Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 63, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 April 1899 — Consolidated Schools. [ARTICLE]

Consolidated Schools.

In speaking of the consolidation of small schools in the country, the editor of the Auburn Courier, who has had much experience in school affairs, says: “While in LaPorte county Monday, we met a team loaded with boys and girls, and found they were school children, being carried home after school. The driver had a contract to take them two or three miles into another district, as there were not enough pupils in their district to make a good school. He gets SIOO for the school year and as it wonld cost about S3OO to run the school, the township saved S2OO by the plan. It seems to be satisfactory to both districts.”

But before any such school consolidation plan can be put in effect in this county our country roads will need a good deal of improvement. And one of the best places to start such improvement will be the establishing of a stone crushing plant at Rensselaer. In truth, crushed stone is the only proper material available here for permanent roads. The sandy gravel or gravelly sand which our improved roads are made of in this county, is only a makeshift at best and does not make a road that is reliable in muddy times, nor one that has the qualities of durability.