Consolidated School

CONSOLIDATED SCHOOL, a term used in the United States to designate a school that has been formed by the union of two or more rural districts. Though the name is sometimes used interchangeably with centralized schools, the two really have different meanings. The movement to consolidate the small school districts into larger ones had its beginning in New York State in 1853 when an act was passed entitled, "Union School Laws." Massachusetts followed next with the passage of a law in 1869 permitting the expenditure of public money to transport children to school, a law originally intended to permit the carry ing of the older children to central town high schools. By i 880 the towns were taking advantage of the law to close small out lying schools and transport the children to a central town school. This movement was accelerated in Massachusetts when in 1882 the district system was abolished and the township system re stored in its place. The consolidation movement had spread to all the New England States by 189o. By this time New Jersey and Nebraska had passed legislative acts that made consolidation possible ; and Indiana had started the movement without waiting for legislative provisions. In 1894 Ohio passed a law permitting the expenditure of public money for the transportation of pupils. By 1910 38 States had enacted permissive legislation, and by 1927 there were in the United States about 15,000 consolidated schools. The consolidated schools vary in size from the small two-room school to the large modern school of 600 or more pupils equal in physical equipment, curriculum, teaching force and financial support to the better town and city schools.

Advantages.

The advantages of the consolidated school may be summarized as follows : (I) Better classification and gradation of pupils is made possible, and classes large enough to stimulate rivalry and enthusiasm in the work of the school. (2) The number of grades a teacher must handle and the number of recitations are materially reduced, while the length of the recitations are materially increased. (3) The curriculum can be enriched by the introduction of instruction in agriculture, home economics, manual training, music, art and nature study. (4) The larger school unit makes possible buildings with better equipment in heating, ventilation, lighting and sanitary conveniences; pro fessionally trained teachers, and modern teaching equipment and supplies. (5) Consolidation makes possible longer terms of school than the small districts usually can afford ; provides supervision of instruction ; and higher salaries for teachers which lengthens the tenure of office. (6) Transportation, which is an essential feature of consolidation, provides for the placing of the children under the care of a responsible person in travelling to and from the school. (7) Enrolment in the school is increased and absences and tardiness are reduced to the minimum. (8) It brings to gether at one place enough pupils to permit of organized plays and games, making it possible to utilize the educative value of play which is largely lost to the small district school. (9) It offers to rural children and rural communities all the desirable educational advantages which the city children now enjoy.

(W. D. A.; W. H. HA.)