CONSOLIDATED SCHOOLS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2686, 6 September 1905, Page 29

CONSOLIDATED SCHOOLS.

Some reference was made in the Houseof Representatives last week to the subject; •of central or consolidated schools, to which children are conveyed in scattered districts. The following letter from the Truro Normal School. Nova % Scotia, on consolidated schools in Canada, published in >the " League of the- Empire," will be of interest in this connection: — " Sir William O. MacDonaid, a Montreal philanthropist, who had already done "muck to improve Canadian schools, offered to meet the extra expense of establishing, for trial, consolidated schools in various parts of the Dominion. This system has been carried on in parts of the United States with, great success. ' "Within the last year and a-half eonsoll3ated schools have been established by Sir William MaeDonald's help at Middleton, N.S. ; Kingston, N. 8 .; and .Guelph, Ont. There is' also a similar but independent school -at Trypn, P.E.I. As the Middleton school is within a short distance of my owii home, I will describe that one. -^ Seven, country schools have united with Middleton school, each section raising the nsual amount of money, and "retaining its school trustees. These trustees choose a school board which shall have entire control over the consolidated schools. The board engages teachers, and arranges for the transportation of pupils to and from schools. Tlier© is now a staff of 11 teachers, trained for the. special work and holding certificates higher than those employed in the separate schools. Mr M'Gill is the principal. The children are conveyed backwards and, forwards in covered vans, 12 in number, arranged so 'as to nroteet them from cold and storms. Through the- generosity of Sir William MaeDonald, a fine new building was erected and equipped at a cost of 20,000d01. There are departments of mechanical and domestic science, also & school garden conducted by the principalThe school was opened on September 3. 1903. The , experiment is to be carried ci* for three years; then the sections will have their choice of continuing the experiment or of reopening the separate schools. So far, the plan has been a fair success, though there are some drawbacks. The chief of; these is that too many sections are included 1,the longest route of the vans being six and a-half miles. • The expense is also greatlyincreased, but this is more than compensated for by the better educational advantages. Formerly, pupils were obliged to leave their homes to take thp High School cotn<=e. Now there are 60 High School uupils conveyed by the vans to school. The total number of pupils now attending is over 400,' from an area of 75 square mile's. Th.o children are enabled to attend school much more regularly than before. Th». average attendance is .about 90 per cent., while that of country schools is often nc more than 60 per cent. This alone is an immense advantage, to say nothing of the better teachers, improved course of study and more comfortable rooms. The social life of the community also is broadened; and people need not move from country to town on account of educating their children. »

"Dr A. H. Mack.ay, Superintendent of Education in Nova Sootia, says : 'The MacDonald Consolidated School at Middletoa gives to the rural district around it an educational service superior (everythingbeing eqnall to the best possible in anycity schools.' "