Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 84, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 January 1917 — TEACHERS FOR GOOD ROADS [ARTICLE]

TEACHERS FOR GOOD ROADS

FrJ>m University MenlJovvn to Workers in Country Schools, Wholesome ; ’” Benefit Is Seen. '.'l',: _ * ♦ ■' ' . ■? Back of the movement for the creation by the General Assembly of the State Highway Department, f<7r the organized construction of main market highways in Indiana, and the getting of the $2,109,000 of federal aid, are the schpol authorities of the state and the teachers generally,, for they know that with good roads come better educational facilities and the development of better citizenship in the communities. This support from the teachers comes' from the men employed in the universities and colleges on down through the. school system to the teachers of, the country schools who are brought fact to face. with’*the evils of bad or poor roads. The rural population is more willing to support better - schools today than at any previous time. It is being realized that all educational activities or agencies must be more or less correlated, and,’ more than all else, that they must be more accessible to the children. In many counties where bad roads prevail, most of the schools are of the antiquated oneroom variety. A Irregular Attendance.

They are usually located along bad roads which, during the winter, when the schools are usually in session, become so nearly impassable as ot make it difficult for the children to reach them. This condition causes irregular attendance and restricts the educational opportunities of the child. Not only this, but it often impedes ■ the economic consolidation of these smaller schools into larger, stronger graded schools, with high school courses, directed by a competent principal and corps of teachers. On the other hand, jn counties which have improved their roads, the schools are easily reached, the average attendance greater, the efficiency largely increased and economic consolidation made possible. Regular attendance at school means consistent and regular growth of both school and pupil, and consolidation of schools means a maximum of efficiency at a minimum of cost. It is also noteworthy that there is a marked tendency for the consolidated school to become the social and intellectual center of the community. Becomes Community Center. Most modern rural schoolhouses are so constructed as to serve the community as gathering places for various kinds of public meetings, and where vans are used to convey the children to school during the day they are frequently pressed into service to haul the farmers and their wives to institute work, lectures, or entertainments at the schoolhouse. The consolidated school becomes a sort of community center to which all educational and social activities converge, and in order that it may properly perform that function all of the highways leading to it should be so improved as to render it readily accessible throughout the year. t