^87 % Cornell University Library LB2861.B87 Consolidation of schools and the cost of 3 1924 013 007 087 Consolidation of Schools and the Cost of Transportation By E1^^^5 rooks Superintendent of Public Instruction Y) ' Published by the STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION Raleigh, N. 0. "'h. Cornell University Library The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924013007087 CONSOLIDATION OF SCHOOLS AND COST OF TRANSPORTATION OF PUPILS The best type of school for rural districts cannot be secured for at least 75 per cent of the children of the rural communities without some kind of effective consolidation. The small one-room school as it is now conducted cannot offer eiven good educational advantages to the children of the elementary grades. It the instruction in the one-room school is to approach a fair degree of efficiency the work should be confined to about the first three grades. But the attendance now in th^^hools is so small, as a rule, that if thei teacher is confined to the first tnBi 'grades there will not be pupils enough to maintain a school. Moreover, a good four-year high school is impossible tor the rural scho^s unless the graduates of enough elementary schools are brought toother in one high school to permit the employment of from three to fiv^Jleachers. These conditions, therefore, demand sensible consolidation and transportation of children. The Supreme Court of North Carolina in 1917 declared the high school to be a necessary part of our public school system, and I like to think that it is not a separate institution, but that the public school of a community is a unit beginning with the first grade and ending with the last year of the high school. If this is to become a reality, the community must be large enough to provide for this continuity. A one-teacher elementary school, frequently, has none to finish the seventh grade, and a high school cannot be secured until the pupils pass the seventh grade. To illustrate: In one county there are 1,800 children in the elementary grades of our one- and two-teacher schools. Only 60 passed the seventh grade last year. The total number of graduates annually of the seventh grades, therefore, is not suffi- cient to provide more than one good high school for the entire county. But if the districts were better organized they ought to send up to the high school from 300 to 400 graduates instead of only 60. It will require, as a rule, about 100 children enrolled in a school to supply as many as 20 or 25 for the high school. One extra teacher, therefore, may then be employed to devote whole-time instruction to the high school pupils. But a one-teacher high school cannot give satisfactorily four years of instruction, because the number of recitations required prevents it. Therefore, as a rule, very few pupils in such schools complete four years of work. It is impossible to provide the broader training in such a school, and no vocational training can be offered. Only the college preparatory courses, as a rule, can be taught. AN INEXPENSIVE TYPE OF CONSOLIDATION The best type of school for the boys and girls of country districts' is one large enough to make it possible to secure teachers of sufficient train- ing and skill so that their instruction will touch the whole community and keep the per capita cost within a reasonable limit. This can be secured by effecting the right kind of consolidation. If we expect to have the best type of high school for country children the total number of children attending school in the consolidated area, including elementary as well as high school pupils, should be not less than about 500. If these are properly 4 Consolidation of Schools — Cost of Transportation taught, about 100 to 125 will soon be the number for the high school de- partment, and a high school of this size may be sufficiently equipped to offer the varied instruction necessary to reach all the children and at the same time enrich country life. But it is not necessary that all these 500 pupils be carried to a central school. Many people have thought that consolidation means the abolition of all the elementary schools in a consolidated area. It may not be nec- essary in every case to abolish all of the elementary schools. In isome the first three grades may be taught if the number of children will justify em- ploying one teacher. But in the two- and three-room school buildings, the first four, five, sij^|r seven grades may be taught. T^he number of grades taught in a buildSPshould depend upon the number of children; but the high school pupils and probably the upper grammar grade pupils should be carried to one central school. Tikis will give a community of minds of suffi- cient strength and importance to make a«;ood school possible. Of course, there are a number of one-teacher schools tHt cannot be consolidated with any other school because of geographic conditions. They should be made as good as it is possible to make them. But a consolidation in which there is a central school containing the high school department and perhaps one or more elementary schools, located conveniently in the consolidated area, means the placing of all the teachers and pupils of this consolidated district under one principal, the principal of the high school, who should watch the progress of the children in all the grades of all buildings and direct the professional work of all the teachers of the elementary and high school and be responsible to the County Superintendent or the County Board of Educa- tion for the success of the entire school unit. Our city schools are organized along these lines, and such an organization gives unity to the community. It makes it possible to secure the social value that comes from a large com- munity and to supply teachers of vocational subjects who may be as valuable to the adult population of the consolidated area as to the children attending school. Is it not clear that a school so organized as to give instruction valuable to the community as well as to the individual child is worth con- siderably more than one that only gives text-book instruction to a few children? But in order to have such a school, many children must be trans- ported to it, and the consolidation can be effected without increasing the per capita cost for each pupil taught. Of course, if the county has no suitable two- or three-room school buildings that may be used with advan- tage, the cost of transportation will be greater because the number of chil- dren transported will be greater. But I am assuming that some of these elementary schools may be maintained. THE COST OF TRAJfSPORTATION ADDED TO THE COST OF INSTRUCTIOIV The records in the office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruc- tion show that, almost without exception, the per capita cost for instruction in counties in which a majority of the children of the rural districts attend the one-room and two-room school is higher than in counties that have created the larger unit, and, as a rule, the former has a lower grade of teachers. It Consolidation of Schools — Cost of Transportation 5 is a fact that the cost of instruction plus the cost of transportation in counties having the consolidated schools is no higher than the per capita cost of Instruction alone in some of the more backward counties. It is possible, therefore, to so organize the counties that the per capita cost of instruction plus transportation will not exceed the present per capita cost of instruction in some of the more backward counties. The consolidated school makes high school instruction possible. The small one-room school makes it impossible to have good high schools. The superintendents know the per capita cost of instruction. Therefore, the main purpose of this article is to discuss the cost of transportation and give the superintendents and county boards of education helpful sug- gestions for keeping the cost on a reasonable basis. f^ THE COST OF TRANSPORTATIOIf We have studied the cost of transportation for the past year with the pur- pose of arriving at a fair basis, since it has been very evident that we have no uniform standard by which to measure its cost. Last fall we sent out letters to superintendents, requesting them to estimate the monthly cost per truck based on past experience, for the year 1921-1922, including the salary of the driver and the cost of gasoline, oil, and repairs. Twenty-five counties reported. Leaving the cost of repairs out of the calculation, the lowest estimate for driver, gas and oil was $20 a month per truck and the highest was $65 a month per truck. The average monthly cost for the seven counties that do not draw from the Equalizing Fund was $35 a month, and for the eighteen counties that draw from the Equalizing Fund the average cost was $40 per month. Few accurate records of this cost have ever been kept until last year. At the close of the school year it was discovered that the actual coat should be less than the estimated cost of last fall. Superintendents from four counties that do not draw from ithe Equalizing Fund stated that the monthly cost per truck would not exceed $30 a month. One superintendent, Mr. John M. Darden of Washington County, a county that draws from the Equalizing Fund, stated that the monthly cost per truck in his county would not exceed $30 a month. Superintendent R. G. Fitzgerald of Pitt County, a county that does not draw from the Equalizing Fund, has given us the most business- like accounting of the coat of transportation. He operated last year 22 trucks at an average cost of 7.3 cents per day for each pupil transported, and this included the cost of repairs. But he says: "With a standard medium price, medium weight truck, I believe it is possible to transport pupils even in Eastern Carolina at a cost -of 5 cents per pupil per day." The greater part of Superintendent Fitzgerald's report is given below. Every county superintendent should read it carefully. SUPEEINTENDEIfT FITZGEBALD'S REPORT "All school trucks in Pitt County are the property of the Board of Edu- cation. No district funds of any type are invested in them. We find that this plan gives us a decided advantage over that of allowing the district to buy its own trucks. It enables us to move trucks from school to school 6 Consolidation of Schools — Cost of Transportation as necessity arises. I might also add that all operating expenses are paid out of our general building fund. A regular appropriation under the head of transportation is made to each school wherever trucks are operated. "At the beginning of the school year the principals of our consolidated schools were called together and furnished a supply of order forms of the type enclosed, and also a supply of monthly reports, copies of which are at- tached. (The order card, the monthly report blank, and the annual truck report are reproduced. See blanks 1, 2, and 3.) An effort was made to im- press upon them the very great necessity of exercising the proper care in the operation of trucks under their control. They were advised, in no un- certain terms that the successful and economical operation of (these trucks was considered a very definite part of their work. Should the trucks not receive the proper care, or should the cost of operation prove excessive, they would not be considered for position in our schools for the next year. With this as a basis, we then began the transportation of pupils. Student drivers were employed, .^few of these received no pay whatever. Several were paid $5 per month, and a number received as much as $10 per month. This was the maximum salary allowed. Each driver was charged with the re- sponsibility of seeing thart his truck was kept in proper condition. One local garage at each consolidated school was designated as a supply and repair depot for the trucks at that station. Garage men, drivers, and the principal of the school were advised that no bills would be paid for supplies of any nature whatsoever unless itihe driver carried with him written order for same countersigned by the principal. Our plan. In brief, was this: "If the driver was in need of gasoline, written order was obtained for same from the principal. This order specified the exact amount the driver was to receive. A duplicate of this order was kept on file in the principal's office. Upon the delivery of the original order, the driver received his gasoline from the garage. Original order was filed and attached to state- ment for supplies for that particular truck when it was sent to the principal at the end of the month. Th« principal of (the school then checked both the original otder and the items listed on the account with duplicate orders on file in his office. No items were paid for unless original order authorizing the same was found. "We found that by adopting (this plan, we saved a con- siderable amount. "The monthly truck report provides space for two trips, morning and afternoon. The majority of our trucks made only one trip a day. Upon the arrival of the truck at the school building in the morning, the driver placed on the principal's desk memorandum showing mileage and pupils transported on the morning trip. The principal and his assistants attended to the loading and checking of pupils on the afternoon trip. Under column headed 'Gas and Oil' was recorded the amount of each placed in the truck on days in which purchases were made. These columns in no wise refer to the general consumption of each. Under another head was entered the cost of repairs. We propose to amplify this report for the coming year by adding at the bottom columns showing total cost of gas and oil for the month, total cost of repairs for the month, driver's salary, and average cost per pupil per day. I then feel that the report will be fairly complete. "As to the tables showing date for each truck, let me say that this report is for twenty-two trucks. Two of our trucks are operated in con- nection with the Greenville City Schools, and no report Is available for these two. Truck No. 4 is operated by Farmville, and the principal has furnished us with no report. "It should be borne in mind by those examining this report that we have an entirely different proposition in eastern Carolina from that met with in middle and western Carolina in transporting children to and from school. None of these trucks went over hard-surfaced or well improved roads. All of them crossed one or more pocosin swamps. Yet, notwithsltanding this fact, only five days were lost in the entire year. During the latter part of January, all of February, and a part of March our roads were practically impassable, and during this time the five days referred to were lost. We find thaJt this was no greater time than that lost in our schools in which no trucks were operated, because of bad weather. Consolidation of Schools — Cost of Transportation NOTICE:— No Bill for Supplies for Truck will be Paid unless authorized by this order. -192. To Deliver to for Truck No.- -Gals. Gasoline -Qts. Oil Charge to District No- Township- Principal. These Orders must be presented to the Principal of the School with Statement. Consolidation of Schools — Cost of Transportation H d: O D. liJ q: >- _i I I- z o z i u z z z a m I 1- z s a: 1? a: < LU 01 U Z LJ « -I -1 L. Z D u Q < H q: Q. 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CM <0, T-< »ss' "*CgOt^CMCM-*w CO • 0> 1-H 1-1 'lO I-l M I— I CM CO ■ ■ OS ■ Ol CM CO C^ >-< W CO 1 O ■ O t- O O O I ri QO CO ■ J ^- ' r-car-oooocoioeo T-H ■ O 00 00 t^ U3 OS »-i CM CO <-! • _; "* o O O O !-( „ -. . r-- CM o CO T-t to .-I Tji CO r- oo C3 O O W3 OO 0> CM i TtH OO TJH . O CM -^ i ri 00 eg t-- ■ 'CM «* «» to cg^-«ot^r»o cocoi^ coco.ocnoo •-I 00 CO ■ _: ^ o CO O 00 ' >o CO eg cs 2 « -13 ^ »H ■*^ '^ ' fl "cj cS 03 ^ 5 M o R "t: , 03 O O O 3 a a o g • o3 o3 d o3 ' -4^ -fJt -fj -tJ '0000 : H ^ H H 0) ~ H°2 10 Consolidation of Schools — Cost of Transportation "It should also be borne in mind that only four of these trucks were new at the beginning of the year. Miost of them are Fords, with at least two years' service. Nos. 8, 18, and 22 are Reo Speed Wagons. No. 1 is an old Corbitt (that ran only on good days. It is hasdly fair to compare its record with that made by the other trucks. Nos. 14, 20, 21, and 23 are also Reo Speed Wagons. No. 20 was very much abused during the first year of its service, and consequently the average cost per pupil is very high. No. 14 and No. 8 would both have made a better record were it not for the fact that the first two months of the year Ford ohasses were used on these bodies. For the remaining six months Reo chasses were used. However, in making our report we were compelled to include under each number the record made by both chasses. "Our trucks are all placed in storage for the vacation months. All water is first drained from radiators. They are then blocked up from the ground, tires deflated and removed. Batteries are removed and stored with reputable battery stations. "We have heretofore had all repair work done in local garages. How- ever, I am coming more and more to b* of the opinion that where a large number of trucks are used, it would be an economical proposition for the Board of Education to maintain its own repair shop. This would call for a mass of detailed organization that need not concern discussion here. ''A study of the repair cost of each truck on the report above ought to convince almost any one that money could be saved by our own mechanics." ACTION OF THE STATE BOAKD OF EDUCATIOIV Aflter securing the best Information obtainable, the State Board of Edu- cation adapted the following rule as a basis for settling with the Equalizing Fund counties for the transportation of pupils: $30 a month will be allowed for operating expenses per truck, or an average of 6 cents a day per pupil if pupils are carried in smaller numbers than 20 pupils per truck. It is estimated that the average truck will carry about 25 pupils. This number at 6 cents a day gives the cost as $30 a month. Many counties are now operating on this basis. But some do not pay the driver any salary, and in others the maximum salary is from $5 toi $10 a month. Superintendents, therefore, should give their beat thought to this question of transportation, in order that the cost may be kept within reasonable limits. In some in- stances the counties do not purchase trucks, but make arrangements with local garages to transport the pupils. Whether this is less expensive when the whole cost is considered, we have not been able to learn, but it is fair to suppose that the per capita cost per pupil will be higher. THE COST OF A GOOD CONSOLIDATED HIGH SCHOOL If we apply this cost basis to the consolidated rural school we may estimate its total cost, including the transportation of pupils. Suppose we take a five-teaciher high school, having an enrollment of 100 or 125 pupils. The salaries of the principal and teachers for eight months will be about $6,540. This will allow a principal of the highest class, a vocational teacher at one of the highest salaries, and three other teachers at an average of $110 a month. Four trucks may be used to transport the upper grade and a part of the lower grade pupils. Tjhe cost of operating a truck should be Consolidation of Schools — Cost of Transportation 11 about $30 a month, Including the salary of the driver and all other operating expenses. The total cost, therefore, of operating four trucks for eight months will be $960, which added ito $6,540, the cost of instruction, makes a total cost of $7,500 or a per capita cost per pupil of $60. A onerteacher high school containing 25 pupils will employ one man as principal of the school and teacher of high school subjects, at a cost of about $1,500. This is a per capita coat per pupil of $60 also — the same as lor the five-teacher school. But the advantages of such a school are not to be compared with the ad vantages of the five-teacher school. The best type of high school, therefore, for country boys and girls is the five-teacher type, since it offers far greater advantages to the pupils and patrons Ithan a smaller type of high school, and can be maintained at the same per capita cost. And such a high school may be secured by the right kind of consolidation. The history of such a school shows that soon the large majority of the patrons demand that their children shall attend the central school, because the advantages even for those In the lower grades are so much greater than they can secure in the small school. It is this demand from the parents that is causing the rapid consolidation and the erection of the larger school buildings in the country districts. /lii !!!!» <;!lili :i!i iflfij