Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 38, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 February 1906 — STATISTICS OF SMALL SCHOOLS. [ARTICLE]

STATISTICS OF SMALL SCHOOLS.

Fassett A. Cotton, state superintendent of public instruction, has complied some statistics relative to the small schools of the state and consolidation of the country schools. He has received returns from every county except Crawford, and tfie total figures are of interest, especially with reference to the movement toward consolidation. Thesuperintendents of forty three counties agreed that after a fair trial the people of the counties were in favor of closing the smaller schools and forcing a consolidated school. In nine counties the sentimentwas againstsuch consolidation. In thirty-nine counties answer was made that consolidation had not been tried sufficiently to determine whether the people were favorable to the Ipan or not. A total of 699 schools have been abandoned in the state since the movement for consolidation was started, these 699 schools combining into 280 consolidated schools. During the last year 8,312 children were transported to consolidated schools at a cost of $824.85 a day. The average cost of each wagon a day was $1.68. The report shows that of the 1,016 townships in the state, 659 are suitable for transportation of children. As the result of this consolidation the small schools are disappearing in the state. There are only forty - nine schools now that have five or fewer pupils; 286 schools have between five and ten >upils; 1,090 schools have between ten and fifteen each, ana 1,932 schools with between fifteen and twenty pupils. Mr. Cotton has been advised that boys’ corn clubs have been organized in Wayne, Hendricks, Laporte Monroe, Porter and Hamilton counties. The corn club idea originated with John F. Haines, superintendent of Hamilton county.