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can see over the country as they pass along. This is also an insurance against accidents while crossing railroads.

The hacks used here have double floors, which also adds much to the comfort of the children.

Good roads are also a necessity to successful transportation. Since these hacks have to go over the roads at all times of the winter they are equipped with wheels having two and a quarter inch tires to prevent any unnecessary wear upon the road. Hack routes, like mail routes, bring about good roads, as the best service is only possible under the most favorable conditions.

Only men of the highest moral worth should be employed as drivers. As much care should be exercised in the selection of a hack driver who has charge of the children to and from school as in the teacher who has charge of them while in school. The best of men can only be secured when the position pays the price demanded by a first-class man. Bids for driving a hack should never be taken by a trustee as this brings about unsatisfactory complications.

The rules and regulations of the hack service should be a part of the contract into which the hack driver enters and in which he gives bonds for the successful performance of the work. The contract here shown is the one used in this county and attempts to reach and overcome some of the difficulties encountered in the past.

Each hack driver is required to make a daily report to the principal of the school. This not only secures his coöperation but the children in this way learn of their responsibility to the driver. A report is also required of each driver to the county superintendent so that official may be made acquainted with prevailing conditions.

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School Township of Randolph County, Indiana, party of the

second part.

The party of the first part (for the sum named below to be paid by the party of the second part) agrees to perform the following work: To drive the school wagon on Route No.

in....

School Township, of Randolph County, Indiana, and haul all the children of school age now residing and adjacent to said

route (or who may be along said route during the life of this contract), to and from the school according to the following schedule. The said schedule to be as follows unless changed by the Trustee.

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Said work to be governed by the following conditions: 1. The said

School Township is to furnish the

wagon to be used and keep it in repair.

2. The said party of the first part is to furnish, keep, and feed all the horses, and furnish harness, necessary to haul the wagon on the said route, without any expense to the said School Township, other than the pay agreed upon for the party of the first part in this contract.

(Here insert conditions as to stable)

3. The party of the first part is to have control of all the school children so hauled, to and from school, to keep order and maintain discipline while in the wagon and along the route, and to treat all children in a gentlemanly and civil manner and to see that no child is imposed upon or mistreated while in his charge, and shall use every care for the safety of the children under his charge. All school hacks shall come to a full stop immediately before crossing steam or electric railways and the driver shall ascertain positively as to the approach of any danger. The party of the first part hereby agrees to prevent the use of tobacco in any form, by himself or any other person upon the school wagon while under his charge.

4. The party of the first part is to drive the wagon and take the children along the route every day that school is in session during the school year of 19- and 19-.

5. The party of the first part shall inform the parents of the school children as to the time he will arrive at the place where the children are to take the school wagon each morning, so that the children can be ready to get into the wagon with the least possible delay. He shall wait a reasonable length of time for the children, in case they are not ready when the wagon arrives in the morning, but he will not be required to so wait over two minutes. Said party of the first part is to use as many horses as necessary to haul the wagon on the schedule as laid down in this contract. The party of the first part is to personally perform all the said work as laid down in this agreement, unless permission for a substitute be given by the Trustee, who shall designate who such substitute shall be. This contract shall not be assigned to another person to perform without the written consent of the said Township Trustee, as party of the second part, and to be so written on the back of this contract. The party of the first part is to wash and clean up the wagon at the end of term and place it in the school barn, or elsewhere, as directed by the Trustee without extra compensation.

6. The party of the first part hereby agrees to make all reports called for by the Trustee or any one authorized by the Trustee to call for them.

7. The party of the second part hereby agrees to pay the party of the first part the sum of -- dollars ($), per day for every day such work is performed. Pay for such work can only be drawn each month during school term or at the end of the term, or on the same plan and terms as with the school teachers if the Trustee so desires.

8. The wilful violation of any of the provisions of this contract shall be cause for its forfeiture.

9. In case anything should arise not named or covered by this contract, the matter shall be adjusted by the Township Trustee, whose decision shall govern all parties concerned.

To all of the above we do hereby agree in every particular by signing our names on this, the... day of

Trustee of

19.

Party of the First Part.

School Township, Randolph

County, Indiana, and Party of the Second Part.

T

VI. CONSOLIDATION UNDER THE COUNTY-UNIT

The following extracts from Kansas and Missouri State School Reports point out the desirability of general county educational reorganization. The Missouri extract uses Bates County as an illustration of what could be accomplished under such a plan for educational administration. This is only what has been accomplished in Baltimore County, Maryland, working under the county-unit plan. What both propose is what is provided for in the required county educational reorganization, outlined in the School Code for the hypothetical state of Osceola.1

1. Fundamental Rural Needs in Missouri

[From 56th An. Rept. Supt. Publ. Instr. Missouri, 1905, pp. 27-29.]

At a recent conference of nearly a hundred leading teachers of the State, the sentiment in favor of a revision of the educational provisions of the State Constitution was nearly unanimous. From the school standpoint, the purposes would be to adjust the financial support of the different parts of our articulated system of education. The ends to be accomplished are: (1) Fixing a permanent support for all State institutions by a definite State levy, placing the burden on all property in the State equally, offering to every section of the State and to every young man and woman equal opportunity for technical and higher training; (2) making the county a taxable and school administrative unit, to provide secondary schools and to exercise supervisory control over elementary schools; (3) providing for larger school districts, popularly designated as "consolidated districts," with larger liberty in levying school taxes than is now given to school districts.

The state needs to have its assessed valuation increased fifty per cent at once. This can be done under laws now on the statutes by county assessors and county and state boards of equalization, if they will but do their full duties. There is neither justice nor law in the present custom of assessing property at from 25 to 40 per cent of its actual value.

The apportionment of this money should encourage the formation

1 See CUBBERLEY, E. P., State and County Educational Reorganization (School Code of Osceola), Chapter II, Art 6. Also see Appendix II of same for details for one county, with maps, tables of costs, etc.

of consolidated school districts, or township districts about 2,000 in all, instead of 10,000 as at present. The manner of apportionment should induce every community to do all it is able to do for itself. . . .

Let us see what would be the results of such a reorganization, if applied to Bates county. This county has, in round numbers, 8500 children of school age; enrolled last year 7800 children; and had an average attendance, for 156 days, of about 4800 children. There were 220 teachers in 140 districts, receiving an average annual salary of less than $300. The present assessed valuation of property is $12,000,000, including railroad, telegraph and telephone lines; perhaps 300 boys and girls, nine-tenths of whom live in towns, are in high schools. The rate of tax-levy is 51 cents, which produces about $60,000 from local taxes. The total expenditure for school purposes is $80,000.

The State contributes about $12,000 of this, about $9,000 of which the county pays into the state treasury as taxes. This is a fine showing for one of the best counties of the state.

What should it be? The average attendance should be 6000 and the average length of term should be 160 days no district having less than eight months. The number of districts should be reduced to about 20, through consolidation. The total number of teachers should be reduced to 200, giving four or more teachers to each township school district. The average annual salary should be $400 with no salary in the county less than $40 per month. The assessed valuation of property should be increased to $18,000,000. There should be 20 good two-year high schools, one in each district, enrolling 600 pupils. There should be one or two central high schools, for more advanced and special work, enrolling at least 400 more. There should be a state school-tax levy of 10 cents, a county school-tax levy of 10 cents, and a district school-tax levy of not less than 40 cents, averaging 50 cents (present average about 65 cents). This would give, counting income from permanent funds, about $80,000 to pay 200 elementary teachers and $20,000 for incidentals, supplies, and repairs for the 20 district schools. The county board would thus have $30,000 with which to maintain 20 small high schools and one or two first-class central high schools, and to employ efficient supervision for all of the schools. Under such an organization, $100,000 of the $130,000 spent on elementary and secondary schools in the county would be raised by direct tax on county property. The other $30,000, would be apportioned from the state treasury, a larger part of which would be raised from corporation taxes and from permanent investments. In addition to

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