206 FARMEES' INSTITUTES. 



Elder Donaldson: About establishing schools in the center of the towns equal' 

 to the English schools iu the cities and little towns — when the rural districts- 

 rise in intelligence and education the cities and towns will rise in proportion. 

 If jou haye an ignorant community in the rural districts the cities feel it, for 

 it is from the rural districts that our strongest men in the cities have come.. 

 The feeling that nothing can be done in the way of a good education in the 

 country and that it is necessary to go to the town or city to finish one's school- 

 ing is too well justified by the present condition of things, but if they would 

 establish good schools in the townships, there will be a great leveling up all 

 through the country and all through the nation. The boys and girls that 

 have to walk a little ways or a good ways won't be hurt by it. It will help to 

 make up a good body for the teacher to work upon. 



Mr. VanHoosen: Have a graded school in the center of each township and 

 district schools around and have all the schools of the township under one 

 board of trustees to hire the teachers, etc., and to examine the schools and see 

 vshat the studies are, Just the same as in the cities. Why not? Are not we- 

 entitled to education as much as anybody? The majority of farmers' boys have 

 to graduate from these schools. 



Then further, let us carry out our laws for compulsory education and make 

 the boys stay at school till they know something. This will cost a good deal,, 

 it is true, but what are we working for ? Are we working for money, or dress, 

 or what is it? If these farmers were educated as they ought to be, there would 

 not be a man selling Bohemian oats in this county. (Prolonged laughter.) 

 Now let us go right down into our pockets and have the best teachers. We 

 have better natural advantages than Massachusetts and the New England. 

 States and we should surpass them in our educational achievements. 



But while cash is needful Ave can also do a great deal by the use of common, 

 sense. W^e now support in this township eleven school districts, aud in these, how 

 is the school house located? Did you ever look at the matter? Some influential 

 farmer has it stuck right by his own house and there is not a district but what 

 someone has to send children two or three miles. You might have five schools 

 properly placed, that would be less than three miles from every scholar. So 

 you could do away with six teachers, sis fires and all the other incidental 

 expenses and build up instead a centrally located graded school that would be an. 

 honor to all of us, and we can build our own monument in that way. Now let 

 us do it. 



Elder Donaldson: As to large or small school districts, I have lived in the- 

 country most of my life and have learned, that it is a great deal chea})er to send, 

 our children three or four miles to a school near home, than to send them away. 

 to school, consequently I have been in favor of doubling up our districts. 



In the district where I live, the largest district in the town^ the farthest the 

 children have to go is about a mile, and those that live the farthest off, I have 

 noticed, are the most apt to be on time. In bad weather a team is hitched up 

 and the children brought in. In this way we can send our children three or 

 four miles cheaper than we can support so many schools. We need fewer and 

 better schools. 



I would favor having a graded school in the center of each town. The dis- 

 tance does not amount to much. I sent my boy seven miles to school for five 

 years, and he took it upon himself from choice: I told him to go until he was 

 satisfied; he went the five years and was not tardy nor absent once, and it was a. 

 great deal cheaper to send him seven miles than to have him board there; and., 

 then, too, when he was out of school he was at home. 



