct. When these same children were put on wagons they gave no further trouble." NINNEKAH CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL District No. 51, Grady County Located in the town of Ninnekah is one of the best of the many good consolidated schools in this state. The area of the district is approximately 40 square miles and the taxable valuation is $821,000. A levy of 10 mills for general purposes was made to raise, with other (44) Ninuekah Consolidated School, Grady County revenues, $10,205 during the fiscal year ending June, 1917. The dis- trict owns 6 wagons and employs drivers for $60 per month each. Three advanced pupils are employed as drivers. The routes are ap- proximately 9 miles in length, but no child is in the wagon longer than 1% hours. Some of the children are required to walk from one-fourth to one-half mile to the route along which the wagon passes. The en- rollment in the school during the year was 392 ; of these 14 graduated from the eighth grade and 6 graduated from the high school depart- ment. Nine teachers are employed. There are 3 acres in the school site. The high valuation in this district makes it possible, despite the size, to maintain as good a school as the best. The building cost $10,000. This district was organized as a large district 10 years ago by State Superintendent Wilson who was then County Superintendent of Grady County. I^ater the territory was divided into three districts and new school houses were built, but before the first coat of paint was worn off these three districts were consolidated by a vote of the people. MORRIS CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL District No. 1, Okmulgee County This is a wealthy district formed in 1913 by the union of 5 dis- tricts. It has a taxable valuation of $1,500,000 and an area of only 26% square miles. Five wagons are used to transport the pupils. These wagons were purchased at a cost of $190 each. Drivers are paid $60 per month and an average of 20 pupils is carried in each wagon. The wagons run on regular schedule and along routes fixed by the board, so that some the children are required to walk from their homes to the route. Eighteen teachers were employed last year to teach 669 pupils that enrolled in the school. There were 23 graduates from the eighth grade and 2 graduates from the high school. The school house is located in the town of Morris on a site of 3 acres. (45) AMBER CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL District No, 28, Grady County This is a large district in area, valuation and general excellence. It was formed from 5 districts, has an area of 56^/^ square miles, and a valuation of $1,041,203. A tax levy of 6.3 mills during 1916-17, added to state and county apportionments of school funds, produced a total revenue of $10,185, which was sufficient to pay 8 teachers, 6 drivers and the incidental expenses. The district owns the wagons. The school site includes 5 acres. The course of study offered in the school tends to become more practical every year. The principal of this school was recently elected superintendent of the Guthrie city schools. A number of our consolidated schools have superintendents who are qualified to fill the best city positions in the state and in such districts the farmers' children have better educational advantages than city chil- dren enjoy. State Superintendent R. H. Wilson was County Superin- tendent of Grady County at the time the districts were organized. He Amljer Consolidated School, Grady County desired to create a large district in this section, but the people insisted upon having 5 small districts instead. The 5 districts were organized in accordance with this demand, but after they had been conducted several years the people petitioned the county superintendent to call an election for consolidation. They now have a strong rural high school and are satisfied. Their building cost $12,000 and is modern in every respect. WILSON CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL District No. 2, Tillman County This district on the level prairies of Tillman County was formed by the union of four common school districts having a total area of 36 square miles and a present valuation of $686,401. A levy of 7.2 mills is sufficient to pay the entire expense of the school. Last year $5,765 (46) was the amount of the approved estimate. From this amount 5 teach- ers and 5 drivers were paid, the drivers receiving monthly salaries of $50. The routes range from 7 to 7>^ miles in length. Three of the wagons were driven by advanced pupils. The enrollment in the high school last year was 34, but inasmuch as 26 of the pupils completed the eighth grade work, the high school enrollment will be larger this year. This school serves a rural community, has a site of 5 acres, upon which is built a home for the teachers in addition to the regular school buildings. The clerk of the district writes as follows "I find that we have better teachers to apply for positions in our school, because we have our pupils classified, enabling the teacher qualified for primary work to devote her energy to the smaller pupils, and so on for the"^ other grades." The old frame buildings of the 4 districts were moved to the center of the consolidated district at the time it organ- ized and they are still used. By this means the district has been saved the expense of erecting a new building. DRIFTWOOD CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL District No. 2, Alfalfa County- Five teachers are employed in this school, one teaching the first, second and third grades, another the fourth, fifth and sixth grades, while the other three teachers instruct the seventh and eighth and high school classes. Each grade below the seventh recites two hours or more each day, while the grades from the seventh up have more time for recitation. This is made possible by alternation and combination of work in the high school department. The classes are large enough to be interesting to teachers and pupils alike. The enrollment by grades is as follows : Primary, 15 ; first, 11 ; second, 10 ; third, 8 ; fourth, 10 ; fifth, 8 ; sixth, 5 ; seventh, 8 ; eighth, 7; ninth, 12; tenth, 13; eleventh, 8; twelfth, 7; total, 123, of which number 70 are boys and 53 girls. Affi pm^^m mmm m ^ illBk .jmUH rK ^ ^Sgt 1 mm »— I ^^^WpPlPa^ Uiaie^li^ism wHinnH^^B' V H @ j J o 3 @ ffl Iff hhIIf \ H Hi n ^Hl n Driftwood Consolidated Scliool, Alfalfa County (47) No expensive school plant has been provided in this district. Transportation is furnished by 3 wagons and a Ford truck. One of the wagons was purchasedd from the manufacturers and the other two are of home manufacture. The Ford truck covers a route 10% miles long in one hour. It has hauled 25 pupils at one time and makes the trip on 2% gallons of gasoline per day. It cost about $710 completely equipped for hauling children. The drivers are paid $40, $45, $45 and $65, respectively during the 1917-18 term of school. One-third of the Ipupils, 40, are in the high school department and 8 of these live in adjoining districts. CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 3, TILLMAN COUNTY This district is located in a rural community on the level prairie, has 26 square miles of area, a valuation of $663,775 upon which a tax levy of 2.2 mills was levied last year, uses 3 wagons to transport pupils and employs 3 teachers. The district owns the wagon bodies but not the running gears. From 25 to 35 pupils are hauled in the wagons over routes of 6 and 7-% miles. Several of the pupils walk as far as three-fourths of a mile to the routes laid out by the board. It cost $1,120 to transport pupils, 2 of the drivers being paid $50 per month and the other one $40. The school site consists of 3 acres. The gen- eral attitude of the patrons toward the school is favorable. As in the case of other districts, the attendance of transported pupils is more regular than that of the pupils who are not transported. The old dis- trict school buildings were moved to the center of the consolidated district where they are still used. COP AN CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL District No. 4, Washington County This district has an areea of about 30 square miles and a valuation of $4,522,056. A levy of 5.9 mills produced a revenue of $28,000 which was sufficient to enable the board of the district to employ a man who had served as president of one of the Oklahoma State Normal &Ei:km Copan Consolidated School; Heating- Plant in Center; Teacherage to Be Built Soon (48) schools, and teachers meeting all the requirements of the North Cen- tral Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. Five wagons are used to transport the pupils. No child is required to remain in the wagon longer than 80 minutes. During the school year 1916-17, there were 420 pupils enrolled in the school, 61 of whom were in the high school department. Ten students graduated from the high school and 22r graduated from the eighth grade during May, 1917. Sixteen teach- ers are employed. The large valuation due to the location of an oil tank farm within the district places the school in a class by itself among the consolidated districts in the state and makes it possible for the school to own and operate a complete school plant, consisting of two modern school buildings, a heating plant, gymnasium and well equipped laboratories. A home for the janitor is provided by the district. MARSHALL CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL District No. 3, Garfield and Logan Counties During June, 1912, two districts consisting of 16 square miles of territory located in Logan and Garfield Counties united to form a con- solidated school district. The approved estimate for this district dur- ing the fiscal year closing June, 1917, was $7,760. This was raised by a 13-mill levy. Two wagons are used to transport pupils, the drivers costing $55 and $30 per month, respectively. One wagon covers a route 7 miles in length, the other travels only 2}i miles. No child walks farther than one-fourth mile to get to the wagon. The wagons were bought from the manufacturers for $200 each. The enumeration of the district is 224 but the enrollment in the school last year was 242, showing that the school has considerable drawing power. The high ^^^^^ .'->' ''^^^V^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H : • y. ■ ^/»^.g^ - ';~' .\:,^^^- .,.,__ m -'- . ""■ ~ta * i Ft Consolidated School at Marshall, G-arfield and I^ogran Counties (49) school enrollment was 74. This can be made one of the strongest of the consolidated districts in the state, by enlarging its area to include all the territory now served by the school. QUAY CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL Joint Consolidated District No. 1, Payne and Pawnee Counties This district, organized in 1903, is probably the oldest consolidated district in Oklahoma. The school is located in the village of Quay. The area of the district is only 17 square miles, but the valuation is $564,019. A levy of 6.1 mills is sufficient to pay the cost of running 4 wagons, employing 5 teachers, and paying all incidental expenses. The children meet the wagons on routes established by the board. The enrollment in the school year was 183, 6 of whom were trans- ferred from other districts. Eight pupils completed the eighth grade work last year. This district, having a large valuation and a small area, can be made one of the strong schools in the state. BXJRLINGTON CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL District No, 1, Alfalfa County- Four teachers are employed in this school, 3 in the grades and one in the high school. Only two years of high school work is being of- fered this year, there being 8 pupils in the ninth, one in the tenth and 3 doing special work. One hundred and twenty-seven pupils are en- rolled in the school. One teacher instructs the primary, first and sec- ond grades; another the third, fourth and fifth grades, and another the sixth, seventh and eighth grades. All of the pupils who completed the eighth grade work in this school last year are now enrolled in the high school. Nine of the 14 high school pupils live outside the district, 4 of them pay tuition and the other 5 have been regularly transferred so that the home districts pay their tuition for them. Transportation is furnished by two home-made wagons, one Ford Burlington Consolidated School, Alfalfa County (50) truck and one Ford touring car, the drivers of which receive a uniform monthly salary of $45 each. The Ford truck covers a route 6 miles long in 40 or 50 minutes each day. The Ford touring car makes two trips in the forenoon and two in the afternoon. The district should increase its area and strive to build a strong high school to meet the needs of the boys and girls in that community. The enrollment in the high school furnishes evidence of the fact that the people in adjoining districts appreciate this school. They should have a proprietary interest in it. INTERESTING COMPARISONS The following facts are gleaned from the Biennial Report of the State Superintendent, 1916 : Independent Eural Consolidated Districts Districts Districts Enrollment of Persons Enumerated 93% 83% 97% Average Daily Attendance Based on Enumeration 71% 47% 64% Average Daily Attendance Based on Enrolment 75% 57% 66% Pupils Doing Work in the High School Department 14% yg% 10% Average Length of School Term in Days 180 138 168 The following illustrates in an interesting manner the monetary value of education such as is provided in the high school departments of the consolidated schools of Oklahoma. A PROBLEM FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL BOY Find the Value of a Day in School? Solution : 1. The average educated man earns per year $1,000, in 40 years he would earn $40,000. 3, The average uneducated man earns $450, in 40 years he would earn $18,000. 3. The value of the first man's education equals the difference in the earning, or $32,000. 4. Time required to secure an education is 13 years of 180 days each, or 3160 days. 33,000-^3160=10 Therefore each day in school is worth more than $10.00. (51) THE VALUE OF AN EDUCATION TO THE FARMER III a recent survey it was found that: Three hundred and ninety-eight farmers had only district school education. Their labor incomes per year averaged $318.00. One hundred and sixty-five farmers had high school education. Their labor incomes per year averaged $622.00. Ten farmers had more than high school education. Their labor incomes per year averaged $847.00. The man with the college education on the farm had a net profit for his labor of $225.00 per year more than the high school man, and $529.00 per year more than the district school man. Brinkman Consolidated School, Greer County (52) WHAT IS MY BOY WORTH? Eyes $ 4,000 Ears - 4,000 Arms 2,000 Hands 1,000 Legs 2,000 $13,000 The above figures are taken from insurance policies. 1,000,000 Boys and Girls $13,000,000,000 Taxable Property $4,000,000,000 HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION PAYS Yearly Income High School Training Age No High School Training In High School 14 ■ $200 In High School • 16 ■ 250 $ 500 ■■ 18 ■1 350 750 ^H 20 ^m 470 1,000 ^^m 22 ■■ 575 1,150 wm^ 24 1^ GOO 1,550 ■H^ 25 ■■ 688 i7,337 Total $5,112 Boy with high school training Wages $3.50 per day Boy with no high school training Wages $1.50 per day (53) Chapter III. UNION GRADED SCHOOLS There are many communities in Oklahoma in which we would not advise consolidation because of the topography of the country, the condition of the roads and the low valuation of taxable property. Sometimes the necessary area of 25 square miles cannot be secured. But these communities are sometimes rich in the number and quality of children who are entitled to school privileges equal to those provided for the children living in more prosperous districts. To supply their educational needs by providing them with high school training, the Legislature has wisely passed a law making it possible to organize union graded schools. This type of school is not peculiar to Oklahoma, but is similar to the township high schools found in many other states where conditions are like those in this state. Two or more districts may organize as a union graded district. By this organization the common school districts are merged into one union graded district having one school board that controls all the schools in the district. While the common school districts lose their corporate existence, the school houses in those districts remain for the benefit of all pupils below the seventh grade. The union graded dis- trict board can designate the school house in which the seventh, eighth, and high school grades shall be taught and these grades cannot be taught in any other school house in the district. These higher grades may be taught in one of the original buildings or a new building may be built for them on a site selected by the people. The little schools now existing cannot be closed by the union graded district board, ex- cept when said board has been authorized to do so by the people living in the district that formerly maintained the school in that building. It is not claimed that the union graded school is as desirable or as efficient as the consolidated school, because it does not permit of as close gradation of the pupils in the first six grades. The classes in the little outlying, or wing schools, are smaller than in the consolidated school, and, consequently, there is less rivalry or competition. The teacher having more grades to teach cannot specialize in these lower grades so well as the teachers in the consolidated school. But the pupils from the seventh grade up have all the advantages of the con- solidated school, except transportation, while their younger brothers and sisters secure these advantages only in part. The union graded school district is, however, a great improvement over the present small district with respect to all grades taught. The seventh and eighth grades being removed from the outlying schools, the teacher has more time to devote to the first six grades. When we consider the fact that (54) the seventh and eighth grades have a greater number of studies than any other two grades in the common school and they consume more than one-third of the teacher's time, we can appreciate the advantage gained by the other grades in having these seventh and eighth grade pupils removed from the little district school and the time gained by such removal distributed among the lower grades. The problem of discipline is reduced by at least one-half. The seventh and eighth grades profit equally as much by becoming members of larger classes where there is more competition and interest, since, during these years, the pupils from the entire union graded district are thrown together in the same classes. There is an additional advantage in having these grades come into direct personal contact with the pupils in the high TTnion Hig-h School, aarmou County school department, serving to bridge the gap between the common school and the high school. Many of our best city schools are now reorganizing their gradation in such a way as to place the seventh and eighth grade pupils in a junior high school with the ninth grade, in order to tie the common school and high school work together just as it is done in the union graded school. Some teachers are especially adapted to and trained for primary work, others for teaching the higher grades, while very few can do full justice to all grades. The Board in the union graded district should select teachers adapted to and prepared for the work assigned them. The teacher or principal of the higher grades, being also principal of the outlying schools, furnishes closer supervision than is now possible in the rural schools. (55) Because of the closer gradation, each pupil receives more time and attention from the teacher and, as a result, can finish the couse of study from two to four years earlier than under the present small district system. This gain in time should be considered as the greatest economy that can be practiced by a district. Inasmuch as the pupils who finish the common school grades in the rural school average from two to three years older than pupils who complete the same course in the graded schools, it frequently happens that these pupils enter the graded schools and are discouraged by being placed in classes with children much younger than they. Their embarrassment leads them frequently to drop out of school without getting the high school train- ing which they need. Inasmuch as no transportation is furnished by a union graded district, there are many places in the state where such districts can be organized and operated at a cost actually less than the present cost of operating the district schools. There are few places in the state where the cost of a union graded school need be greater than the cost of the present ungraded schools, especially when considered in con- nection with the transfer law. As a general rule, a union graded district should not be larger than a congressional township — thirty-six square miles. The district should be in the form of a square and the high school building should be located on a site containing at least five acres of ground situated as near the center of the district as possible. Where the enrolment in the lower grades of the outlying schools is large, it is recommended that a room be set aside at the central building for the first six grades and that the union graded school district board permit children living near that school house to attend there together with such smaller chil- dren as wish to attend that school, in order to be with their older brothers and sisters who are enrolled in the upper grades. Under such an arrangement, an extra teacher for these lower grades at the central building will be necessary, but such extra teacher will make it unnecessary to employ more than one teacher in any one of the outly- ing schools. In this way, the congestion in the one-room schools can be relieved to the advantage of all concerned. This type of school is deservedly popular, because it makes it possible for practically every community that is not able to provide a consolidated school to maintain a good high school within reach of all the children. Reports from county superintendents show that five union graded schools were organized in Oklahoma during the spring and summer of 1917 and many other communities are known to be interested in a reorganization on this plan at this time. For such com- munities, the following suggestions are offered : The union graded district can be formed only by a vote of the people and, since it is a matter of such vital concern to the children, no one should form a decided opinion as to the merits or demerits of the school until after a thorough investigation has been made. We owe at least that much consideration to our children. It is best to begin by (56) making a careful survey of the schools in the home district and in those adjoining. Since cost of operation is the first objection that will be raised by the uninformed, it will be well to ascertain how much it is costing to maintain the district schools at present. This cost should include the amount spent for the tuition of pupils that have been transferred. It will be interesting to note how much it now costs per child each month. If no children have completed the common school course of study in the district during the past three or four years, find out if possible why such is the case. Ascertain the number of pupils who have completed the course of study, secured their common school diplomas and entered a high school; also find out how many have graduated from the common school course in the district during re- cent years and failed to enter a high school. Compare the enrollment and average daily attendance at the school with the enumeration of the district to see if the school has a strong drawing and holding power. Examine into the qualifications of teachers that have been employed in the district during recent years. Ascertain the valuation of the several districts. Write to the County Superintendent of a county in which there are union graded districts and secure the names of the officers of such districts, then write to these officers for information concerning the operation, cost and success of their schools, if they are located so far away that a personal visit and inspection is impracti- cable. Secure a copy of the latest issue of the school law and study carefully the sections relating to union graded schools. After having become thoroughly familiar with the subject, one can begin a sys- tematic campaign for reorganization, discussing the matter in the community meetings, at public sales, at lodge meetings and wherever several voters are gathered together. Special meetings may be called in the district and when desired a representative of the State Depart- ment of Education can be secured to spend some time in the com- munity conferring with the people, or addressing them in public meetings. No combination of districts should be made that will interfere with the broad, county- wide plan of reorganization as the right of all districts should be safeguarded. See suggestions for county-wide program in preceding chapter. Article VIII of the School Laws of Oklahoma, 1917, gives in de- tail the legal procedure to be followed in organizing a union graded school district. The procedure as outlined should be followed closely. Only entire districts can enter into the organization of union graded districts. A separate petition must be circulated in each of the dis- tricts proposing to form the union graded district. The petition must be signed by at least one -third of the qualified voters in the district in which it is circulated, but everyone in the district should be given an opportunity to sign the petition. Upon receipt of the petition from the several districts,the County Superintendent calls a meeting of the voters at some convenient place. The people at the meeting choose a chairman and secretary and proceed to vote on two propositions : First, whether (57) or not the union graded district shall be organized ; Second, they shall vote for a director, clerk and member of the Board, no two of whom shall be residents of the same common school district proposing to be incorporated in the union graded district where more than two dis- tricts are attempting to unite. These two propositions must be voted on at the same time and a person who votes against the organization of the union graded district should vote for three members of the Board. Of course, the Board cannot assume its duties as directors of the union graded district unless a majority of votes cast are in favor of organizing the union graded district. If a majority of those voting at the meeting vote in favor of organizing the union graded district, the secretary of the meeting shall certify to the County Superintendent the number of votes cast in favor of the organization, the number cast against the organization, and the names of the persons elected as director, clerk, and members, together with their addresses. The County Superintendent will then proceed to declare the common school districts disorganized and the union graded district organized. It is very important that the County Superintendent make a care- ful record of all steps taken in the organization of this district, such to become a permanent part of the official records of the county. INDEBTEDNESS If any school district uniting to form a union graded school dis- trict shall have at the time of its disorganization a legal warrant or bonded indebtedness, such shall remain a charge against the property of such disorganized district to be paid by a sinking fund levy on the property in such disorganized original common school district. Inas- much as the school houses in the union graded district are not abandoned, the property cannot be sold and applied on the payment of the indebtedness of the several common school districts, and the union graded district does not assume the indebtedness of any district. TRANSPORTATION The union graded district Board cannot furnish transportation, except when authorized to do so by 60 per cent of the legal voters living in the district. UNION DISTRICTS IN OKLAHOMA Several of the districts reported to the State Superintendent as consolidated schools are found upon investigation to be simply union graded schools, but the number of such is not known definitely as this time. FORT TOWSON The Fort Towson union graded school district in Choctaw County has an area of approximately 32 square miles, and a taxable valuation of $711,343.00. In the central school at Fort Towson, eleven teachers are employed to teach twelve grades. Three wing schools, the Doaks- ville school, located two miles northwest, the Greenwood school, locat- ed two and one-half miles northeast, and the Dunn school, located two and one-half miles south of Fort Towson, are maintained for pupils in (58) Fort Towson TTnion Graded School District, Choctaw County the first six grades. All pupils in the seventh, eighth and high school grades are required to attend the central school at Fort Towson, but the district does not furnish transportation for these pupils. A four- year high school course is offered in the union graded school. Last 59) year there were fifteen graduates from the eighth grade and three from the high school department. The northeast part of this district is rough and hilly, with con- siderable timber, the central part is good, level land, and the south part is broken by creeks, draws, etc. There is also considerable heavy timber in the southern part of the district. The main line roads east and west and north and south from Fort Towson are good, but the laterals are only fair. At present, transportation of pupils is hardly feasible for this district and the union graded school is probably the best under the circumstances. The principal reports that the average daily attendance for the town school is 90%, for the rural, or wing schools, 78%. The number retained and not promoted in the wing schools is 40% greater than retained pupils in the town school. 3VLA.HEW The Mahew school is a union graded district in Choctaw County that has been reported heretofore as a consolidated district. A large central brick building, containing four rooms, is available for use as a union graded school, and two one-room wing schools are maintained for the first six grades in the west and east ends of the district. The writer visited this district during the summer while school was in ses- sion and found two teachers employed at the central school teaching the first eight grades and one teacher in each of the two wing schools teaching the first six grades. The large central brick building is located in the country, there being no town in the Mahew district. Formerly there was a teacherage in connection with this building but it burned. Mahew Union Graded School, Choctaw County (60) NORGB The following letter describes the organization of the first union graded district in Grady County. Superintendent Shepard is entitled to the credit for bringing about the organization of this district with such unparalleled success: Chickaslia, Okla., October 27, 1917. Mr. E. A. Duke, Oklahoma City, Okla. Dear Mr. Duke: Grady County organzied her first Union Graded School during June, 1917. Consolidation had been tried in this part of the county but had been unani- mously voted down. We held three meetings, one in each of the three districts that organized the Union Graded District. We got up our petitions in two days and had our election ten days after the third meeting. More than three- fourths of the voters in the district attended the meeting and voted unani- mously for organizing the union graded school. The next step taken up was the location of the school house, only one site being suggested and that voted for unanimously. Three members of the Board were named, one from each district, and they were elected without other nominations. We proceeded then at the meeting to get up our petition for the bond issue. It was first suggested that we build a $5,000.00 building. One farmer got up and said that he was not in favor of a $5,000.00 bond issue and offered as a substitute to the motion that a $10,000.00 bond issue be floated for the purpose of build- ing and equipping the l3uilding. This was carried unanimously. Ten days later we held our bond election and it carried unanimously. I think the reason we were so successful in this organization was due to the fact that we got all the people out to this meeting and discussed the Union Graded District from every angle — points for it and points against it. Owing to the topography of the district,- a union gTaded school is the best suited to them, because of the hills and sand, transportation is almost impossible. I went over these districts before we had our meeting and picked out a loca- tion for the school house, and located it just a mile and a half from each of the other three buildings. We purchased eleven acres of good land and have one of the most modern school houses for the money that I have ever seen. We looked over plans of various school buildings throughout the United States and secured one of the best architects that could be had to make our plans. Therefore, we have a building that will meet the needs of the people as a community center and a modern, practical high school for the boys and girls of that community. This building has a large study hall, an auditorium and a gymnasium. It has five class rooms and a library adjoining the study hall. Domestic Science and Manual Training rooms are fully equipped. This year we will put into this building about $3,000.00 worth of additional equipment. Departmental work is done throughout the school. The school building is built on the unit plan, in order that we may add to it in future years without any trouble whatever. The building is lighted in the most modern way, has mod- ern heating plant and water supply and sanitary toilets, it also has a six-room teacherage, all teachers being required to live in this building, the principal of the school in charge. The ground will be used for agricultural purposes, where demonstration work will be done for the district. The Board has agreed to hire an agriculturist for the next year, who will be the agent for this dis- trict twelve months out of the year. This building is located twelve miles west of Chickasha and is the only high school in that section of the county, or the east side of Caddo County. The enrolment for this year is 107, and we have six teachers in the district. I visited these schools a few days ago and was surprised to find the in- terest manifested by the children in the wing schools, everyone doing his (61) TTniou Hlg'h School in Center. Three Schools for First Six Grades Top anS Bottom. Vuiou Graded District No. 1, Grady County best and looking forward to the time when he will reach the grade that will promote him to the new building. I was also very much surprised and gratified to see the work that was being done by the teachers in the wing buildings. They have six grades and have the work so classified and the programs ar- ranged in such manner that the school really looks like a school. Teachers have time for recitations and individual work. These classes do not require such long recitations and the time is not taken up with the recitation from the seventh and eighth grade pupils. The Board was kind enough to take my suggestion in hiring teachers, so all teachers doing work in this school are holders of first grade county certificates or are Normal School graduates. The principal receives $1,200.00 a year for the first year; the other teachers in the high school receive $75.00 per month. The area of the school site is eleven acres. The value of the new build- ing is $8,500.00. "We have arranged with the University to furnish us a land- scape man to lay this ground off as it should be. We hope and believe we are safe in saying that we have one of the most practical schools in this state, from every standpoint. You would be surprised to see the interest manifested by the patrons of this school. I have had one called meeting there since the school started and the house was packed. I hope that you will arrange to spend a day or two in this school and see the work that is being done and how it is conducted, that you may go out over the state and tell 'other people how it is being done, in order that they may do something for their boys and girls. You cannot appreciate this school in the least without having visited it and observed how it is conducted. I expect to make this school purely and simply a country high school. With best wishes, I am Very truly yours, M. H. SHEPAED, County Superintendent. STATE AID The union graded schools are entitled to state aid when they meet the requirements of the law. (63) Chapter IV. TEANSPORTATION OF PUPILS The transportation of pupils to and from school at the expense of the district is a simple form of community co-operation. There are many townships in Oklahoma containing four school houses serv- ing districts averaging nine square miles in area and enrolling pupils from the first to the eighth grade inclusive. The majority of the pupils who attend walk to and from these little schools, but in many of the districts there are several who, because of the distance of their homes from the district school house, or on account of the age of the pupils, find it necessary to drive. In some cases where the children are young, it becomes necessary for the father or mother to drive with the children to school each morning and return for them in the after- noon. As a result, it frequently happens that the services of more adults and teams are required to transport a few children to and from the little one-room schools in a township than would be required to transport all of the children to a large central well graded school in the same township. This is due to absence of co-operation. To be entirely efficient and thoroughly democratic, the school must touch the lives of all scholastics in the district alike, affording equal opportunities to all. If the parent whose home is distant from the school house cannot spare his children a horse to be used in driving to and from school, their attendance will be irregular and unsatisfac- tory to themselves and to the school, inasmuch as their classmates must Wasted Horsepower — Only Eig-hteeu Pupils are Enrolled in This One-room Scliool. Two Horses Could Transport Them to a G-ood Consolidated School (64) have their progress impeded by the slower members of the class. This results in decreased efficiency on the part of the little school. Certain farms in the community lose in efficiency because the children use the horses that are badly needed and parents must spend a part of each school day getting their children to and from the school. This loss of horse power and man power results in decreased produc- tion, which is reflected in the taxable valuation of property in the school district, as well as in the lives and affairs of the parents and children themselves. Co-operation, in the form of transportation of pupils at public expense, releases for farm service the excess horse power now em- ployed in hauling children to school, relieves the parent of the neces- sity of spending valuable time on the road between the home and school house, makes it possible for the school to influence the life of each child in the district to the same extent and thus makes of the school a truly efficient and democratic institution. Like other forms of co- operation through the division of labor, it proves more economical in the end than the individualistic plan. The United States Commissioner of Education estimates the num- ber of consolidated schools in the nation at 7,500, a total greater than all the school districts of Oklahoma. There are no figures available to show the total area of consolidated territory in the United States, but inasmuch as districts of this type are larger than the ordinary dis- tricts, it is safe to assume that this area is at least three times as great as the area of our state. Transportation at public expense is the rule in these districts. It is safe to assume that many more children live in consolidated districts in this nation than there are scholastics in Oklahoma. In addition to the consolidated schools in the United States, there are many excellent schools of this type in Canada where transportation at public expense has been furnished for a number of years. Despite these facts, we frequently meet people who maintain that transportation is impracticable, impossible or undesirable. In- creased taxation and the difficuclties of transportation are the two great objections offered to consolidation of schools by persons who have not learned to think in larger terms than the small district school and who have never regarded a consolidated district as a great co-opera- tive undertaking. Until the people in the community are prepared to take this larger, broader view, it is doubtful whether they should undertake to reorganize their districts or not, lest they have consolida- tion that fails to consolidate. It is reasonable to suppose that if the transportation of pupils were beset with all the difficulties, inconveniences and expense claimed by those who mistakenly oppose it, districts would not organize after witnessing the difficulties in adjacent districts, and legislatures would not authorize the transportation of pupils in practically every state in the union. It has been observed, however, that after one consolidated school is established the common school districts nearby begin to agi- tate the question of consolidating. Consolidation grows most rapidly (65) t :L'd»'-mt^' The Old Way ^^' The New Way — Courtesy Studetoaker, South Bend, Ind. (66) where it is best known, or where it has been tried in neighboring com- munities. Again, if transportation were beset with all the difficulties claimed by those who oppose the organization of consolidated schools, we would expect to find more consolidated schools in those states that do not require transportation than in the states where it is mandatory that it be furnished. On the contrary, we find that there are more consolidated schools in those states where transportation is required than in those where it is not required. These facts should convince any seeker after the truth that the advantages of transportation at public expense outweigh all of the real and imaginary disadvantages. As a matter of fact, consolidation without transportation furnished by the district is a failure, because it is undemocratic in that it removes the school from the reach of children whose parents cannot furnish them a means of going to school. Indiana has required transportation since 1901 and is a leader in the number of consolidations effected, being second only to Louisiana where transportation is also required. The State Superintendent of Iowa reports that no consolidated school in that state which has ever completed its organization and trans- ported children has reverted to the one-room schools. There are con- solidated schools in seventy of the ninety-nine counties in Iowa and in one of these counties 65% of the entire territory is consolidated. In New Jersey state aid is given for the purpose of helping pay the cost of transportation. In Oklahoma state aid is given for the purpose of assisting the district to erect a suitable building, but no consolidated district may receive aid from this state unless the pupils living two or more miles from the school house are furnished transportation at the cost of the district. Two years ago, Mississippi had 193 consolidated schools to which 7,788 pupils were transported in 436 wagons. Last year there were 383 consolidated schools in Mississippi, employing 706 wagons to transport 14,310 pupils. Eighteen of these consolidated schools are in one county, sixteen in another and fourteen in another. Until the first of July, 1917, transportation of pupils was not authorized by the law of Illinois. This, no doubt, explains why there are not as many consolidated schools in Illinois as in Ohio, Iowa, In- diana, Missouri and other states in that section of our common coun- try. The interest in education on the part of Illinois people created the demand for the law passed during 1917 authorizing transportation and it will be interesting to watch the number of consolidated districts increase in that great state during the coming years. Experience has demonstrated that without public transportation the consolidated schools do not meet the needs of this age. Wagons drawn by horses afford the means of transportation usually employed, but in many sections of the country motorbusses are coming into general use for this purpose, while in some districts where there are large rivers motor boats are used. In districts having trolley lines, some of the pupils are furnished transportation by rail. This is (67) i _ '*^"iiii«'^- "^1 r*i' T ^""^'^rn^mm -n-rriir""7".^^^^^^B mj. i8 ■™ifitelifBlli ^JSi^Sf 1;inier County (88) It is not expected that each school will score on each item. The sum of all points is greater than 1000 ; therefore a school may become a model school without having all equipment listed or without qualify- ing in all items under the head of Grounds and Outhouses, School Building, Equipment and Organization. No school having a building erected after January 1, 1918, will be designated as a model school, however, unless the school room is properly lighted by windows ar- ranged on the left side only or on the left with high windows at the rear. School boards should have the County Superintendent or State Superintendent approve plans for such new school buildings to be erected in order to make sure that such buildings are modern in every respect. A diploma or certificate will be issued to each model school in the state that meets the requirements set forth heretofore, when the County Superintendent certifies to the State Superintendent that the school has met all requirements. (89)