Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 December 1897 — Less Schools; More School. [ARTICLE]

Less Schools; More School.

State Superintendent Geeting recommends that the number of country schools be reduced by consolidation. In this way longer terms can be given and higher studies taught. In many townships are now pikes into every neighborhood and a central school would answer for the entire community. There are now 100 country schools in the townships and about ten in the towns and cities. The latter teach about as many pupils as the former, and give longer terms and instructions in higher branches. In these days of good roads, bicycles and trolley lines, distance is not the obstacle to school attendance that it was when the roads were almost impossible for half the year. The law was made for a multitude of school buildings in pioneer days.